The engine temperature is one of the most crucial things to monitor on your vehicle. If the engine temperature is too high, it can cause serious damage to the engine components causing it to eventually fail.
One of the most common problems with Ford vehicles is getting a “High engine temperature stop safe” fault message on the driver display.
In this article, I am going to help you understand what this message means, what are the leading causes and how to fix the problem. Let’s get to it.
High Engine Temperature Stop Safely Meaning
In short, The “High engine temperature stop safe” fault message tells you that the engine is overheating and needs to be stopped as quickly as possible.
If left unchecked, it could cause severe damage to your Ford’s engine.
Ford uses engine temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of the engine. When it reaches a certain threshold, the message is displayed on your driver display, and a warning chime sounds.
This warning is intended to alert you that there’s a problem with your Ford vehicle’s engine, and you should stop driving it until the issue has been resolved.
From my experience, soon after you get this message your car will go into limp mode due to Ford’s automatic engine shutdown.
What Causes a “High Engine Temperature Stop Safely” Fault?
Now, the question is, what causes your Ford engine temperature to rise and trigger the “High Engine Temperature Stop Safely ” warning?
Here are the main causes of the warning:
1. Coolant Reservoir Leak
This is by far the most common cause of this warning. If you have a leak in your coolant reservoir, then you will lose coolant over time and your engine will run hotter than normal.
Your engine can only withstand so much heat before it begins to damage itself, which is why the warning light comes on when it does.
Ford’s coolant reservoirs are prone to crakes which then allows the coolant to leak out.
You can check for coolant leaks by getting underneath your car with a flashlight and looking for any drips or wet spots.
If you get this message, check the coolant bottle first; if it is cracked or leaking then have it replaced these usually cost anywhere between $30-50 (£24- 41).
2. Faulty Engine Temperature Sensor
Another reason for the engine overheating warning message is a faulty engine temperature sensor.
The sensor works by sending signals to the computer that controls your Ford’s cooling system, telling it exactly how hot or cold things are inside your engine.
When this sensor goes bad, it can send inaccurate readings which can trick your car into thinking the engine is overheating.
If your coolant is not leaking and the engine temperature is in the normal range, then most likely the temp sensor needs to be replaced.
Luckily, the sensors are relatively inexpensive, you should be able to get them for anywhere between $10 -30 (£8-24).
3. Bad Thermostat
A thermostat is a small device on your car that controls the flow of coolant through your engine.
It keeps the engine at a steady temperature by cycling open and closed, depending on whether or not the car is running.
If your thermostat is bad, it won’t be able to regulate this process correctly and your Ford will run hot.
This can cause issues like overheating when running and trigger a “.High Engine Temperature Stop Safely” message.
4. Blown Head Gasket
When a head gasket is blown, it allows coolant to leak into the engine which raises its temperature and can cause the engine to overheat.
If your Ford has a blown head gasket, it will need to be repaired or replaced.
How to Fix “High Engine Temperature Stop Safely”
If you’re driving and see this message, pull over to a safe place as soon as possible.
Then turn off your engine and let it cool for about 20 minutes before restarting again. If the issue persists,
You should replace the coolant reservoir with a new one. That will solve the problem from my experience as a mechanic.
However, it can happen that the problem is caused by other issues in the cooling system like a faulty thermostat, bad radiator, or water pump then I recommend that you take the vehicle to the nearest Ford dealer or any Ford-certified mechanic to have the issue diagnosed and repaired.
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