Auxiliary heating pump went bad. Durango overheated. Had it towed and the pump was replaced. I drove it home and it overheated again. Checked the reservoir and there was no circulation of fluid in reservoir and the fluid in the reservoir was cold! Heater hose from top of radiator was warm to touch. Thermostat? Water pump? How do I check?
Pete

wildcatgirl

My usual first guess is the thermostat as that is usually the first thing to go in older model vehicles. Usually the way you can tell is how it was acting before it overheated the first time. If you noticed it gradually running warmer over a period of time, and then finally blowing, that is usually the thermostat. If it was running fine and all the sudden blew, it may be the waterpump. Hard to tell without getting under the hood though.

DLSith

Get it to the shop now! Its the thermostat. I had the same problem with my 2000 DD. But I tried driving it home cause we were stuck on the highway. Bad idea. Ended up actually overheating the engine block and had to get the whole thing replaced.

txgreasemonkey

Don't drive the vehicle to the dealer--have it towed. Even having an aluminum head engine overheat once greatly increases the probability of warping the heads, damaging the head gasket and valves, and developing anti-freeze and oil return problems. Cooling problems tend to develop in cars that have not had their anti-freeze changed every 2 years. Make sure to only use a 50/50 mixture of anti-freeze recommended by Dodge for your vehicle and distilled water. Tap, well, and softened water can cause a host of problems, ranging from mineral build-up in thermostats and radiator tubes to leaching solder (softened water). There are major differences in anti-freeze today and only use what the manufacturer specifies.