Brilliant advice. Boiling water for 2 minutes, dry it off, then a little spray of silican grease - the broken part popped out using only the screwdrivers. Total cost - £4 for a new cap. Quote from garage - £150. Simple but effective. Thank you for the tip.😊😊
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. With the holidays approaching I have been quite busy. Thanks for the compliment. I am glad you found the video and found it helpful. By all means don't be a stranger.
Your method worked perfectly, especially after pouring boiling water around the broken piece, using a screwdriver to help it run down the sides. Pried out easier with the screwdrivers and didn't even need the pliers. Thanks a lot!
That is what is so great about RUclips, all the shared knowledge. The boiling water idea came form one of my viewers in the form of a comment. Thanks for taking the time to place a comment and thanks for watching my channel.
I can confirm the boiling water technique works a treat. I managed to remove the seal without damaging it and clipped back into the cap. A few seconds. Top work, cheers. 👍🏼
This is a common issue... for years radiator caps had collared caps for metal and plastic radiators, they were expendable, but you didn't have to pry them out upon failure. These engineering marvels are designed to jeopardize the reservoir tank. The main objective is to get the vehicle back to the dealer. Some understand the scheme between dealer and manufacture.
I currently have exactly the same problem on my Vauxhall Mokka and it was all due to adding Radweld to the cooling system about a year ago when I had a minor leak - I definitely won't do that again on other cars.
Thanks for posting this! I was kinda panicking---two years of driving less and I go to refill my coolant and BAM this same exact issue. I hope I can get the broken part out as well as you managed.
Thank you. I'm stuck in a tiny town far from home, midnight, googled the white smoke coming from my engine, walked to a gas station,bought coolant, walked back, couldn't figure out WHY the coolant was just pouring all over. I'd never done any of this...but had a pair of small scissors and pried it out. Oh and it's snowing. Anyway, thank you! Now I have a story to tell the hubby in the morning.
@@richardspaulding5035 yes, worked like a charm. I did waste half a bottle of coolant thinking it was magically going through the black plug (stuck cap). Ha! Hubby said I should have called but no use for two people to be out in the middle of nowhere in the freezing weather! Thanks again for your help.
This video was very helpful, I ended up using a the only flathead I could find and a spoon to help with the leverage needed to get the part out, worked my way slowly around the part until it came out. I had hot water ready but mine slid up fairly easily. I've had a coolant leak issue and have been topping off the liquid until I can get it into a mechanic. Vehicle is 2011 Chevy Silverado. Thanks for the video!
i have a 2011 chevy silverado too and im currently having issues trying to pry it out. The outside ring on the part that’s stuck extends too much so that means i can’t pry it out
I’m never buying a ford car again. I miss my truck and my import cars. The advice for on the road at the end was extremely reassuring thank you so much
Good video. Same happened on my wife's Bmax today. I covered the stuck part in boiling water twice and used 2 teaspoons to lever it out as not to damage the upper rim. I was then able to fit the 2 parts together again so didn't need to buy a new one 👍
A few viewers have motioned you can put them back together. I would be afraid to for fear it would get stuck again some place out on the road with no access to tools.
Happened on my 2010 Ford Fiesta. Very helpful video. Tip in the comments to use boiling water on the broken piece to get it out worked a charm! Perseverance is key.
Thanks David; That was indeed a great tip one of my commenters left for us. I am glad you got the broken part out. Some of my other viewers have not been so fortunate. Ford should be forced to recall all those caps. Thanks for watching my channel.
Well known to be a common problem with 2010's Fords. The design of the cap is very poor, in that it is made of two parts, rather than being one piece. The cap head is different from the part that actually sits in the tank to act as a plug (the part that gets stuck). The cap head is what screws onto the tank (the part that breaks off in your hand). Moulded onto the inside of the cap are four plastic hooks that 'grab' onto the plug part, which has cutouts for the hooks to latch onto. This is what keeps the two together, rather than the plug and head being moulded as one piece which is what most other car designers have as their cap design. Due to the nature of the tank, it can shrink and expand with heat, but the plug does not since it is made of a harder plastic. This can result in the tank effectively trapping the plug in place inside of the tank, as it warps the plastic of the mouth of the tank around the plug (which is why you struggled so hard to get it out) since the o-rings form a tight seal, on what is already a very tight hole, again, another design flaw of this era of Ford's, since the fact the tank can trap the cap in place is what causes many people to force the cap off. When trying to take out the cap off, you will find it to be stuck. Twisting very hard in an effort to release the cap will cause the four hooks that are joining the cap to the plug to break, snapping the head of the cap off the four hooks and trapping the remainder of the cap inside the tank. (As an aside, due to the design, only one of these hooks needs to snap/break. This compromises the remaining three, causing them to slip off their notches on the plug. This means over time, due to heat, cracking and general wear and tear on the plastic, even if only one of these hooks is broken, then even a minimal amount of force used to unscrew the cap will cause this to happen, meaning even when the cap is not trapped and needs force to unscrew, this will still likely become a problem). At this point there is nothing you can do other than to pry out the broken half of the cap, as shown in this video, or completely replace the tank. If your Ford is still under warranty, then this problem can be replaced by Ford under warranty (most likely at this stage the 3 year manufacturers warranty will have expired, meaning this is only an option if you have bought an extended warranty on a used Ford from a dealer). It is an extremely common problem, and it has likely happened, or is likely going to happen at some point, to every Ford that was made in the late 2000s to the late 2010s, as I stated only one of the hooks needs to break for this to become a problem, and it is very common for people to try and forcefully unscrew the cap when it gets stuck. As far as I am aware, Ford have a new cap design that does not rely on these 'hooks' and the cap is now one single plastic unit which should mean this will not happen in future models.
Wow; I don't know what to say that is by far the most detailed comment I have ever gotten. Thank you so much for taking the time. I have a much clearer understanding of what is going on there. i will keep this comment under the video so my viewers will have access to it. Thanks once again and thanks for watching my channel. Do not be a stranger.
@@richardspaulding5035 Not a problem. My advice would be try and find a cap from one of the more modern models, since even the replacement is going to break at some point. A friend of mine had his cap break on his 2015 Fiesta. Rather than him go and buy an exact copy of the one that broke, I told him to buy a cap from the new, redesigned Fiesta. The cap is exactly the same in size, only difference is that it is a better design.
Thank you so much, Ben. You've perfectly explained the problem. I own a Mazda 3 2004 model (for 3 years now) and it shares similar parts with some of the Ford models including the radiator cap. This has been a recurring problem for me ever since I got my car. I've lost count of the number of caps I've had to replace over the years. Infact, it got so bad that I buy and keep a spare cap at home at all times. It's a minor design flaw that becomes a very frustrating problem for the owner. Trust me, it's very frustrating. I've tried every trick in the book. I try not to screw the cap to the very end just to stop this from happening. When I unscrew, I do it slowly just to prevent it from happening to. So far, none has worked. Causes a great deal of anxiety. It actually happened again this evening and I went looking for a way to get the plug unstuck without damaging it and came across Richard's video. I've been looking for a permanent solution to the problem but haven't found one so far. I was even thinking of gluing the plug to the cap (where those four hooks are to prevent it from coming undone). I think I'm going to try Ben's suggestion. Thank you so much, Richard, for this! I'm really grateful! Warm regards.
@@timothyachema6523 Not a problem. As I say, try and get a new model cap so that this does not happen again. As you say it is a very common problem and there really isn't anything you can do to mitigate it. I have gone as far to buy an entirely new tank from a 2020 model Fiesta just for the cap alone. While this was around $90, it means I do not need to keep spending $25 on a new cap every few months.
One of my viewers reported that pouring boiling water over it aided in getting it out. Another viewer suggested spaying WD40 and letting it set overnight. Thanks for watching.
This happened to me today, and your video was a big help. My 2013 Ford Escape needed coolant when I was leaving work to go home earlier this afternoon. The cap broke the same as in your video, and I tried to get the piece out using a small screwdriver that I had in my SUV with no success. I drove home, praying the whole 12 miles on the highway because the engine coolant warning message kept displaying. I will try again in the morning using larger screwdrivers. Thank you!!
Hey Happy New Year... just wanted to say thanks for the video and to all the commenters with additional advice. My 57 plate Ford Focus had the same issue. On a cold evening I poured boiling water over the top and then sprayed with WD40. Using 2 flat screwdrivers the plug came out really easily in one piece within 5 mins.
Just happened to me on my daughter's 2017 Escape. All I wanted to do was top off the coolant. Thank you for posting this. I boiled water and it took about 10 minutes to get it out. Thankfully no pieces fell into the reservoir. Got replacement cap at Autozone. Thank you!!
I would love to take credit for the boiling water idea, but it was suggested by one of my viewers. I am glad you got the suck piece of the cap out. Thanks for your comment and watching my channel.
I've exactly the same problem now. It's really, really stuck. You make it look easy. As soon as it stops raining, I'm going to give it go, thanks. I wish thinking about squirt of WD-40. I'm on "min" now. Maybe I shouldn't even try to open it. The previous owner doesn't look like he bothered, for years!😢
This was a BIG help, thank you. This just happen on my 2014 Ford Focus, the guys at the Auto Parts Store had not seen this happen before ! Of course, the engine was hot and they couldn't remove it until it cold down. I bought a cap, so when I do get that piece out of the hole, and add more anti freeze, I'll have the new cap to put on. Thank you for this video.
Same thing happened to my 2015 Jeep Cherokee. Took under 5 min to pry out lower portion of cap with a couple screwdrivers and pliers. Thanks for the advice!!!
Originally I thought it to only be a Ford issue. However lately I have been getting comments from owners of GM and Chrysler products as well. Thanks for watching my channel.
Just happened to me today on my 2017 Fusion. Thanks for the video. I've never even heard of this happening before. Hope Ford is happy saving that collective $68.90 with all of these cheap caps they installed.
It happened to me a month ago and I've been driving with it broken. I did not realise that the coolant would boil away. That's how stupid i am. I'm going to follow your instruction now. Thanks for info.
@@richardspaulding5035 hi there, I followed your instructions and managed to get the broken part of tge cap out of tge expansion bottle. I bought a new filler cap fir £4 and some anti freeze. I filled the radiator back up with coolant and fitted the new cap. The ford zetek 2008 is running normal now. Thanks for your informative you tube video. Regards from the rainy United Kingdom.
@@albertatlock Thanks, glad you got the broken piece out. I had one of those old Zetec motors in my Ford Focus, I put nearly 300,000 miles on it and was still running strong. I might still be driving it but sadly in 2013 a young lady on her cell phone rear ended me and totaled the car.
This video was very useful. It didn't resolve my issue but provided a good background. I took some photos of my solution but wasn't aware photos are not permitted in RUclips comments so I will try explaining. If all else fails. Get a little piece of timber 200mm X 20mm X 45mm. Near the centre of the face side of the timber drill a 4mm hole. Drill another 4mm hole 25mm away from the first hole in a line running parallel to the edge of the timber. Place a 45mm chipboard screw through the hole. Locate the tip of the screw along the inner circle of the damaged cap which remains in the coolant reservoir. Turn the screw a few rotations to get a purchase on the cap. Similarly locate the tip of the second screw along the same inner circle and turn a few rotations. Now carefully alternately turn the screws one rotation at a time. The inner portion of the cap will move towards the timber. Gently rock the timber when the lid meets the timber. The cap will now come away easily.
Thanks@@richardspaulding5035, I don't have a RUclips channel so I didn't take a video only photos. Your video was smashing and obviously helped many people. Well done and thank you.
+1 for the boiling water suggestion. Pour some on, let it sit for a minute or two. Dry off. Spray a bit of silicone spray or WD40. Use two flathead screwdrivers to ease it out. Came out in one piece with very little effort. 5 minute job.
I am glad you found my channel and found the video helpful. I would hope at some point they would redesign these caps; however, I think they make too much money on the repairs.
Happened on my focus. Applied a thin layer of super glue on the rim of the stuck bit after a thorough wipe down and screwed the top bit back on. Came out in one piece the next morning! Did not even need the tools. Cheers for advice !
Thanks Doc, this helped no end in getting the broken cap off the bottle of my wife's Corsa. I thought the problem was unique to us; turns out it's common. Regards Stan L South Africa
Hi This happened to my wife's fiesta 2013 and all i did was spray some wd40 around the inner seal left it 10 minuets started the engine and keep easing it and it popped out in one piece with the pressure from the water warming up. so i could use it again. great video bye the way.
Just had this happen to my 2017 Lincoln MKZ. Based on other posts, I sprayed WD40 around the broken piece still lodged in the reservoir. I then put a blow dryer to the reservoir threads (outside) for about ten minutes. Using two flat head screw drivers, I was able to slowly lift the broken piece out. Note that there are open slots located just under the rim of the broken piece. That really helped with the extraction. Had mine out in 15 minutes.
Thanks. Just happened to my Vauxhall (Corsa 2012 plate). Part ordered and will dig the old one out once it arrives. Really appreciate your video giving me the confidence to try.
Exactly the same issue on my Ford Focus estate 2013 today, as coolant level needs topping up prior to a journey from Ayr to Dundee, Scotland.Did try one screwdriver, but thanks for the tip, will use 2 screwdrivers to ease out bottom part. Thanks for the video.
Classic Ford... 2015 Mustang GT - Same issue. There's gotta be a way to remove it without utterly destroying it though. I tried a similar approach, but the moment I snapped a small piece of plastic where the top of the cap attaches to, I stopped. I was actually considering starting the car with the cap BARELY on, and see if the pressure would push it up a bit, but that's got disaster written all over it.
Good video.Just happened on my new car,a 2011 mk3 focus,like you this had never happened to me in 30 years of car tinkering but apparently this is a common fault.Thanks ford !!! I was actually changing the cap as a pre-emptive measure so i had the new one ready to fit,it took me half an hour to remove the old cap which i had to totally destroy before it came out.Ridiculous design.I've since read that its a good idea to smear some silicone grease on the seals as a preventative measure which is what i will do.Only use silicone grease as others greases may attack the rubber seal
Thanks Mr Spaulding --- as you can see from the comments, the problem is legion --yikes --- working in the rain here, too. Safety out and about and at home as well as under the hood as always. 👍🛠👌✔
Great great video. This happened to my beloved ford galaxy ghia 1.8 tdci yesterday. As advised, i boiled water & poured it directly on the remaining/stuck piece of the cap and yanked it out once with a pliers. Took less that 2 mins
Thanks; Some are more difficult to get out than others. Pouring boiling water over the stuck piece of cap will aid in getting it out. some people have reported having to replace the tank. let me know how you make out.
Old school logic, thank you sir I got mine out b4 watching, 2013 Silverado, same b.s. yep, 50 years never seen nonsense like this, these new engineers shame on them and the system of foolishness. Anyways.., you said it well. Respect. Thank You sir for your Life's service and continuing. Here we have an "Abled Veteran" folks, thanks. :-)
My dad was a WW2 disabled vet. The issue is mostly with ford products but I also here from owners of other brands. I think they don't redesign the caps because they make to much money on the repairs. I am a diabetic, they will likely never cure that because the make trillions treating the disease.
Thanks Cibl's; When I posted this video I thought it was just a fluke. However I have got a ton of hits on this video as it must be a wide spread problem. Seems like there should be some sort of class action suit to make ford replace all these caps. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thank you for your video mine just got stuck last week and I couldn’t figure how to get the broken piece out as i still had enough coolant in the radiator. I will follow your tips and try and the broken piece out
Just had to do this was about to freak out haha it got stuck and broke off I did what you did and boom came off had to buy a new cap but it was already messing up thank goodness for this video
Thanks, it has been a very popular video. The young lady who owned the car never paid me for all the repairs. I have since forgiven the debt because so far this video has earned much more than she originally owed.
Try to use an orginal one if possible ( it was the same price at the dealer compared to a generic ) . If you buy a cheap chinese one that is not spec'd correctly it will fail to vent when pressure builds up and blow either your hoses or most likely your radiator. It is not a normal bottle cap even though it may look normal, it has a special spring inside and vents out pressure so it needs to be according to spec ( just go original if the price difference is not too much in your country ) . I paid the equivalnt of $9 USD here in South Africa from the dealer. The dealer guy even knew the part number by heart as he said it is a common issue
Thanks, got this problem too, on our 2013 B-max. I'm sad to say, the screwdrivers, digging tool for the garden, Stanley knife, 2 sharp-nosed pliers and 1 pair of regular pliers didn't do the job.
Yes; From the comments I have been getting some get stuck much worse than others. One viewer wrote boiling water will help to get the broken peace out. I wonder if carefully drilling a hole in the piece that is stuck and putting in a screw of some sort would give you something to grab on to with plyers. Good luck, let me know how you get it out. Thanks for taking the time to place a comment and thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks David; One of my viewers reported pouring boiling water over the piece of cap that is stuck greatly aided in getting it out. let me know how you make out. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks for the video , Same thing happens to me today ford Mondeo wasn’t sure if needed to replace the coolant tank but just ordered a new cap and will do this tomorrow 👍
@@richardspaulding5035 Got it out with hot water and long nosed pliers. My replacement cap is a cheap Chinese replica and it doesn't have the safety lug on the outer lip...
Some Ford models are very poorly made. I’m not a big fan of them and have owned two over the years. Japanese vehicles are far better in the quality department.
I like Chryslers. I have had a 200 for last 6 years. Other than brakes and tires I have had to do nothing to it. The previous 2 Chryslers were much the same. I would still have them were it not for traffic accidents. I also have a Dodge truck. My biggest repair on that was the shocks. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks Elizabeth, glad the video was helpful. When that first happened to me, I did not immediately know what I was looking at. Once I figured out that the cap had simply separated, I posted the video.
Thanks Gemma, when this first happened to a car I was working on I was not sure what I was looking at. Once I figured it out, I posted the video. It has been one of my most popular as it must be a very common problem. I think the reason there has not been a redesign over the years is they must be making huge profits on the replacement caps and subsequent repairs.
2014 chevy spark here, happened when I just got back from the dealer! Had to get my transmission control module fixed! Ordered a new cap, really hoping I can get this piece out easily…
Thank you thank you thank you! I cannot thank you enough. I had absolutely no idea WHAT I was looking at when the cap came off and there was still no access to the coolant tank. This is what I get for trusting Valvoline I guess lol UGH! Definitely didn't appreciate finding out my coolant was bone dry and just 2 weeks after oil/fluid change too. Edit to add: Mine is a 2012 Chevy Silverado
Evidently they never opened it otherwise the upper and bottom part of the cap would have separated on them. Or perhaps it did and they just put the top part back on not wanting to open a can of worms. If you decide to attempt getting the bottom piece out, one of my viewers reported carefully pouring boiling water over the the stuck piece of cap greatly aided in getting it out. By all means let me know the outcome and thanks for watching my channel.
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. I would hope at some point they would redesign these caps, however I think they make too much money on the repairs.
Identical problem Volvo V50, looks like the same cap and of course the V50 is a Ford shell and many same parts. I started to undo the cap and it got seriously stiff towards the end then breaking whatever joins the pressure valve to the cap. It's so stuck it feels like its been glued in with araldite! Tried everything, opposing screwdrivers, a large screw extractor to try twisting a bit, forget it, no good. Ordered a clean looking tank and cap off eBay so when that comes I'll get a bit more aggressive with it! Boiling kettle may help. Thanks for your video.
I am sorry you are having so much difficulty, these caps get stuck to varying degrees. I just had a comment from a viewer that after pouring the boiling water he sprayed it with WD-40. Keep me updated.
Success on Jeep Grand Cherokee. Warmed jeep up for 10 minutes. Used boiling water then tugged from side to side with pliers and it popped right out. Sprayed new cap with silicone.
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. Thanks for the kind words, I am glad my video was helpful, Thanks for watching my channel. By all means, don't be a stranger.
Thanks so much I have a 2014fiesta exactly same thing happened.i thought it was screwed in but then thought oh I will see if there is a video and I did exactly like you said Saved me some money thanks again
Thanks Peter; I am glad you found the video and it was helpful. Seems to be a very common problem. When it happened to me it was a surprise as I had never encountered anything like that before. Once I figured out what it was and what to do, I posted the video. Turns out it has been one of my most popular postings. Thanks for watching
@@peterpaulinebreen2259 Yes it is far better to discover the problem now rather than wait until they are stuck on the road with an overheating vehicle and no way to add coolant. 'Yikes"
It has been mostly a Ford issue; however, I have been hearing from owners of other brands such as yours. One of my viewers reported if you can get the bottom piece out without damaging it you can snap the two pieces back together. I had quite badly damaged the one in the video trying to get it out. I hope yours came out ok. Thanks for watching my channel.
@@christopherhodes6149 I am sorry you had so much trouble. There have been a number of comments from viewers saying they had to do just that. If possible, could you let me know how much the tank cost and where you got it? Thanks
I was thinking, but technically you could just use the pressure thats build up from driving to pop it out dangerous however maybe drive it a mile unscrew the cap and pop it out with 2 screwdrivers ..it should come out super easy
Oh my god. I have just gone out in the middle of the night and done this! Worked a treat! Thank you so much. You have saved me a few hundred dollars as it was booked into the dealers first thing in the morning. Cheers buddy! 👍🏻
Thanks; I have had a lot of interest in this video. It must be a very common issue, I would hope at some point they would redesign the caps. Thanks for watching.
@@richardspaulding5035 I am picking up my radiator cap in the morning. I am going to show them this clip and the comments. Kudos you you, and thanks again! 👍🏻
@@richardspaulding5035 same here mine did it gotta go to church then ima buy a cap and then wait till tomorrow hopefully get t took care of saving people money thank you
@@richardspaulding5035 yea I agree they don’t make stuff like they use to anymore everything’s designed nowadays to break down so you gotta keep buying new stuff ima end up just saying f it and get me an old k10 point a to point b type vehicle I’m tired of payments too lol working all my life just to barely get by
When I first posted this video, I thought it was just a freak thing that had occurred. Since that time, it has become one of my most popular videos. Evidently it is a widespread defect. Thanks for watching
The vast majority of vehicles with this issue have been with Ford, However I do hear from owners of other brands as well. Thanks for watching, I hope your cape came out without too much difficulty.
Happened to my 2018 Silverado today, I used a flathead screwdriver and pried it bit by bit until I had some leverage to pull it out. The culprit was the rubber O ring swelled up and caused it to stick to the tank opening.
@@JustJulianMusic I have had 94 thousand views on this video and hundreds of comments. You are the first and only one who is too cheap to buy a new one cap.
@@richardspaulding5035 has nothing to do with being to cheap. Some cars caps are more expensive than others and I’m just trying to add to what you said but not everyone’s will be that stuck so I figured I’d save someone 20-50 bucks cuz not everyone has that money or time or else they wouldn’t even come to RUclips to do something DIY. Idk why you have to be degrading nothing I said was wrong and my cap has been working fine since I had this problem. So I’m glad I can save people some money if need be. Next time I’ll stay outta your comments no problem
@@JustJulianMusic Sorry, I was actually enjoying the banter. To be perfectly honest I was not even aware the caps will snap back together. Once you mentioned that I was more than a bit skeptical thinking that if the cap came apart once it would continue to do so. I suppose as you suggest that if you can get it out without damaging it and lubricated the seal, quite possibly you may well be able to reuse it. Please by all means don't be a stranger.
Thanks loulou; Some viewers have commented that carefully pouring boiling water over the stuck piece of cap greatly aids in getting it out. let me know if yours comes out ok.
2013 Ford Fiesta, wasn't sure if I could yank it out or it needed to be pushed and turned like a medicine bottle, thanks! (Dont think previous owner has ever had it open)
Happened to my corsa lol. I think the reason being it was a really cold snowy day. And it probably froze on maybe? Just an assumption because I couldnt wind my windows down either. So when I tried turning the cap open, the cap came off but the bottom part stuck in so yeh. Ty for the vid
Brilliant advice. Boiling water for 2 minutes, dry it off, then a little spray of silican grease - the broken part popped out using only the screwdrivers. Total cost - £4 for a new cap. Quote from garage - £150. Simple but effective. Thank you for the tip.😊😊
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. With the holidays approaching I have been quite busy. Thanks for the compliment. I am glad you found the video and found it helpful. By all means don't be a stranger.
worked for me too...what a relief!
Your method worked perfectly, especially after pouring boiling water around the broken piece, using a screwdriver to help it run down the sides. Pried out easier with the screwdrivers and didn't even need the pliers. Thanks a lot!
That is what is so great about RUclips, all the shared knowledge. The boiling water idea came form one of my viewers in the form of a comment. Thanks for taking the time to place a comment and thanks for watching my channel.
True, it worked perfect after pouring some hot water on the top first, many thanks
the hot water trick sorted me right out, fingers crossed i didnt break it lol
I just pulled my out no problem with pliers? 😂
Boiling water + screwdriver - took about 2 minutes to get it out. Garage quoted nearly £100 to replace the whole coolant tank! Thanks for the video 🎉
I would love to take credit for the boiling water, but it was one of my viewers who suggested it. I am glad the video was helpful. Thanks for watching
I just used pliers and it came right out haha matter of a few seconds
I can confirm the boiling water technique works a treat. I managed to remove the seal without damaging it and clipped back into the cap. A few seconds. Top work, cheers. 👍🏼
This is a common issue... for years radiator caps had collared caps for metal and plastic radiators, they were expendable, but you didn't have to pry them out upon failure. These engineering marvels are designed to jeopardize the reservoir tank. The main objective is to get the vehicle back to the dealer. Some understand the scheme between dealer and manufacture.
Yea, they would only redesign it if they were forced to issue a safety recall. Otherwise, they make too much money repairing them.
@@richardspaulding5035 Agreed, thanks for the video, had to dig mine out piece by piece until I could get to the o ring.
I currently have exactly the same problem on my Vauxhall Mokka and it was all due to adding Radweld to the cooling system about a year ago when I had a minor leak - I definitely won't do that again on other cars.
Thanks for posting this! I was kinda panicking---two years of driving less and I go to refill my coolant and BAM this same exact issue. I hope I can get the broken part out as well as you managed.
Some viewers have reported pouring boiling water over the stuck piece greatly aided in getting it out. Keep in touch.
Use a oil filter wrench
Thank you for this!!! Mine broke off today and I’ll be doing this the next morning. Thank you again!!!
One of my viewers reported that pouring boiling water over it aided in getting it out. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thank you. I'm stuck in a tiny town far from home, midnight, googled the white smoke coming from my engine, walked to a gas station,bought coolant, walked back, couldn't figure out WHY the coolant was just pouring all over. I'd never done any of this...but had a pair of small scissors and pried it out. Oh and it's snowing. Anyway, thank you! Now I have a story to tell the hubby in the morning.
I am glad you found my channel and the video was helpful. Most of all I am glad you were able to get home safely..
@@richardspaulding5035 yes, worked like a charm. I did waste half a bottle of coolant thinking it was magically going through the black plug (stuck cap). Ha! Hubby said I should have called but no use for two people to be out in the middle of nowhere in the freezing weather! Thanks again for your help.
This video was very helpful, I ended up using a the only flathead I could find and a spoon to help with the leverage needed to get the part out, worked my way slowly around the part until it came out. I had hot water ready but mine slid up fairly easily. I've had a coolant leak issue and have been topping off the liquid until I can get it into a mechanic. Vehicle is 2011 Chevy Silverado. Thanks for the video!
It is sad that this has been one of my more popular videos. They should redesign those caps but I think they make too much money on the repairs.
same here with the 2011 chevy silverado. i just replaced the radiator a couple a months ago too😂
i have a 2011 chevy silverado too and im currently having issues trying to pry it out. The outside ring on the part that’s stuck extends too much so that means i can’t pry it out
I’m never buying a ford car again. I miss my truck and my import cars. The advice for on the road at the end was extremely reassuring thank you so much
I stopped buying Fords 20 years ago. It was around the time they came out with the "Ford Has a Better Idea" campaign. LOL
Good video. Same happened on my wife's Bmax today. I covered the stuck part in boiling water twice and used 2 teaspoons to lever it out as not to damage the upper rim. I was then able to fit the 2 parts together again so didn't need to buy a new one 👍
A few viewers have motioned you can put them back together. I would be afraid to for fear it would get stuck again some place out on the road with no access to tools.
Happened on my 2010 Ford Fiesta. Very helpful video. Tip in the comments to use boiling water on the broken piece to get it out worked a charm! Perseverance is key.
Thanks David; That was indeed a great tip one of my commenters left for us. I am glad you got the broken part out. Some of my other viewers have not been so fortunate. Ford should be forced to recall all those caps. Thanks for watching my channel.
Good tip thanks
Well known to be a common problem with 2010's Fords. The design of the cap is very poor, in that it is made of two parts, rather than being one piece. The cap head is different from the part that actually sits in the tank to act as a plug (the part that gets stuck).
The cap head is what screws onto the tank (the part that breaks off in your hand). Moulded onto the inside of the cap are four plastic hooks that 'grab' onto the plug part, which has cutouts for the hooks to latch onto. This is what keeps the two together, rather than the plug and head being moulded as one piece which is what most other car designers have as their cap design.
Due to the nature of the tank, it can shrink and expand with heat, but the plug does not since it is made of a harder plastic. This can result in the tank effectively trapping the plug in place inside of the tank, as it warps the plastic of the mouth of the tank around the plug (which is why you struggled so hard to get it out) since the o-rings form a tight seal, on what is already a very tight hole, again, another design flaw of this era of Ford's, since the fact the tank can trap the cap in place is what causes many people to force the cap off.
When trying to take out the cap off, you will find it to be stuck. Twisting very hard in an effort to release the cap will cause the four hooks that are joining the cap to the plug to break, snapping the head of the cap off the four hooks and trapping the remainder of the cap inside the tank. (As an aside, due to the design, only one of these hooks needs to snap/break. This compromises the remaining three, causing them to slip off their notches on the plug. This means over time, due to heat, cracking and general wear and tear on the plastic, even if only one of these hooks is broken, then even a minimal amount of force used to unscrew the cap will cause this to happen, meaning even when the cap is not trapped and needs force to unscrew, this will still likely become a problem).
At this point there is nothing you can do other than to pry out the broken half of the cap, as shown in this video, or completely replace the tank. If your Ford is still under warranty, then this problem can be replaced by Ford under warranty (most likely at this stage the 3 year manufacturers warranty will have expired, meaning this is only an option if you have bought an extended warranty on a used Ford from a dealer).
It is an extremely common problem, and it has likely happened, or is likely going to happen at some point, to every Ford that was made in the late 2000s to the late 2010s, as I stated only one of the hooks needs to break for this to become a problem, and it is very common for people to try and forcefully unscrew the cap when it gets stuck. As far as I am aware, Ford have a new cap design that does not rely on these 'hooks' and the cap is now one single plastic unit which should mean this will not happen in future models.
Wow; I don't know what to say that is by far the most detailed comment I have ever gotten. Thank you so much for taking the time. I have a much clearer understanding of what is going on there. i will keep this comment under the video so my viewers will have access to it. Thanks once again and thanks for watching my channel. Do not be a stranger.
@@richardspaulding5035 Not a problem. My advice would be try and find a cap from one of the more modern models, since even the replacement is going to break at some point. A friend of mine had his cap break on his 2015 Fiesta. Rather than him go and buy an exact copy of the one that broke, I told him to buy a cap from the new, redesigned Fiesta. The cap is exactly the same in size, only difference is that it is a better design.
@@benjames5423 Thanks again Ben I will keep that in mind if I run across that problem again. It sure sounds like I will
Thank you so much, Ben. You've perfectly explained the problem. I own a Mazda 3 2004 model (for 3 years now) and it shares similar parts with some of the Ford models including the radiator cap. This has been a recurring problem for me ever since I got my car. I've lost count of the number of caps I've had to replace over the years. Infact, it got so bad that I buy and keep a spare cap at home at all times. It's a minor design flaw that becomes a very frustrating problem for the owner. Trust me, it's very frustrating. I've tried every trick in the book. I try not to screw the cap to the very end just to stop this from happening. When I unscrew, I do it slowly just to prevent it from happening to. So far, none has worked. Causes a great deal of anxiety. It actually happened again this evening and I went looking for a way to get the plug unstuck without damaging it and came across Richard's video.
I've been looking for a permanent solution to the problem but haven't found one so far. I was even thinking of gluing the plug to the cap (where those four hooks are to prevent it from coming undone).
I think I'm going to try Ben's suggestion.
Thank you so much, Richard, for this!
I'm really grateful!
Warm regards.
@@timothyachema6523 Not a problem. As I say, try and get a new model cap so that this does not happen again. As you say it is a very common problem and there really isn't anything you can do to mitigate it. I have gone as far to buy an entirely new tank from a 2020 model Fiesta just for the cap alone. While this was around $90, it means I do not need to keep spending $25 on a new cap every few months.
This has just happened to the cap on my Corsa, I'm so grateful that you posted this, it's a great help. Thank you.
One of my viewers reported that pouring boiling water over it aided in getting it out. Another viewer suggested spaying WD40 and letting it set overnight. Thanks for watching.
Yeah same here my corsa done this this morning piss take. Did ya get yours out easy enough got do it when iam home
This happened to me today, and your video was a big help. My 2013 Ford Escape needed coolant when I was leaving work to go home earlier this afternoon. The cap broke the same as in your video, and I tried to get the piece out using a small screwdriver that I had in my SUV with no success. I drove home, praying the whole 12 miles on the highway because the engine coolant warning message kept displaying. I will try again in the morning using larger screwdrivers. Thank you!!
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. I hope you got the broken piece out.
Hey Happy New Year... just wanted to say thanks for the video and to all the commenters with additional advice. My 57 plate Ford Focus had the same issue. On a cold evening I poured boiling water over the top and then sprayed with WD40. Using 2 flat screwdrivers the plug came out really easily in one piece within 5 mins.
Thanks Michael; I am glad you got the broken piece out.
Excellent video appreciate you taking the time to post your labor. Helped me and looks like a lot of other’s. Keep posting thanks again.
Thanks for the kind words, you are correct as it has been one of my most popular videos.
Just happened to me on my daughter's 2017 Escape. All I wanted to do was top off the coolant. Thank you for posting this. I boiled water and it took about 10 minutes to get it out. Thankfully no pieces fell into the reservoir. Got replacement cap at Autozone. Thank you!!
I would love to take credit for the boiling water idea, but it was suggested by one of my viewers. I am glad you got the suck piece of the cap out. Thanks for your comment and watching my channel.
I've exactly the same problem now.
It's really, really stuck.
You make it look easy.
As soon as it stops raining, I'm going to give it go, thanks.
I wish thinking about squirt of WD-40.
I'm on "min" now.
Maybe I shouldn't even try to open it.
The previous owner doesn't look like he bothered, for years!😢
Try pouring boiling water when you get ready to make the attempt. One of my viewers reported it helps soften up the seal.
This was a BIG help, thank you. This just happen on my 2014 Ford Focus, the guys at the Auto Parts Store had not seen this happen before ! Of course, the engine was hot and they couldn't remove it until it cold down. I bought a cap, so when I do get that piece out of the hole, and add more anti freeze, I'll have the new cap to put on. Thank you for this video.
a viewer suggested heating it up by pouring boiling water over the stuck piece of cap will aid in getting it out.
Same thing happened to my 2015 Jeep Cherokee. Took under 5 min to pry out lower portion of cap with a couple screwdrivers and pliers. Thanks for the advice!!!
Originally I thought it to only be a Ford issue. However lately I have been getting comments from owners of GM and Chrysler products as well. Thanks for watching my channel.
Just put my 3rd cap on my 17 grand Cherokee in 2 months. Very frustrating.
@@richardspaulding5035 GM and Chrysler use the same cap, same part number.
@@lawrencecastiglia2838 Thanks for that information. That explains why I have been getting comments from those owners as well.
Just happened to me today on my 2017 Fusion. Thanks for the video. I've never even heard of this happening before. Hope Ford is happy saving that collective $68.90 with all of these cheap caps they installed.
I would love to see a redesign but I think they make too much money on the repai.rs
It happened to me a month ago and I've been driving with it broken.
I did not realise that the coolant would boil away. That's how stupid i am.
I'm going to follow your instruction now. Thanks for info.
Please by all means get back to me on how you make out. I do not for one-minute believe you are stupid.
@@richardspaulding5035 hi there, I followed your instructions and managed to get the broken part of tge cap out of tge expansion bottle.
I bought a new filler cap fir £4 and some anti freeze. I filled the radiator back up with coolant and fitted the new cap. The ford zetek 2008 is running normal now. Thanks for your informative you tube video. Regards from the rainy United Kingdom.
@@albertatlock Thanks, glad you got the broken piece out. I had one of those old Zetec motors in my Ford Focus, I put nearly 300,000 miles on it and was still running strong. I might still be driving it but sadly in 2013 a young lady on her cell phone rear ended me and totaled the car.
This video was very useful. It didn't resolve my issue but provided a good background. I took some photos of my solution but wasn't aware photos are not permitted in RUclips comments so I will try explaining. If all else fails. Get a little piece of timber 200mm X 20mm X 45mm. Near the centre of the face side of the timber drill a 4mm hole. Drill another 4mm hole 25mm away from the first hole in a line running parallel to the edge of the timber. Place a 45mm chipboard screw through the hole. Locate the tip of the screw along the inner circle of the damaged cap which remains in the coolant reservoir. Turn the screw a few rotations to get a purchase on the cap. Similarly locate the tip of the second screw along the same inner circle and turn a few rotations. Now carefully alternately turn the screws one rotation at a time. The inner portion of the cap will move towards the timber. Gently rock the timber when the lid meets the timber. The cap will now come away easily.
Brendan; You can take a video with you phone then upload it to your channel. Thanks for watching.
Thanks@@richardspaulding5035, I don't have a RUclips channel so I didn't take a video only photos. Your video was smashing and obviously helped many people. Well done and thank you.
@@carrickreecommuniify Ok thanks let me know how your system works.
+1 for the boiling water suggestion. Pour some on, let it sit for a minute or two. Dry off. Spray a bit of silicone spray or WD40. Use two flathead screwdrivers to ease it out. Came out in one piece with very little effort. 5 minute job.
I would love to take credit for that, but it came from one of my viewers. Thanks for watching.
I have a mazda 3, and my cap is stuck. This video helped me a lot. Thank you
I am glad you found my channel and found the video helpful. I would hope at some point they would redesign these caps; however, I think they make too much money on the repairs.
Happened on my focus. Applied a thin layer of super glue on the rim of the stuck bit after a thorough wipe down and screwed the top bit back on. Came out in one piece the next morning! Did not even need the tools. Cheers for advice !
You're the first one out of thousands of viewers to try that. Great idea.
I have a lincoln Navigator and the exact same thing happened to us. This is very helpful, thank you for posting.
Thanks, glad it was helpful.
Thanks Doc, this helped no end in getting the broken cap off the bottle of my wife's Corsa. I thought the problem was unique to us; turns out it's common.
Regards
Stan L
South Africa
Thanks Stan, it is indeed very common. I think the reason they don't redesign the cap is because they make too much money on this repair.
Hi This happened to my wife's fiesta 2013 and all i did was spray some wd40 around the inner seal left it 10 minuets started the engine and keep easing it and it popped out in one piece with the pressure from the water warming up. so i could use it again. great video bye the way.
Great job; I am sure my viewers will benefit from that information. Thanks for taking the time to place a comment and thanks for watching my channel.
Excellent
Thanks, saved me some money by not going to a garage and paying a large bill. Try and do most things on the car to save money. Worked well
You are welcome Mark; Evidently it is a common problem on the Fords. Fortunately it is a relatively inexpensive part. Thanks for watching my channel.
Just had this happen to my 2017 Lincoln MKZ. Based on other posts, I sprayed WD40 around the broken piece still lodged in the reservoir. I then put a blow dryer to the reservoir threads (outside) for about ten minutes. Using two flat head screw drivers, I was able to slowly lift the broken piece out. Note that there are open slots located just under the rim of the broken piece. That really helped with the extraction. Had mine out in 15 minutes.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks. Just happened to my Vauxhall (Corsa 2012 plate). Part ordered and will dig the old one out once it arrives. Really appreciate your video giving me the confidence to try.
Good luck; Try pouring boiling water on it, the hot water may help getting it moving. let me know what happens. Thanks for watching
Exactly the same issue on my Ford Focus estate 2013 today, as coolant level needs topping up prior to a journey from Ayr to Dundee, Scotland.Did try one screwdriver, but thanks for the tip, will use 2 screwdrivers to ease out bottom part. Thanks for the video.
It is sad that this has been one of my more popular videos. They should redesign those caps but I think they make too much money on the repairs.
This happened to my Ford Focus. Very handy video. Thanks 👍
Thanks Stephen; It must be a very common problem on some of the fords. I have gotten a lot of hits on that video. thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks, boiling water really made a change. Thank you for your service. And greetings from germany
Greetings to you as well from Massachusetts USA I would love to take credit for the boiling water idea but that came from a viewer.
My 2013 buick encore just did this. I'm glad I found your video.
I am glad you found it as well and that it was helpful.
Here in 2022 with a 2018 Jeep Compass. Thank you for your video!!!
Thanks; I was not sure what I was looking at when this first occurred. Once I figured it out I posted the video.
Classic Ford... 2015 Mustang GT - Same issue. There's gotta be a way to remove it without utterly destroying it though. I tried a similar approach, but the moment I snapped a small piece of plastic where the top of the cap attaches to, I stopped. I was actually considering starting the car with the cap BARELY on, and see if the pressure would push it up a bit, but that's got disaster written all over it.
Some are more difficult to remove than others. In some rare cases the tank must be replaced. Did you try pouring hot water over it to heat it up?
Good video.Just happened on my new car,a 2011 mk3 focus,like you this had never happened to me in 30 years of car tinkering but apparently this is a common fault.Thanks ford !!! I was actually changing the cap as a pre-emptive measure so i had the new one ready to fit,it took me half an hour to remove the old cap which i had to totally destroy before it came out.Ridiculous design.I've since read that its a good idea to smear some silicone grease on the seals as a preventative measure which is what i will do.Only use silicone grease as others greases may attack the rubber seal
Silicone is a great suggestion Thanks
@John B Thanks
Just happened to me on my Ford escape. Thanks for the video!
Thanks; It must be a very common problem. You would think they would issue some sort of recall. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks a ton. I didn’t even have to watch the whole video to figure it out because of you. Watched the whole video any... happened to my 2011 Sierra.
Thanks; It must be a very common problem. I've got a lot of hits on this video. thanks for watching.
2011 Sierra? They stopped making them in late 80's - early 90's where can I get a 2011 Sierra? Lol. They don't exist. Not here in England anyway!
Thanks Mr Spaulding --- as you can see from the comments, the problem is legion --yikes --- working in the rain here, too.
Safety out and about and at home as well as under the hood as always. 👍🛠👌✔
Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching my channel.
Great great video. This happened to my beloved ford galaxy ghia 1.8 tdci yesterday. As advised, i boiled water & poured it directly on the remaining/stuck piece of the cap and yanked it out once with a pliers. Took less that 2 mins
I would love to take credit for the boiling water, however that suggestion was contributed by one of my viewers.
Daughters 2018 Ford Escape is like this so we will be doing this tomorrow. Thanks for making this video.
Thanks; Some are more difficult to get out than others. Pouring boiling water over the stuck piece of cap will aid in getting it out. some people have reported having to replace the tank. let me know how you make out.
Old school logic, thank you sir I got mine out b4 watching, 2013 Silverado, same b.s. yep, 50 years never seen nonsense like this, these new engineers shame on them and the system of foolishness. Anyways.., you said it well. Respect.
Thank You sir for your Life's service and continuing. Here we have an "Abled Veteran" folks, thanks. :-)
My dad was a WW2 disabled vet. The issue is mostly with ford products but I also here from owners of other brands. I think they don't redesign the caps because they make to much money on the repairs. I am a diabetic, they will likely never cure that because the make trillions treating the disease.
Just happened on my ford galaxy tdci auto 16 reg. Thanks so much for this info video👍
Thanks Cibl's; When I posted this video I thought it was just a fluke. However I have got a ton of hits on this video as it must be a wide spread problem. Seems like there should be some sort of class action suit to make ford replace all these caps. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thank you for your video mine just got stuck last week and I couldn’t figure how to get the broken piece out as i still had enough coolant in the radiator.
I will follow your tips and try and the broken piece out
Warm the broken piece with some boiling water
@@richardspaulding5035 will do. Thanks
2012 GMC Sierra, same issue, same cap design. Thanks for the video.
I just got a comment from a viewer last week, he used WD-40 after pouring hot water over the stuck piece of cap.
Just had to do this was about to freak out haha it got stuck and broke off I did what you did and boom came off had to buy a new cap but it was already messing up thank goodness for this video
Thanks, it has been a very popular video. The young lady who owned the car never paid me for all the repairs. I have since forgiven the debt because so far this video has earned much more than she originally owed.
Try to use an orginal one if possible ( it was the same price at the dealer compared to a generic ) . If you buy a cheap chinese one that is not spec'd correctly it will fail to vent when pressure builds up and blow either your hoses or most likely your radiator. It is not a normal bottle cap even though it may look normal, it has a special spring inside and vents out pressure so it needs to be according to spec ( just go original if the price difference is not too much in your country ) . I paid the equivalnt of $9 USD here in South Africa from the dealer. The dealer guy even knew the part number by heart as he said it is a common issue
Thanks for the advice. It will be very helpful to my viewers.
Thanks, got this problem too, on our 2013 B-max.
I'm sad to say, the screwdrivers, digging tool for the garden, Stanley knife, 2 sharp-nosed pliers and 1 pair of regular pliers didn't do the job.
Yes; From the comments I have been getting some get stuck much worse than others. One viewer wrote boiling water will help to get the broken peace out. I wonder if carefully drilling a hole in the piece that is stuck and putting in a screw of some sort would give you something to grab on to with plyers. Good luck, let me know how you get it out. Thanks for taking the time to place a comment and thanks for watching my channel.
Hi Richard yep it happens all the time. Rubbish cap system. will try your method to remove insert. will do when I get the new cap. Many thanks.
Thanks David; One of my viewers reported pouring boiling water over the piece of cap that is stuck greatly aided in getting it out. let me know how you make out. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thank you very much for this guide, just done this myself and can confirm doing it with hot water works better
Thanks, I would love to take credit for the hot water suggestion, but it was one of my viewers who came up with that.
Thanks for the video , Same thing happens to me today ford Mondeo wasn’t sure if needed to replace the coolant tank but just ordered a new cap and will do this tomorrow 👍
Viewers have reported using a combination of boiling hot water and WD-40 greatly aided in getting the stuck piece of cap out.
Thanks for the video. The same issue just happened to me when I tried to check the coolant strength in my daughter's 2016 Fiesta.
Hope you got the broken piece out. Thanks for watching.
@@richardspaulding5035 Got it out with hot water and long nosed pliers. My replacement cap is a cheap Chinese replica and it doesn't have the safety lug on the outer lip...
@@TraxFour Can't be much worse than the OEM LOL
Happened to me today on my 2017 UK Kuga. Your method worked great, did take a bit of work though.
Thanks, I am glad the video was helpful
Thanks friend! Had the same problem 2 days before. You helped me a lot!
Glad you got it out, thanks for watching.
Some Ford models are very poorly made. I’m not a big fan of them and have owned two over the years. Japanese vehicles are far better in the quality department.
I like Chryslers. I have had a 200 for last 6 years. Other than brakes and tires I have had to do nothing to it. The previous 2 Chryslers were much the same. I would still have them were it not for traffic accidents. I also have a Dodge truck. My biggest repair on that was the shocks. Thanks for watching my channel.
Where can l get some of the cover to buy please, mine is broken
Thank you for this, just happened to me today. Cheers from Scotland👍👍
Nice to hear from you. let me know how you make out.
@@richardspaulding5035 Yes that did the job thanks. Successfully removed and new cap fitted now. All the best 👍👍
Thank you. Just happened to my car and saved money of taking it to the garage
Thanks Elizabeth, glad the video was helpful. When that first happened to me, I did not immediately know what I was looking at. Once I figured out that the cap had simply separated, I posted the video.
Thank you so much for your help and advice. I was mega stressed and didn't know what to do and then did what you said and it worked.
Thanks Gemma, when this first happened to a car I was working on I was not sure what I was looking at. Once I figured it out, I posted the video. It has been one of my most popular as it must be a very common problem. I think the reason there has not been a redesign over the years is they must be making huge profits on the replacement caps and subsequent repairs.
2014 chevy spark here, happened when I just got back from the dealer! Had to get my transmission control module fixed! Ordered a new cap, really hoping I can get this piece out easily…
Sorry I took so long to reply. Hope you got it out ok. Viewers have reported boiling water and WD40 have helped.
Just happened to me on my POS Ford Focus. Thanks for posting this!
My viewers have commented that pouring hot water over the stuck piece greatly aids in getting it out. Let me know how you do and thanks for watching
Thank you thank you thank you! I cannot thank you enough. I had absolutely no idea WHAT I was looking at when the cap came off and there was still no access to the coolant tank. This is what I get for trusting Valvoline I guess lol UGH! Definitely didn't appreciate finding out my coolant was bone dry and just 2 weeks after oil/fluid change too.
Edit to add: Mine is a 2012 Chevy Silverado
Evidently they never opened it otherwise the upper and bottom part of the cap would have separated on them. Or perhaps it did and they just put the top part back on not wanting to open a can of worms. If you decide to attempt getting the bottom piece out, one of my viewers reported carefully pouring boiling water over the the stuck piece of cap greatly aided in getting it out. By all means let me know the outcome and thanks for watching my channel.
Thanks for this Rick. This happened to my Saab 93. The replacement cap did the same at the next check. Frustrating.
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. I would hope at some point they would redesign these caps, however I think they make too much money on the repairs.
I had same problem with my 2005 Ford Focus. Thank you Richard.
Thanks Soner; I hope the video was helpful. Thanks for watching.
Identical problem Volvo V50, looks like the same cap and of course the V50 is a Ford shell and many same parts. I started to undo the cap and it got seriously stiff towards the end then breaking whatever joins the pressure valve to the cap. It's so stuck it feels like its been glued in with araldite! Tried everything, opposing screwdrivers, a large screw extractor to try twisting a bit, forget it, no good. Ordered a clean looking tank and cap off eBay so when that comes I'll get a bit more aggressive with it! Boiling kettle may help. Thanks for your video.
I am sorry you are having so much difficulty, these caps get stuck to varying degrees. I just had a comment from a viewer that after pouring the boiling water he sprayed it with WD-40. Keep me updated.
Success on Jeep Grand Cherokee. Warmed jeep up for 10 minutes. Used boiling water then tugged from side to side with pliers and it popped right out. Sprayed new cap with silicone.
I am very sorry I have taken so long to reply. Thanks for the kind words, I am glad my video was helpful, Thanks for watching my channel. By all means, don't be a stranger.
Same on my Ford fiesta... gonna try fix the cap after topping up the coolant
Let me know how you make out.
@richardspaulding5035 bought another just in case, but the cap didn't look snapped or cracked so might well just snap back together... Will update
Thanks so much I have a 2014fiesta exactly same thing happened.i thought it was screwed in but then thought oh I will see if there is a video and I did exactly like you said
Saved me some money thanks again
Thanks Peter; I am glad you found the video and it was helpful. Seems to be a very common problem. When it happened to me it was a surprise as I had never encountered anything like that before. Once I figured out what it was and what to do, I posted the video. Turns out it has been one of my most popular postings. Thanks for watching
@@richardspaulding5035 I know a couple if friends with fiestas and will get them to check theirs cheers
@@peterpaulinebreen2259 Yes it is far better to discover the problem now rather than wait until they are stuck on the road with an overheating vehicle and no way to add coolant. 'Yikes"
Uk this just happened to mine mk7 . Thank you for video appreciate help
Thanks, I hope you got the broken piece out without too much difficulty.
@richardspaulding5035 luckily yes . Used two flat heads in either side and pliers to unscrew it . Was easy
@@richardhall938 good job
Bro thank you so much been dicking around with this cap for a whole day lol
hope you got it out?
Thank you for this video, I was in a world of trouble when this same thing happened to me today,did exactly what you did and it worked perfectly!!
Thanks; I am glad you got your broken cap out,
Happening to my 2012 GMC Sierra. Thanks for sharing!😊
It has been mostly a Ford issue; however, I have been hearing from owners of other brands such as yours. One of my viewers reported if you can get the bottom piece out without damaging it you can snap the two pieces back together. I had quite badly damaged the one in the video trying to get it out. I hope yours came out ok. Thanks for watching my channel.
@@richardspaulding5035 I gave up & got a NEW TANK! Old one was scummy, anyway.
@@christopherhodes6149 I am sorry you had so much trouble. There have been a number of comments from viewers saying they had to do just that. If possible, could you let me know how much the tank cost and where you got it? Thanks
Thank you so much for this trick! Worked perfectly!
Thanks for the comment, I am glad you were able to get the broken part of the cap out brittney.
I was thinking, but technically you could just use the pressure thats build up from driving to pop it out dangerous however maybe drive it a mile unscrew the cap and pop it out with 2 screwdrivers ..it should come out super easy
WAY TO DANGEROUS, The heat would help but it would be much safer as one of my viewers suggested simply pour some boing water over it.
Oh my god. I have just gone out in the middle of the night and done this! Worked a treat! Thank you so much. You have saved me a few hundred dollars as it was booked into the dealers first thing in the morning. Cheers buddy! 👍🏻
Thanks; I have had a lot of interest in this video. It must be a very common issue, I would hope at some point they would redesign the caps. Thanks for watching.
@@richardspaulding5035 I am picking up my radiator cap in the morning. I am going to show them this clip and the comments. Kudos you you, and thanks again! 👍🏻
@@boyotter They make a lot of money on replacement caps I will bet.
@@richardspaulding5035 yeah it cost me $60AUD
Very helpful video
very common issue
Thanks for sharing! I’m going to try this today! 🤞🏻
One of my viewers reported that pouring boiling water over it aided in getting it out. Thanks for watching my channel.
Thank you, this just happened to my volvo, I was actually surprised, will no harm come if I drive still? Ordered the part but gotta wait till Monday
If the cap is still stuck in place and you have enough coolant by all means. If the cap is off coolant will gush out all over your engine compartment.
Mine broke this morning. Thanks for the video!
Thanks Jeremy; glad the video was helpful
Happened to my fiesta, got a new cap, thanks for the video
glad it was helpful, thanks for watching.
Thanks for the video Richard!
Thanks for watching the video. I hope it was helpful.
Same thing happened on my ford ecosport. Thanks for making this video.
Thanks for the kind words and thanks for watching my channel
Also happened on my Ford Ecosport.
Thanks for the video
Thanks wasn't sure how to get bottom piece out. Worked well.
Evidently it is a common problem with these caps. Thanks for watching my channel
@@richardspaulding5035 same here mine did it gotta go to church then ima buy a cap and then wait till tomorrow hopefully get t took care of saving people money thank you
@@GTLoHarris I am getting a lot of responses to that video. It must be a very common problem. Thanks for watching my channel.
@@richardspaulding5035 yea I agree they don’t make stuff like they use to anymore everything’s designed nowadays to break down so you gotta keep buying new stuff ima end up just saying f it and get me an old k10 point a to point b type vehicle I’m tired of payments too lol working all my life just to barely get by
I just liked & subbed, thanks for the help had this issue with my 2015 eco boost mustang
I am glad you found my channel, welcome aboard, thanks for subscribing.
I wonder if you silicone the o-ring if it would help...
Worth a try, I had one viewer report spaying WD40 and letting it sit overnight.
I had the same problem with my ford fiesta thanks for sharing
When I first posted this video, I thought it was just a freak thing that had occurred. Since that time, it has become one of my most popular videos. Evidently it is a widespread defect. Thanks for watching
Just helped me out with my 2015 fiesta thanks
glad you found the video and glad it was a help
Thank you good sir. This was stuck in a range rover
The vast majority of vehicles with this issue have been with Ford, However I do hear from owners of other brands as well. Thanks for watching, I hope your cape came out without too much difficulty.
Happened to my 2018 Silverado today, I used a flathead screwdriver and pried it bit by bit until I had some leverage to pull it out. The culprit was the rubber O ring swelled up and caused it to stick to the tank opening.
Thanks, very common problem, been one of my most popular videos of late.
its happened for my 2013 Chevy spark, thanks for the sharing
glad you found the video helpful
Thanks that was useful I was going at it in another way and it almost fell into the tank. 👍🏾👍🏾
That has happened to a lot of people. I am glad yours didn't. Thanks for watching my channel
I would say if you slowly pry it out with out ruining the seals or seams you can reattach it to the top cap piece
Good luck with that, I hope you don't mind prying it out every time you check the coolant. Just part with the 20 bucks and by a new one.
@@richardspaulding5035 it clips back into place to the top of the cap, if you keep it clean it will be fine. Take care of your cars!
@@JustJulianMusic I have had 94 thousand views on this video and hundreds of comments. You are the first and only one who is too cheap to buy a new one cap.
@@richardspaulding5035 has nothing to do with being to cheap. Some cars caps are more expensive than others and I’m just trying to add to what you said but not everyone’s will be that stuck so I figured I’d save someone 20-50 bucks cuz not everyone has that money or time or else they wouldn’t even come to RUclips to do something DIY. Idk why you have to be degrading nothing I said was wrong and my cap has been working fine since I had this problem. So I’m glad I can save people some money if need be. Next time I’ll stay outta your comments no problem
@@JustJulianMusic Sorry, I was actually enjoying the banter. To be perfectly honest I was not even aware the caps will snap back together. Once you mentioned that I was more than a bit skeptical thinking that if the cap came apart once it would continue to do so. I suppose as you suggest that if you can get it out without damaging it and lubricated the seal, quite possibly you may well be able to reuse it. Please by all means don't be a stranger.
Thanks. Must be a Ford Fiesta thing because mine has just done it today in Australia
The majority of comments have been from Ford owners. There have been complaints from a lot owners of other manufactures as well. Thanks for watching.
Thanks so much for you're video. This happen to me today.
Thanks loulou; Some viewers have commented that carefully pouring boiling water over the stuck piece of cap greatly aids in getting it out. let me know if yours comes out ok.
2013 Ford Fiesta, wasn't sure if I could yank it out or it needed to be pushed and turned like a medicine bottle, thanks! (Dont think previous owner has ever had it open)
One of my viewers reported that pouring boiling water over it aided in getting it out. Thanks for watching my channel.
You said long time mechanic. What’s the best Mopar you ever worked on? Me, a 1969 440 GTX. 👍
Never worked on anything like that, I think a 340 Cuda
I have a new water container as a year old and this also happened to me and my Ford transit van.
Very common issue, one of my viewers reported that if you can get the stuck piece out without damaging it will snap back together.
Happened to my corsa lol. I think the reason being it was a really cold snowy day. And it probably froze on maybe? Just an assumption because I couldnt wind my windows down either.
So when I tried turning the cap open, the cap came off but the bottom part stuck in so yeh. Ty for the vid
It is a very common problem on the fords. Thanks for watching my channel.