Defender Hybrid Overheating: Coolant Mystery Alert

Hi! I've got some experience fixing cars (some experience level). I had a similar issue with my 2019 Land Rover Discovery Hybrid last year. The symptoms you're describing sound exactly like what I dealt with. Turned out my coolant was running low and needed a top-up. Took it to my regular workshop, and they found no leaks, just low coolant level. Got it sorted for about 52.50€. Before I share more specific advice, are you noticing any puddles under the car? Does the temperature gauge go back to normal after adding coolant? Any sweet smell from the engine bay? I'm also curious about your maintenance history since these symptoms could point to different issues in the Defender line.

Hey, thanks for the detailed response! Really appreciate you sharing your Discovery experience. Last service was just 2 months ago at 101,535 KM. To answer your questions, no puddles under the car, but I've noticed a slightly sweet smell near the engine bay. The temp gauge stays high even after adding coolant, which is what's got me worried. I've been keeping up with all scheduled maintenance, but this issue came up pretty suddenly last week. You think it could be something more serious than just low coolant? Not keen on having major repairs on a relatively new car! Let me know what you think based on these symptoms. Thanks for helping out!

Hey again! Thanks for those extra details about your Defender. Your situation sounds a bit different from what I experienced with my Discovery now that you've shared more info. That sweet smell combined with the temperature staying high even after adding coolant, that's ringing some alarm bells. When I had my coolant issue, the temperature normalized pretty quickly after topping up. In your case, these symptoms suggest you might be dealing with something more than just low coolant. Here's what happened with my Discovery later on, I initially thought it was just low coolant too, but I kept having to add more. Turned out I had a small crack in the radiator that wasn't obvious at first. The sweet smell was actually coolant evaporating through that crack. I'd strongly suggest getting it checked out ASAP, especially since your car's still relatively new. Could be something as simple as a faulty thermostat or water pump, but you don't want to risk engine damage. My repair ended up costing more because I waited too long (had to replace the whole radiator). Have you noticed if you're having to add coolant more frequently lately? That might help pinpoint if you've got a leak somewhere.

Thanks so much for the detailed explanation and sharing what happened with your Discovery. You've actually got me pretty concerned now, especially about that radiator crack situation you mentioned. Come to think of it, I have been adding coolant more frequently over the past few weeks. Started with just topping up once, but now it seems like I'm adding a bit every few days. That combined with the sweet smell... yeah, definitely sounds similar to your experience. I'll take your advice and get it checked out right away. Don't want to end up with a bigger repair bill by putting it off. Really hoping it's just a minor issue, but better safe than sorry with these symptoms. I'll probably call my workshop tomorrow morning to get it looked at. Really appreciate you taking the time to help me understand what might be going on. It's always helpful to hear from someone who's been through something similar!