I'm new here and looking for some information from people who actually know what thier doing.
I have a 2012 Ford focus titanium with about 120k miles on it. I have kept up all regular maintenance on the car since I bought it. About 3 weeks ago I noticed a small damp spot on my garage floor, no color or odor friend of mine said it could be condensation from a/c usage and not to worry. So I didn't. It continued to drip the next couple of days but ONLY when I used the a/c again didn't worry to much, it's hot as hell in Texas. I get on the freeway this morning heading to work I get about half a mile, warning chimes and my car is overheating. I pull off the road, temp gauge is high but other that that the car is functioning normal, no bubbling or steam coming from the engine, nothing. I wait for the car to cool down a bit and check the coolant tank and it's empty. It takes about half a gallon of water (all i had) I really don't know much about cars to even begin to guess the problem. It seems to only drip when I've used the he air conditioner while driving, any ideas?

 

There could be several reasons for an engine to overheat or give the impression it is overheating. The better thing to consider doing would be to check the coolant level "in the radiator" before starting the cold engine in the morning to prevent getting scalded by trying that with a hot engine. THEN, if coolant needs to be added only add a mixture of 50/50 anti freeze and water. Just water alone will boil sooner than he 50/50 mixture.
If after that, it still runs hot, need to confirm cooling fan(s) come o when they are supposed to. Coolant loss needs to be checked out to rule out leaks both internal and external. There is no quick easy way to say just what is the problem without doing many checks. Before going any further, just the above checks may help determine if further checking is required.

 

Check all hoses , heater & radiator .

Is " trash " blocking air flow throufh the radiator ?

One electric fan or two ? Working OK & cycling ?

Any problems with the water pump ?

God bless
Wyr