I have a 2000 MPV LX that overheated tonight.

Overall it's been very reliable, but today I saw the temp indicator hit the top a few miles from my home. Thank god we were on the way home. I turned up the heat and let the thing cool into the cabin and it went down for a while, but came right back up.

When I get home, I'm sure that the radiator boiled out into the overflow tank and it looks empty now. I see wetness under the car as well, particularrly noticed it on the driver side (it was really dark and I only had a cell phone to look around).

Today was pretty warm for NY, so it's possible it was just a fluke - but I want to make sure that I can fill the thing up with some coolant and make it safe to drive to test out my theory.

Big problem - I don't see the darn radiator cap! it seems to be under that plastic baffle - how do I get to it?

Any ideas, recomendations?

Once I get to it, can I fill it with water until I can get it some antifreeze?

 

You should by all means use plain water until you're sorted out. Don't use it indefinitely though because without the antifreeze inhibitors you risk corrosion around the metal gasket areas.