Wife called complaining about the car smoking, making rattling noises. I get home, pop the hood, and notice a spray pattern of coolant. I see the radiator overflow is past the max line; the radiator has no visible fluid, but I see a spring. I look at the cap and the bottom is destroyed. Nothing you normally see is there. Obviously more pieces are in the radiator.

Also, starting a few months ago, the fan runs after turning off the engine. NEVER did that before. Wife also said the fan didn't run, just a bunch of clicking noises.

What happened?

 

Sounds like a failed/blown radiator cap to me.

 

Werd

 

After this episode, I bought a new cap, fuse for fan (fan kept running excessively before that) and thermostat.

Today, wife calls to say she sees steam/smoke coming from under hood. I get to her school and see another spray pattern of coolant, the hose to the overflow blew off the radiator and the radiator had visible fluid. The overflow can was pass the max line.

What could the issue be?

 

Maybe radiator passage is clogged with bits of the old cap? It wasworking fine after you replaced those parts until now?