Car Problems.Overheating and Speedometer?

I just recently bought a 98 ford escort zx2. I was driving it and noticed it started to overheat. It doesn't have a number on my gage but it was about 3/4 of the way up, well over half way. Also, my radiator fan does not turn on by itself unless I turn the A/C on. I replaced the relay and temperature sensor, neither have helped. Why would my radiator fan not turn on?

I know my mechanic said I have a leak in my radiator. He is going to replace that but he doesn't know why my fan won't turn on.

I also noticed my speed odometer is wrong. I used a couple phone apps, and it's off by about 8mph. And my cruise control doesn't work. Would this be the cause of a faulty vehicle speed sensor?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

If the temp gauge is not in the red n it is not overheating - car temp gauges are inaccurate when new and a 17 year old one definitely will not be. There's nothing to say that half or three quarters is a correct reading anyway.
Any half decent mechanic would know the above and also how to test the sensor that turns the fan on when the coolant reaches certain temperature.
Please do not expect the car to be great with a coolant leak - it will not be and it will either steadily get worse or fail fast.

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