check coolant light on '97 cavalier z24
Question:
The car is driven mostly by a mature woman. She barely exceeds the speed limit. She is nervous that something is wrong so I would like to do away with this sensor all together. Thanks.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My check coolant light comes on quite often. The car is not low on > coolant > and does not leak. What is the best way to get rid of this light short of > removing the bulb? > Thanks in advance. > if it only comes on after you take turns at higher than recommended speeds > and then shuts itself off once you relax (like mine), then it’s just a > character trait of the car that you have to live with. it’s kinda neat > though, since so many people expect their shiny new cars to be flawless, > it’s nice to see something like that which gives the car its character. i > like it. > it doesn’t affect how the car performs and will not lead to other problems, > so i would just leave it alone. i think it’s because the floater sensor in > the tank flops around when it takes high lateral g-loads. you still get the > required cooling though.
Response:
>The car is driven mostly by a mature woman. She barely exceeds the speed >limit. She is nervous that something is wrong so I would like to do away >with this sensor all together. Thanks.
"Doing away with it" is a foolhardy decision.. Fix the problem that’s causing it to come on, and then let it do it’s job… If something was to happen and the engine was to dump it’s coolant all over the road without her noticing, that little light could save her an engine someday, provided she knows enough to stop if it comes on, and stays on.. — Mark – Oshawa, Ontario, Canada Chevy Astro / GMC Safari Message Board! Click Below! http://pub37.ezboard.com/bchevyastroandgmcsafari
Response:
It could just be a faulty "coolant level sensor". Does the light eventually go out after the car is warmed up? I have had success just cleaning the sensor. Look at the sides of the radiator, you will see an electrical connector that plugs into a box shaped sensor. You will need to drain the coolant below the sensor level, remove the sensor, clean the "gunk" off of it and then lightly clean it with fine grade sandpaper (the sensor element is brass), rinse off any residue and reinstall it. If it works it will save you about $30 for a new sensor. Scott
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> My check coolant light comes on quite often. The car is not low on coolant > and does not leak. What is the best way to get rid of this light short of > removing the bulb? > Thanks in advance.
Response:
> My check coolant light comes on quite often. The car is not low on coolant > and does not leak. What is the best way to get rid of this light short of > removing the bulb? > Thanks in advance.
The car *may* be low on coolant, or in other words, have an air bubble in the top of the radiator sufficient that the light only comes ‘on’ during turns. This happens with GM’s with no cap on the radiator- the cap is off to the side connected somewhere else. If the radiator *does* have a cap, and the radiator is filled as you start it and run it for a couple minutes with the cap *off* then maybe there is no air bubble. But these situations sometimes require several test runs with cap-off running to totally purge the cooling system of air. If the temp guage (idiot light) behaves then maybe it is just a dirty coolant level sensor. Purging coolant systems on GM’s is a real PIA, with every year/model having a different setup and characteristics. Best get to the bottom of this one, don’t leave it to chance. Perhaps being too gently driven is not getting the air out. Z’s were meant to be thrashed. Sweepea
Response:
My check coolant light comes on quite often. The car is not low on coolant and does not leak. What is the best way to get rid of this light short of removing the bulb? Thanks in advance.
Response:
> My check coolant light comes on quite often. The car is not low on coolant > and does not leak. What is the best way to get rid of this light short of > removing the bulb? > Thanks in advance.
if it only comes on after you take turns at higher than recommended speeds and then shuts itself off once you relax (like mine), then it’s just a character trait of the car that you have to live with. it’s kinda neat though, since so many people expect their shiny new cars to be flawless, it’s nice to see something like that which gives the car its character. i like it. it doesn’t affect how the car performs and will not lead to other problems, so i would just leave it alone. i think it’s because the floater sensor in the tank flops around when it takes high lateral g-loads. you still get the required cooling though.
