Coolant Light on Dash
11-03-2016, 08:32 AM
#427
Not a bad plan as long as you check the coolant level at every fill up. I've heard people say "but if you have a sudden rise in coolant temperature you'll never know it till it's too late." Bullshit! If you have a sudden rise in coolant temperature there'll be plenty of other signs that you need to shut down immediately.
I had a problem with the low coolant light coming on intermittently and over a period of time coming on and staying on. I cleaned the connector with electrical contact cleaner and squirted some dielectric grease into it and reconnected it ... problem gone; no more low coolant light.
I had a problem with the low coolant light coming on intermittently and over a period of time coming on and staying on. I cleaned the connector with electrical contact cleaner and squirted some dielectric grease into it and reconnected it ... problem gone; no more low coolant light.
I just experienced a very similar occurrence. I have NOT even disconnected the connector yet though. All I did was unclip it from the bottle. Drove 11 miles to work this morning 5-8K RPM never saw the light. I think maybe the contacts in that connector are fouled. Battery fumes corroding it?
11-04-2016, 08:38 AM
#428
On driving Home it was warmer out, and the light returned. On arriving home I took a long artist's brush and stirred and swished the bottle contents near the sensor. Took it out and drove to a 2209 foot summit at between 6K-8K... never saw the light on.
Came in to work today, never saw the light on. Will continue testing and report back.
My contacts theory was wrong. Since the light only comes on with reed switch closure, the contacts could be faulty, and you would still never see the light on.
Came in to work today, never saw the light on. Will continue testing and report back.
My contacts theory was wrong. Since the light only comes on with reed switch closure, the contacts could be faulty, and you would still never see the light on.
11-05-2016, 10:33 AM
#429
water coolant light
My light was coming on and off for a couple of weeks level looks fine and then finally it just stayed on all the time,,,level still looks fine,,I unplugged the sensor from the coolant bottle but keep checking my levels still everything looks fine,,but....I'm hearing a noise when I first start the car sounds like a belt making a screeching noise but then goes away anyone know what this noise is??
11-07-2016, 08:51 AM
#430
It would always be a BAD IDEA to disconnect the coolant level sensor. Even if you check the level every time before you drive the car, **** happens, and a blown engine is more expensive than fixing the coolant level sensor issue.
I have put several hundred miles on the car since I swished, and stirred the coolant bottle contents near the sensor. NO LIGHT coming on at any RPM!
My new theory is that the flow through the coolant bottle is higher at high RPM, and pushes down the float, it sticks in contaminated coolant left on the shaft of the float, until the flow of coolant is reduced, and then it pops back up. Will report back if it sticks again!
I have put several hundred miles on the car since I swished, and stirred the coolant bottle contents near the sensor. NO LIGHT coming on at any RPM!
My new theory is that the flow through the coolant bottle is higher at high RPM, and pushes down the float, it sticks in contaminated coolant left on the shaft of the float, until the flow of coolant is reduced, and then it pops back up. Will report back if it sticks again!
11-07-2016, 11:27 AM
#431
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Yeah I mean how did we ever do it on millions of cars over the years without a coolant level sensor, oil level sensor, etc? Or do you wait for the oil level sensor light to come on too before you add oil?
FWIW I have a visual site on my reservoir for engine coolant and for turbo coolant and I have survived.
FWIW I have a visual site on my reservoir for engine coolant and for turbo coolant and I have survived.
Last edited by 9krpmrx8; 11-07-2016 at 11:31 AM.
11-07-2016, 01:04 PM
#433
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Yeah I mean how did we ever do it on millions of cars over the years without a coolant level sensor, oil level sensor, etc? Or do you wait for the oil level sensor light to come on too before you add oil?
FWIW I have a visual site on my reservoir for engine coolant and for turbo coolant and I have survived.
FWIW I have a visual site on my reservoir for engine coolant and for turbo coolant and I have survived.
11-07-2016, 01:22 PM
#434
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It all depends on what degree the engine was overheated too. And for me, my faulty coolant seal (30,000 mile reman) was due to being damaged upon assembly at the Mazda reman plant. Plenty builders have see that same issue before.
But none of that matters because there is no reason you should not be able to check your coolant when you are checking your oil. And a gauge isn't going to save you when a hose fails or the nipple cracks on the top of the radiator. When that happens you will know right away. Preventive maintenance is key.
11-07-2016, 02:32 PM
#435
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
I still wouldn't do it.
Risk is still not worth it considering it can be fixed for about $150.
Risk is still not worth it considering it can be fixed for about $150.
11-07-2016, 03:12 PM
#437
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
I thinks it's bad advice.
It keeps coming up, and people keep saying it's no big deal.
I give up.
11-07-2016, 03:46 PM
#439
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I would say that if someone is such a noob that they need to rely on a light to tell them that their coolant is low, then that same person replacing the coolant tank would be a much more serious risk since 9 times out of 10 they will end up braking the nipple on the radiator and then have to replace the radiator, coolant, hoses, etc.
11-07-2016, 04:21 PM
#440
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
I would say that if someone is such a noob that they need to rely on a light to tell them that their coolant is low, then that same person replacing the coolant tank would be a much more serious risk since 9 times out of 10 they will end up braking the nipple on the radiator and then have to replace the radiator, coolant, hoses, etc.
Particularly at highway speed when usual overheating symptoms wouldn't be so obvious.
It's a warning light, not a "Hey idiot, you haven't checked your coolant in a year" light.
11-07-2016, 04:32 PM
#441
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Thread Starter
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Eh, if your cooling systems fails at speed you are going to know about almost immediately. If you had a slight crack or something like that, then the light may help. But usually the smell of coolant will tip you off as well. But yeah having the light is fine, I just agree that it's important. I was more interested in replacing my stock reservoir just because I hated the look of the that yellow eye sore.
11-08-2016, 11:51 PM
#442
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Try a digital or even a analog gauge and by pass the stock idiot light . I am under my hood a lot but i still installed a digital gauge. I agree the idiot light is just that and it offered me little confidence , hence the digital gauge and a double core aluminum radiator.
02-12-2017, 07:20 PM
#443
02-12-2017, 07:22 PM
#444
02-12-2017, 07:30 PM
#445
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
04-02-2017, 10:30 AM
#447
My older Mazda didn't have such a sensor or light at all. When I check the oil level, I rather take a quick 3 second look at the bottle instead of staring at that red light permanently, so I disconnected it.
Besides that, when will we finally get cars which can say "*ping, ping* Low oil level" or "ping ping, coolant temperature too high". Guess not in the near future. We already have OBD2 apps, it just takes an author of an app to implement this which is nothing but an IF THIS THEN THAT function.
Besides that, when will we finally get cars which can say "*ping, ping* Low oil level" or "ping ping, coolant temperature too high". Guess not in the near future. We already have OBD2 apps, it just takes an author of an app to implement this which is nothing but an IF THIS THEN THAT function.
Last edited by TomX8; 04-02-2017 at 10:32 AM.
04-02-2017, 02:02 PM
#448
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
My sole argument is not 'relying' on the light, but having it operable should a piece of debris or some other major failure occur while driving.
Particularly at highway speed when usual overheating symptoms wouldn't be so obvious.
It's a warning light, not a "Hey idiot, you haven't checked your coolant in a year" light.
Particularly at highway speed when usual overheating symptoms wouldn't be so obvious.
It's a warning light, not a "Hey idiot, you haven't checked your coolant in a year" light.
05-13-2017, 11:00 PM
#449
I had read through all the various solutions to this light problem and had finally opted for getting a replacement tank. The installation looked slightly daunting as I couldn't afford to damage any hoses so I had a quick look at the replacement before starting.
The sensor is a simple proximity one that could easily be changed. As everyone kept saying this was embedded I had to look further and realised that it is the ball float that sets off the proximity sensor that is embedded inside retainer in the tank. A quick knock on this ball with a long screwdriver dislodged it with the tank still in-situ and the light went off!! Far too easy a solution but gives a bit more depth to why this happening and potential other solutions for those of you where the simple screwdriver trick does not work or the problem is intermittent.
Make ball float by:-
Ripping out the entire tank now seems ludicrous
The sensor is a simple proximity one that could easily be changed. As everyone kept saying this was embedded I had to look further and realised that it is the ball float that sets off the proximity sensor that is embedded inside retainer in the tank. A quick knock on this ball with a long screwdriver dislodged it with the tank still in-situ and the light went off!! Far too easy a solution but gives a bit more depth to why this happening and potential other solutions for those of you where the simple screwdriver trick does not work or the problem is intermittent.
Make ball float by:-
- try changing the concentration of the fluid mix to a level where it does float
- use the recommended antifreeze
- add some extra bouyancy to the ball somehow
Ripping out the entire tank now seems ludicrous
05-14-2017, 12:45 AM
#450
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Sounds interesting, thanks for the tip.