Red98maro

Just plugged the car in at auto zone and got a reading of insufficient cooling temp?? Its a 1998 3.8l DD. What do you guys think it is, what should i check first? Thanks!!

jeff2380

iTrader: (4)

I have no idea, have never got that code before, maybe do a search for the actual code number.

But my guess is it might be the thermostat stuck open.

EnfuegoZ28

Could be a thermostat, a temp sensor, old coolant, a missing front airdam, or a few other things. Check to make sure there is an airdam under your car to push air up and over your radiator. Then check the coolant. You will have to change the temp sensor to see if it is bad. Has the car been leaking coolant? It could be a water pump. I'm not sure where you live, but warm weather is coming (it's already here in GA) and this problem needs to be taken care of soon if its a DD.

MLL67RSSS

Red about the only thing I can think of that would keep the coolant temperature insufficient (too cool) would be a stuck open thermostat or a faulty sender. Missing air-dams, insufficient coolant level, air pockets, etc, etc, would tend to make it run too hot.
Just in case you didn't know, most modern cars computers run "open-loop" until everything, cat. conv. etc., are up to operating temperature. Then the computer goes "closed-loop" and adjusts everything according to the parameters programmmed into the computer. So performance and gas mileage will suffer even if the computer just "thinks' things aren't up to temp because it will be running open-loop. HTHs