MisfitJ03

so im having a problem with the sensor that i cant figure out. i am aware that the sensor is not needed so ill probably end up unplugging it, but i want to see if anyone has any ideas.

so ive replaced my coolant level sensor 3 times in the past year, replaced the wiring harness too. the 2nd time the sensor went bad was right after i hit a harsh bump in the road and after that it wouldnt work. the 3rd time i replaced it the thing just came on after 15 minutes for no apparent reason. when you unplug the wire the light goes off as it should and i always make sure the radiator is full. my question is if anyone has any ideas as to why these things keep breaking on me. is there something wrong thats causing the light to come on or are these things really just that crappy?

thanks

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

Have you flushed your coolant system lately? Do they sensor elements look dirty when they come out or are they clean brass? Maybe the sensors are getting contaminated by something circulating in the coolant?

MisfitJ03

the coolant has not been flushed recently. every time ive pulled the sensor out its been clean brass so i dont think thats the problem, or atleast it shouldnt be

PAGregSS

iTrader: (10)

Sounds possibly like a grounding issue. If the ground is bad, you could be shorting the sensors out.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

mine was caused by a leaking PS cooler. It leaked PS fluid into the coolant and caused the low coolant sensor to turn on the light. Replaced the cooler, flushed both the coolant and PS, cleaned the sensor, and no more problem.

do a search for details on symptoms/tests to verify if thats your problem.

MisfitJ03

yea i heard about the PS leaking into the coolant. is there any way to tell if its actually leaking or not and do you know how much that part is?

thanks

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

If one has a PS cooler leak, one would typically notice a dramatic drop off in the PS fluid level (with no visible leak) and alien slime congregating on the coolant dipstick.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

pressurize cooling system and look for bubbles in the PS resevoir.

MisfitJ03

yea theres a very small PS leak, i may only have to add 1/3" of fluid every 2 weeks or so, so thats probably not it

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

What does your coolant dipstick look like? Is it clean? If so - its probably not it. 1/3" every 2 weeks sounds like a pretty fast leak to me. (Unless you have visable leakage at the external hoses.)

MisfitJ03

well now im pretty much 100% sure my PS cooler is leaking. the other day i was driving the car and my power steering suddenly went out. pulled over and checked it and found that it was almost empty, then i checked the coolant and it looked brown. sound like the PS cooler to you guys?

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

What does your coolant reservoir dipstick look like? Other contamination can make it brown, but the slime on the dipstick is pretty distinctive.

TopFlite

Just how exactly does power steering fluid arrive into the coolant system??

samson_420

iTrader: (1)

Through the leaky cooler in the radiator.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

the cooler is not in the radiator, its in the upper hose/pipe.

the quick easy test is to get a free loaner radiator pressure tester from autozone, pressurize the cooling system and look for bubbles in the PS resevoir. it will be obvious. replace the cooler pipe and flush PS and cooling systems.

TopFlite

Wow, that's quite a system destined to cause trouble. Noticed some buildup on the slotted opening's along the middle of the coolant dipstick after reading this thread and to top it off, my power steering cap is leaking. Hope some of the missing power steering fluid didn't end up in the coolant.

MisfitJ03

yea it was definetly the PS cooler, and yea the dipstick for the coolant was quite slimey lookin. so today i just bypassed the PS cooler and then flushed the PS and cooling system until the fluids looked good. is that PS cooler really necessary or should i be ok with it bypassed?

pjb

iTrader: (2)

my PS cooler leaked into the cooling system and caused the same problem you originally posted about - false coolant low light. replaced the cooler, flushed PS and coolant, cleaned coolant level sensor - no more problems.

pjb

iTrader: (2)

I like all my stuff working - nothing rigged. why not just replace the cooler/pipe?

Grimes

iTrader: (3)

you will be okay with it bypassed. but you'll have to plug the lines at the bottom of the cooler otherwise coolant will drip out (because of the hole in it). I installed a air/liquid cooler for my ps fluid because i thought that I would do some autoX in the future.