Pontiac Firebird 1967-2002 Birds of a feather flock together

stupid coolant light problem, HELP!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 20, 2013 | 05:14 PM
  #1  
JLFIII's Avatar
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Default stupid coolant light problem, HELP!

So I'm having the silliest problem...

Driving home today my exhaust rattled off a hangar...I come home and back the car up onto my rhino ramps, reconnect it, then pull the car off....now since I have done that my low coolant light is on?????????

WHYYYYY?

Before you ask, I checked...the coolant is full to the brim, I did a search and I know that these sensors go bad, but this just seems like the stupidest reason for one to go bad....

any ideas as to how to get it to turn off??
Reply
Old May 20, 2013 | 06:47 PM
  #2  
1995blacktattop's Avatar
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
Default

could just be dumb luck and has nothing to do with the exhaust. mine went bad out of the blue a few weeks ago and would come on with the key and not go off. sometimes if i turned the key on and off a few times it would come on and go off. i too had full coolant. i tried replacing the sensor with a new one from advance auto parts and that one wouldn't even light the light up for the self test even if i had the sensor removed from the car. i ended up putting the old sensor back in and returning the defective one and leaving the cable unplugged.
Reply
Old May 20, 2013 | 08:12 PM
  #3  
Mr Phil's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 3
From: Gadsden, AL
Default

Mine came in the other day too while at the strip lol... I just shrugged it off, then today I popped my radiator cap and noticed I actually was low, even though my reservoir was full.... weird
Reply
Old May 20, 2013 | 08:18 PM
  #4  
Raptor_WS6's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
15 Year Member
iTrader: (23)
 
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,838
Likes: 0
From: Los Angeles, CA
Default

Unplug the sensor lol
Reply
Old May 20, 2013 | 09:14 PM
  #5  
JLFIII's Avatar
Thread Starter
On The Tree
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Default

I tried 3 times to reset the computer, it finally went away.

It took me a little while to put 2 and 2 together, but I think I realize what happened- because I started it up while it was on the ramps, the coolant in the radiator was below or not touching the sensor because of the steep angle and it tripped the light....

After searching through the threads some more I discovered the fuse-removal computer reset trick...it then took me 3 attempts to be patient enough to wait the required amount of time to properly reset it...

I ran a few errand with the car just a little while ago, so far it's stayed off.
Reply
Old May 25, 2013 | 07:58 PM
  #6  
Mr Phil's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
 
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 672
Likes: 3
From: Gadsden, AL
Default

where is the coolant sensor so i cna unplug it, my resevoir and radiator are both full and the dumb *** light keeps coming and going randomly
Reply
Old May 26, 2013 | 07:36 PM
  #7  
1995blacktattop's Avatar
TECH Junkie
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,452
Likes: 3
From: somewhere that doesn't get snow
Default

it's on the passenger side of the radiator on the plastic edge facing the rear of the car about an inch or 2 below the radiator cap.
Reply
Old May 28, 2013 | 09:52 AM
  #8  
'99REDTA's Avatar
Launching!
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 212
Likes: 0
From: ABQ New Mexico
Default

Originally Posted by Mr Phil
where is the coolant sensor so i cna unplug it, my resevoir and radiator are both full and the dumb *** light keeps coming and going randomly
mine does that too, I'm just going to not hook it up when I out it back together, I have a more acurate guage to tell me when my coolant is low
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-1

Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-5

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-8

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:06 AM.

story-0
Topdon ONE vs. Artidiag 800 BT2: Which is the Diagnostic Tablet For You?

Slideshow: We take a close look at the ONE and Artidiag 800BT2 diagnostic tools from Topdon and the reasons to buy one over the other.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 11:05:11


VIEW MORE
story-1
Gas Monkey Built a 6-Wheel Ferrari Testarossa With a Corvette LT4 Engine

Slideshow: The controversial Ferrari F6 swaps its original flat-12 for a Corvette Z06-derived LT4 V8 and sends power to four rear wheels through a custom-built drivetrain.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-26 18:23:54


VIEW MORE
story-2
7 Most Reliable High-Performance Engines GM Has Ever Built

Slideshow:These GM engines didn't just make huge power, they survived abuse, boost, track days, and six-digit mileage with a reputation for refusing to quit.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-21 16:45:27


VIEW MORE
story-3
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-4
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-5
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-8
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-9
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE