Electra/Park Avenue Buick's full size premium car manufactured between 1959 and 1990

sensor lights

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 7, 2005 | 10:45 PM
  #1  
john harker's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2
From: United States
Default

Does anybody have experience with the 3.8 engine Low coolant Sensor light coming on, and although the sensor has been replaced twice in a year, the low coolant light still comes on from time to time and there is no problem with the coolant being low.
 
Old Jun 9, 2005 | 09:41 PM
  #2  
Patrick's Avatar
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 189
Default

it sounds like it could be a wiring issue....is it actually ruining the sensors?
 
Old Jul 11, 2005 | 02:34 PM
  #3  
MrBSS's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 269
From: United States
Default



I have the same problem. I believe the sensor is on the front of the radiator just below the radiator cap. Can anyone confirm?


I cleaned and re-connected the plug this morning, with no apparent improvement. Does it take some start-stop cycles to clear the alert?


I guess the next thing is to remove and clean the sensor itself. Does anybody know if this is likely to work or if I should just get a new sensor? How much isthe sensor? That sucks that you've replaced it twice! I don't know exactly how this sensor works, but you've got to wonder if the problem could be elsewhere.Edited by: MrBSS
 
Old Jul 11, 2005 | 07:32 PM
  #4  
john harker's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2
From: United States
Default

I left the car with the Dealer when I came north for the summer. The last word from them was they would look at the wiring harness as the source of the problem. The car is back in my driveway, and my grandson has driven it. Seems to be cured.
 
Old Jul 18, 2005 | 03:11 PM
  #5  
MrBSS's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 269
From: United States
Default



For those who may be interested, I think I fixed mine Saturday ('97 Ultra). The sensor just snaps into the radiator,held with two plastic clips. It is inside a clear plastic dome, which might imply optical sensing. Anyway, I took off the dome, cleaned it and the internals with contact cleaner, and reassembled it using dielectric grease.


So far, no "low coolant" message.


 
Old Jul 26, 2005 | 12:15 PM
  #6  
MrBSS's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 269
From: United States
Default



Well today I got a low coolant message again. Guess I'll examine the wire harness, and if that appears good, I'll order a new sensor.
 
Old Oct 19, 2005 | 12:24 AM
  #7  
MrBSS's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 269
From: United States
Default

Cleaned the whole system (overflow bottle had terrible "bathtub ring"), replaced all hoses and the low coolant sensor, filled with new Dexcool. So far, so good.
 
Old Oct 20, 2005 | 03:35 PM
  #8  
Patrick's Avatar
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 189
Default

so you think that it may have been due to some dirt in the system?
 
Old Oct 24, 2005 | 11:39 AM
  #9  
MrBSS's Avatar
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 269
From: United States
Default

Well, I don't really know. When I first cleaned the sensor, it worked for quite a while. I could have cleaned it again when I changed the coolant and hoses, but I didn't want to take the chance that I would again have a problem, so I just replaced it.
 
Old Oct 24, 2005 | 04:16 PM
  #10  
Patrick's Avatar
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 189
Default

oh, i understand
 



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:09 PM.