I have 160 thermostat and know that it is causing the stupid red light, on the rpms, to light up after the car warms up. How do I get rid of it?

 

Is your car actually overheating, or is it just the light that's coming on?

 

The light is just coming on. I live in Florida and drive around in the afternoons in stop and go traffic and the car gets to about 220. Never have had any over heating problems. I just heard through a friend that the 160 stat will turn the light on.

 

I'm in FL too, and my temp doesn't really get above 180 with the 160* stat.

 

It only gets that high when Im sitting in rush hour traffic and hitting every red light at 3:00 in the afternoon with the sun beating down that I have to have the ac on. I will stay below 180 all day on the highway. I just want to get that light off.

 

Well, if you have not reprogrammed, your fans won't come on until ~190* I think(someone feel free to correct). But I'd check your system for air if it's getting that hot, even in traffic. As long as the engine is running, the water pump is turning.

 

I just fixed this EXACT same problem. I had identical symptoms, when it was sitting in traffic the light would come on.
To fix it I did two things, im not 100% sure which one fixed it though.. let me explain:
I figured my coolant level sensor was bad so i bought a new one. I also noticed my coolant was very low in Antifreeze (bought a 5$ tester to find out).
I drained a good chunk of the radiator, removed the old sensor and poured in straight antifreeze (to increase the coolant to water ratio).

Problem solved. It may have either or, or a combination of both taht fixed it.
I figured that the car was possibly heating up too fast because not enough antifreeze was in (causing bubbles to form reducing heat transfer when idling in traffic), though this shouldnt have tripped the coolant level sensor... The old one was pretty covered in goop on the metal bar thing that touches the coolant. So maybe just cleaning it would have gotten rid of the problem too, but decided to quit messing around and threw a nice new sensor in

Does anyone know how these things work?

 

the sensor on our cars are notorious for going out all the time. As long as your temp is good then your fine. From what it sounds like is its good. Do what I did and just unplug the darn thing. Thats what the majority of peps here did. You temp gauge is more than enough IMHO.

 

No codes are thrown when disconnecting. What do I unplug and how?

 

In the morning, before you start the car, open the radiator cap and see where the coolant level is. It should be at the top. If it is, the sensor may need to be cleaned or replaced. If it is not full, fill it with coolant and also make sure the proper level is in the remote reservoir. Do this a couple of days in a row, if needed. Also be sure you have bled any air out of the system.

Stock fans come on at 226º.

 

My question now is, will just replacing the thermostat to a 160 cause the water light to turn on? It only comes on when the car is warm and I have had no over heating problems. Even with the ac on.

 

I don't think a 160* thermo would cause that light problem. You probably just have a bad sensor.

 

The thermostat, itself, would not cause it.

 

The sensor is probably bad. Replace it or unplug the sensor, it's located on the radiator and you have to remove the battery to see it.

 

My lite comes on most of the time when I first start the car. If I just turn the ignition off and restart the car the lite doesn't come on again.

Beats the hell out of me.