I've noticed that some times my H2O idiot light stays on when I start the car. I can get it to go out after truning the ignition off and on again.

Anybody have this problem?

Thanks.

 

Sounds like your sensor is going bad. Pretty common.

 

Thanks. Is that sensor located at the radiator on the Pass side? I noticed one time that the mech. didn't bother to plug the sucker in one time. Just an oversight, I assume.

 

NO!!! this is normal! its becuase once the car has warmed up the coolant begins to flow and expansion causes the radiator to fill up like normal again! just like you cant take your radiator cap off right after you turn your car off after driving cause coolant will come out cause of all the pressure! well just wait for the car to cool down then pop your capo off and vloia YOUR LOW on coolant

same trick works with the low oil light too, if its on and you turn your car off then back on it goes off, then if you turn your car off and back on again it comes back on if your still low!

your sensor is fine this is ALL NORMAL!

 

I don't believe the light is "supposed" to stay on longer than the initial startup sequence when all the lights come on then go off.

On my 1996 SS the low coolant idiot light never came on except for initial start-up. A month or so ago it stayed on and then, like you said, sometimes goes off after driving the car for 15 minutes or so. I just haven't driven the car all that much so haven't thought much about it but I don't consider what my car started doing out of the blue as being normal. I've had/got a few of these and on none of them does the coolant light stay on for any amount of time. If it stays on then goes out after 15 minutes or so I'd say either the sensor is failing or you are low on coolant... not normal though IMO

 

ummm.... have you tried adding coolant?


I'd add to both the radiator and to the overflow tank until the level is proper. Then see if maybe the light doesn't come on anymore.


-Dave C. '97 Z28

 

ummm.... have you tried adding coolant?


I'd add to both the radiator and to the overflow tank until the level is proper. Then see if maybe the light doesn't come on anymore.


-Dave C. '97 Z28

 

Thanks. It did it the first time after I had my heads installed. At least that's when I first noticed it.

It did it again when I started it up the other day to begine my 500 mile breakin of my new short block. So I doubt that it is "low coolant".

They put all new coolant in the new shortblock and they were supposed to top it off before when they did the head thing (before the bottom end went to hell.

 

Um, simple troubleshooting should suffice here. First and most obvious would be to check the coolant level. Yes, these sensors do go bad sometimes but if you've been playing around with things that require disturbing the cooling system then maybe, just maybe it didnt get completely filled and the light is telling the truth. After verifying that your cooling system is indeed full, the light continuing to stay on would probably mean you have a bad sensor. Personally I'd be making sure I had a full radiator first.