What does this light mean?

[azman]

1994 Pontiac Grand Am
Canadian version of the car.......sold in Canada

Warning light on the right of the instrument panel..

Arrow pointing down at what looks to be water.

I don't have a users manual.

Any help would be appreciated.

[99GrandAMSE]

Here is a page from the 1994 Manual that should help ... sounds like coolant temp to me but I'm not certain :)

[mthegodfather]

Yeah im with kelly it must be a low coolant light.

[azman]

Hey thanks for the quick reply.....

OK.......it is not on that page but

take one of the arrows from the turn signal picture...
point it straight down and have it pointing at water

that is what mine looks like.

As I said it is a canadian model so that might be the difference.

[azman]

OK I thought low coolant level also but the "radiator coolant" light from the page you gave me looks totally different.

I'm baffled

[99GrandAMSE]

Sorry ... I just wen through the manual and see nothing like you have described ... I also looked in 95 and nothing :(

[mthegodfather]

Might be because of it being a Canadian model. Check the fluid level and see if the light stays on. You might have to reset the computer by pulling the battery cable.

[99GrandAMSE]

Originally posted by mthegodfather
Might be because of it being a Canadian model ...

Maybe but I think the manuals are generic and common between the two country's ... but, I could be wrong :(

[azman]

I will post in the canadian forum to see if anyone there has a canadian manual.

[RocketFast321]

the books should be the same. But have you look to see if it was low.

[azman]

OK............don't laugh.

In my avatar I've simulated the warning light.

[rixGAphx]

Yeah, that icon is 'Coolant Level' in english, francais, metric, Imp, whatever.

Often, the little 'floater' in the coolant bottle gets stuck to the side, and remains 'down' indicating low coolant level even tho the level is properly full.
The floater usually comes unstuck by itself after the coolant dissolves the crud.
Disconnecting the battery will NOT cure this glitch.

Make sure the coolant level is good and ignore the light 'til it goes away.
You can try to dislodge the stuck floater by jabbing a bent coathanger thru the reservoir neck; there's nothing in there to be damaged.

Good luck.
-Rick

[1fatcat]

I agree with rixGAphx, by smacking the outside of the resevoir bottle you can sometimes get it to clear out. If it comes back on or won't turn off, you may have a bad level sensor and need to replace it.

First things first though, make sure the coolant level is full.

[azman]

Hey thanks a lot guys.....

I appreciate your help.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

[Quantum]

When you get a low coolant light on, the sensor has BEEN or IS out of the liquid. In my 98 GA, if the sensor goes out of the liquid, it forms an air lock so that the light on the dash stays on, instead of flickering with every bump I drive over. Once you add coolant, the light will stay on because of the air lock. There are two things you can do. Drive it for a couple days and the bouncing around will eventually cause the air lock to come out, or you can whack the side of the resevior with the handle of a screw driver to release the air lock. That should solve your problem. I did this trick with the engine running, that way I could check to see when the light went off.

Regards,

[azman]

Added some coolant and whacked the reserve tank a couple times just for fun.

Presto.........back to normal.

Thank you very much.

[mthegodfather]

Great to hear you got the problem fixed/