Low Coolant light

[Pontifex]

This weekend it was about 56 degrees, abnormal for this time of year but yeah. Anyways, I drove my car around a lot that day, and the low coolant light went on, so I went to the local auto parts store and got some Peak 50/50, already mixed, and said it goes with any make or model. I went home, put the stuff in and let it run, stil didnt turn off, restarted the car, still on, let it sit awhile, still on, drove it at night, still on. Any answers to this, ways to clear it?

thanks

[Ralph]

sensor is probably stuck. Hit the side of your coolant reservoir with a screw driver handle or a hammer to unstick it.

[rixGAphx]

x2 on rapping the plastic reservoir with a screwdriver handle to dislodge the sensor's 'floaty-thingy'.

Since you have the V6 which is notorious for leaking, you should also identify why the coolant level dropped to begin with.
Many articles on this, do a 'search' in this forum for 'overheating' (even though you haven't had that yet, those are the articles you want).

Leave 1" of airspace in the top of the reservoir when filling it.

If it took more than about 2 quarts to restore the coolant level to the 'Full-Cold' line, then it's likely that some air got into the system and is now trapped in the high part of the system (in the engine intake manifold).
Perform the 'bleed' procedure under FAQ to remove this air.

Hope this helps,
-Rick

[Pontifex]

I filled it all the way to the full-cold line, and left 1" of air space like you said. it wasnt empty when it said low coolant, but it was low, like the light said, i checked the level again the next day(sunday) and it was the same level, so hit the side with a screwdriver hammer? I bought a bottle of peak 50/50 and it used about half, but not all the way half

EDIT: I think it might have used a little coolant on saturday, because it was 54 degrees out, and i was pushing the car a little bit, but not like flooring it the whole time i was driving

[rixGAphx]

Engines do NOT 'use coolant'.
No matter how far or how fast, or how many months or years.

I have known 6-yr old cars with every drop of the original factory coolant (obviously not Grand Ams :roll:).
:D :D

Now, nearly EVERY liquid-cooled engine has the POTENTIAL, indeed *likelihood* to need topping-off every so often, so thi is normal.
But it's not because they 'used' any, nor because the engine was pushed hard, etc.
Rather, the shaft of the belt-driven waterpump on the V6 extends from the pulley thru a bearing at the front of the waterpump to the impellar inside the WP.
There is a seal around this shaft, outside of the bearing. So the bearing is spinning in a bath of antifreeze, which lubricates it.
It is nearly impossible to make a watertight seal around a spinning shaft.
So a *tiny* bit of coolant, mebbe 1 drop, is almost guaranteed to LEAK past the seal every time the engine is run and the coolant rises to temperatue and 14 psi pressure.
30 days = 30 drops = A tablespoon loss per month.
12 tablespoons = 1 cupful ANNUALLY.

Your WP could be 'weeping' 5 drops per day, which would be about the outer limit of acceptability IMO.
Very rarely, a seal and shaft will be so perfectly-manufactured as to be called Mercedes-Benz, and they may never weep.

But in no case does the system 'use' coolant, nor should it be thought that hard or spirited driving will cause consumption/loss of coolant.

Overheating, to the point of boiling coolant gushing out the pressure cap, is not 'using coolant', it's a sign of trouble that must be addressed.

[Pontifex]

Yeah, I agree about the drip point you said, but.. I have driven the car alot, when i first got it, it was decently warm out, and until now. I don't honestly think anything is wrong with it, I called and asked my dad about it, explained the situation etc, he says its fine, just low, maybe dripping, basically what you said, so im goign to try to handle tric kto see if it works.

thanks for the info, ill post the results soon :)

[stewartfn20]

now i dont have this problem, however, when my engine is cold the light comes on and when the engine warms up, it goes off. I just did LIM gasket 2 months ago and it WAS done right (followed the "how to" over on GAGT.com) and replaced every seal the set came with. Could this be a sensor problem as well?

[rixGAphx]

now i dont have this problem,What problem don't you have, and why are you posting here about not having it????
:confused, morethanusual:
however, when my engine is cold the light comes on and when the engine warms up, it goes off.The idiot light for 'Low Coolant' comes 'on' when the engine is cold and you start the engine.
Is this correct?

If so, then do as the idiot light suggests: ADD COOLANT.



The light goes 'out' when the coolant warms, because the coolant EXPANDS and its level rises higher in the reservoir.
Thus causing the sensor to think the coolant level is at the minimum amount and therefore deactivate itself.

Your sensor is acting exactly as it's supposed to.
It wants you to act exactly as you're supposed to: As a responsible car owner who tops-off the coolant level to the 'Full-Cold' mark.

Hope this helps,
-Rick