low coolant idiot light won't go off.

[BDASPNY]

ok title says it all. i just bought the car recently. today i noticed the coolant sensor plug on the overflow was off. thought that was odd so i plugged it back it. after i got on the highway the light came on. i know my heater core is going so i figured maybe it leaked a little more than i thought. so i checked my coolant, level was fine. engine cooling fine. cleaned the plug on the connecter. but it still stayed on. why would it keep coming on??

 

[srothfuss]

Once you have verified that you have the correct amount of fluid in the radiator and overflow bottle, replace the sensor... It's common that they fail.

 

[BDASPNY]

Once you have verified that you have the correct amount of fluid in the radiator and overflow bottle, replace the sensor... It's common that they fail.

i checked the coolant level that is right. is there a sensor on the bottle or would the actual plug be it?

btw thanks for your help

 

[srothfuss]

The sensor is the entire cap. If you take the cap out of the overflow bottle you will see.

www.50resto.com
www.cjponyparts.com

Both of these places should carry the sensor. Ebay would also be a good place to look.

 

[bill302]

first if you have not done it already clean metal tips at the end that is submerged into overflo tank with a steel brush,sandpaper or something to remove the corosion on metal probes mine did this and this is all i had to do to fix problem.

 

[stangjunkie]

unfortunatly we have learned alot more about coolant in the past 20 years. coolant is very corrosive as you know and these sensors were not really protected properly... its been said before its a common problem swap the sensor

 

[xpeteyjtx]

My light does the same thing, but goes off once in a while. Im going to live with it, rather than purchase a $67 sensor. It doesn't affect how the computer runs or anything, right?

 

[HISSIN50]

The overflow sensor itself affects nothing.

Bill has the right idea to clean and ohm out the prongs in the sending unit.

Good luck.

 

[THC420]

mine does the same thing, i just leave it unplugged.

 

[mob]

open your radiator cap when its cold, fill it to the top, and fill the resivour to the cold line, if the light is still on clean the sensor, if the light is still on pull the plug, it wont affect anything and its free.

 

[BDASPNY]

thanks guys for your help. i'll try your suggestions.

 

[Black1987Stang]

first if you have not done it already clean metal tips at the end that is submerged into overflo tank with a steel brush,sandpaper or something to remove the corosion on metal probes mine did this and this is all i had to do to fix problem.

Im pretty sure the newer years have the metal prong type....Mine has the float type, thats what it looks like anyway...Mine would come on randomly to with the coolant level fine so I unplugged it, been like that for 2+ years, I keep an out on the temp gauge anyway

 

[Foxfan88]

ive had mine come on under hard acceleration