4/22/2024 0 Comments Car light says low coolant![]() Ignoring the piecemeal replacement process for the moment, if there is a low coolant warning, then there is either low coolant or a failed sensor, or a problem with the magnet inside of the expansion tank. I have been having this for about three weeks now, and the light is coming on after the initial drive cycle of any given day, so I have to assume that the aftermarket sensor is failing because the coolant is never below the KALT line (full, cold) line. Subsequent drive cycles usually will not turn the light on. ![]() For example, I drive to the gas station, the light comes on when I stop the car. My normal failure is that the first time I start the car in a day, the light will come on when I park after the end of the drive cycle. Now, about a year later, the light is back. I replaced the low coolant sensor, the light went out. My car is an E36, and I get a Low Coolant Light even though the coolant level is always okay. They sent me a new tank, and this solved the problem. Turns out the float in the tank must have been installed upside-down or something. I tested the sensor with my meter and a magnet, and both worked properly, but neither worked when installed in the tank. I replaced the sensor and the light stayed on. It turned out that the crappy expansion tank from one of the aftermarket (online) parts companies was defective somehow. I recently did some cooling system repairs and had a constant Low Coolant Light. If the light comes on, then either the switch is failing or the level of the coolant has dropped enough that the switch sees the low level and reports it. As the coolant level drips, the float sinks and the reed switch reacts by turning the light on. There is a tube that has a float with a magnet on it inside of the expansion tank (where you look to see if the coolant is low, or not), and a reed switch that fits inside the tube. The Low Coolant Light means one of two things, either the coolant is low or the low coolant sensor is failing. I still have heat and it never goes above or below dead center. The only thing i haven't changed is a water pump. I have replaced all hoses, expansion tank, and thermostat. But this seems to consistent to be a bad sensor. I have been searching and everything points to a bad level sensor. It will not come on when i leave work 9 hours later. Once the temperature in dead center the light then goes off. It will then stay on as the engine gets to temperature. It take about a mile or two down the road for it to come on. I will the start the car with no low coolant light. What happens is before i start the car in the morning i check the coolant. I have gone under the car cleaned and looked for leaks. I have checked my coolant in the mornings and it is in between the bubbles slightly closer to the maximum bubble. I have recently had an issue (colder fall mornings in Indiana) with the low coolant light coming on in the mornings.
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