Odd issue affecting engine temperature reporting and stops AC from working
4 replies, posted
My car's engine temperature sensor doesn't always work. It'll show --- rather than the temperature. During that time, my AC won't work...just puts out hot air. When the engine temp starts reporting, if I'm stopped I feel the car jump forward an inch or two and the AC kicks in. Maybe a fan issue or something? The car runs fine all the time so I doubt it's the serp belt or anything
Fyi if it's a newer VAG car the ecu will automatically turn off the ac if the temp sensor reads too hot or not at all.
Also more details on the car. For all we know it might be a Toyota Prius. Silly electric cars that can creep up on you.
2008 Chevy Cobalt LS. 91k miles.
Could be a bad thermostat, which is like 5 bucks and it should be right under your coolant intake on your engine. It could also be a bad tempature sensor which is going to be on the bottom side of your radiator.
I don't think I've ever heard of a coolant temperature sensor being on the radiator, that would provide incorrect readings until the thermostat opens. On a Chevy Ecotech the engine temperature sensor should be located on the front drivers side of the engine, about level with the exhaust manifold, next to the coolant lines.
I'm almost certain it's either a bad connection to your temperature sensor, or a bad sensor. If it was the thermostat, the temperature of the engine would be reading fine, you would just have issues with it opening or being stuck open, resulting in the car overheating. If you do end up changing the sensor, make sure to drain some coolant and wrap the new sensor in teflon tape.
[B]Edit:[/B]
It looks like this guy had the same problem as you, it appears his first guess is the sensor, no result was posted.
[url]http://www.g5club.net/showthread.php/13775-SES-Light-and-no-Coolant-Temp-display/page4[/url]
If you look at this picture, the sensor is the little black thing between the two coolant tubes sticking up on the left side of the engine:
[IMG]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/9303/1220072225gc2.jpg[/IMG]
According to them it's on the passenger rear of the engine so I must not have as good of a memory as I thought. :v:
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