Water Temperature, Red overheat warning

[seanbrazendale]

Hi, I noticed periodically that the red symbol for over heating plus the STOP light come on faintly. The yellow temperature increasing symbol doesn't show. Stop car and restart and problem disappears. Coolant level is fine and water temperature guage seems to work perfectly. There seem to be 3 senders from thermostat housing, does anyone know function of each sender?

Regards

Sean

[Peter.N.]

As long as the temperature gauge is reading normal, ignore it, mine does the same, it sometimes says 'stop' excessive temperature, when I am doing about 20 mph around the lanes and the engine is cold! It is due to a faulty temperature sensor or sticking relay.

Peter.N.

[Masterclock]

The three temperature senders are 1: water temp to fuel injection, 2: water temp to temp gauge and 3: water temp to fan controller. The sender with the green connector is the one that controls the fan speed and warning lights.

I Have exactly the same fault, intermittant yellow and red warning lights and fans reving up to full speed and back down again. The fan/ warning light controller is under the dash, immediatly above your right foot when on the accelerator.

I traced my fault to the main connector where the engine loom meets the body loom, under the LHM tank. The fault, however, is not the connector pins. moving the loom makes the fan cut in, out fast and slow, but the connector pins are perfect. Its almost as if the crimp between the pin and the wire is at fault withing the connector, but the connector body is injection moulded over the loom during manufacture and cannot be disassembled.

I've learnt to live with it, as long as previously mentioned, the gauge stays normal. The only problem is when the red warning light comes on, the fan controller cuts out the aircon for three minutes. The good news is that the circuit is fail safe. i.e. if the wiring goes open circuit the fans go into full speed mode, so the engine can't overheat.

[seanbrazendale]

Hi

Many thanks for such a detailed reply. It's reassurring to know my car is 'normal'. I'll have a good look at all the ares you mention.

Best wishes

Sean

[Peter.N.]

Thanks for that info Masterclock, I will investigate if nothing else goes wrong first! You can always tell when its misbehaving at night, the brightness of the headlamps goes up and down.

Peter.N.