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Few Issues: Engine Hot A/C Off, Check Coolant Level, TPMS Sensor Out, Other...

1366 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  darkman
Hey all! Thanks for any help on these... I'm a DIYer

#1 Check coolant level & Engine Hot A/C Off.
My coolant level is fine and this was a sporadic code thrown to "check coolant level." Just the other night I had a rough start like the engine was choking and threw an "engine hot a/c off." Through reading into this, I'm finding that this may be a bad thermostat. So this should be an easy fix? Anything else this could be or any other underlining issues with this? I was finding that this happens more to the STS-V's...

#2 TPMS sensor is out, driver front.
I had the sensors changed with the new tires just recently. What could cause it to go out already? So now of course the stability control can't be turned off.
It has the ---. In the manual it just says to see the dealer. So what's the steps to reset this to see if it just needs a reset or will the "TPM match process" pg 5-70 possibly fix it or reset it?

#3 Newish brake fluid already brown?
I did a complete flush when I changed the OEM to steel braided lines about a year, year and a half ago. Is this normal to already have brown fluid after only about 10k miles of driving? Dot 3 right? And yes, they were bled correctly. What bites?

Thanks all!
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1. On the coolant/temperature issue, what is the temperature gauge indicating?

2. I'd go back to the place that changed out the TPMS sensors and let them reset it, or replace it as required. Sometimes those things take a "time-out" and then start working again.

3. The fluid changes color primarily due to heat or water absorption. You could remove/replace some of it with a turkey baster. I would use DOT 4, which is better than, but compatible with DOT 3.
#1 - Could either be the coolant actually is hot (bad thermostat? bad water pump?) or that the coolant temperature sensor (CTS) is bad. As darkman asked, what does the display say for coolant temp? Is it consistent, or does it jump around? The fact that you got the warning when you first started the car (and thus the coolant presumably was not really hot) would lead me to think it's the CTS.

#2 - I'm too lazy to go out to my car to look at the manual, but if the "TPM match process" is the same as this - http://www.cadillacfaq.com/faq/answers/tprepro.html - then I'd try that first. As darkman said, sometimes the sensors can be a little finicky. When I put my winter wheels/tires on a few months back I got a few spurious alarms (would drop to 0 or jump high), every time on the left front. I thought I was going to have to get that sensor replaced, but it stopped doing it and hasn't been a problem since. :confused:

#3 - Concur with above.
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Thanks guys.

#1 it was on a bone cold start and temps reading normal. Weird thing that it was on a bone cold start. Went to the auto store to get any codes ran and the thing said it's the coolant temp sensor "CTS" but that it's intermittent. So I cleared the codes. I'll just leave it unless it throws the code again. May be a good idea just to replace the thermostat and temp sense anyways just in case for some prevent maint... and it's cheap and easy.

#2 I'll have to take it in to a different shop. The one I took it to was out in Houston. I'm now located in south Florida and there's no same company shop around here. I did call the location and they said to take it in to a close tire shop and they'll take care of it. Discount Tire Store, Great costumer service so far. Not to mention, touch-less tire machine!

#3 Yeah, it's just weird that it's so brown already! And I thought it was bad to mix it really. I'll do a flush again when I get free time.

Thanks for all the incite!

P.S.
Also, my clutch system sometimes seems to be lose and the paddle gets a lot of play in it at times. And then reverse is a BI*** to get into... I've read about people being able to make a custom steel line for it or to just install a speed bleeder? I definitely feel my clutch slip at times too! 80,000 miles on the car so far and I think all the stuff is original. Clutch is not going to be a cheapo. :banghead: Probably just keep it stock cause seems like the better clutch systems can get interesting and I don't want to end up break the LSD either.
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Check your connector on the temp sensor itself. Mine is cracked and doesn't lock on so it vibrates off occasionally and i get the reduced power DIC. I need to fix it.....sensor may be bad as predicted above.
If the error message occurred in conjunction with a cold start the thermostat is not the issue. The issue is likely the coolant temperature sensor, its connections, or ground.
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