Low Coolant Light On But Not Low On Coolant

I was leaving my house today, and the low coolant light came on. I had been driving about 2 minutes, so I just turned around and came home. The overflow was slightly low, so I added some coolant and figured that would solve the problem. However, the light will not go off. I don't want to drive the car until I can figure out what is going on, but it is weird. I let it run for 10 minutes in the driveway while I watched, and nothing is leaking. Both the upper and lower hoses are warm, and the car sounds fine. I can't check the temp. gauge because of course the connection fell off the block yesterday, and now it is raining, so I can't crawl under the car to re connect it. Any thoughts? The only other problem is the that the service engine soon light comes on occasionally, then goes out a few hours later. Thanks for any help/ideas, Mark.

On the wagon, I assume?

Pull the codes from the climate control head and see what your intermittent CEL is first.

The coolant light issue is ultra-common on LT1 cars. The solution is simple, fill it up, then, with the car running, hit the coolant reservoir HARD with the side of your fist. You will hurt yourself before you hurt the car. Light will go out.

Jay, you crazy bastard, it worked! I'm sure my neighbors would have been amused had they seen me hitting my car while wearing a heavy leather glove. But, the question remains-did the light just come on because the coolant was just a little low, or did it just come on for some other reason? Jay, seriously, thank you. My wife has plans with her mother tomorrow, and having her car out of commission would have been a pain for all parties involved.

Light came on because the coolant was low, then the sensor stuck in the low position.

It's not everyday that you get to fix your car by hitting it. Enjoy the "Fonzie"

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Hahahaha. Best reply ever.


Now go check out that CEL anyway, Mark. :p

Stingroo wrote:

Hahahaha. Best reply ever.


Now go check out that CEL anyway, Mark. :p

He might not be able to on a 96. Both 96's I have owned will not display the codes for the PCM in the CC. Must be something with OBD II.

Well at least with OBDII anybody at VatoZone should be able to scan it.

jayoldschool wrote:

Light came on because the coolant was low, then the sensor stuck in the low position.

It's not everyday that you get to fix your car by hitting it.  Enjoy the "Fonzie"

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Hard to believe this guy is a old slightly chubby gray haired fellow selling senior citizen insurance.Where do the years go,Fonzie?

Happens to all of us, my friend. Last night I was cleaning my basement, and found my (first) wedding pictures, dating from 1990. I was thinner, had more hair, and I swear, taller. Oh well, as my 89 year old dad says, "it beats the alternative".

If you've got a 96, and an Android phone, download the Torque App, and pick up a bluetooth dongle off ebay. Works perfectly. Real time data, data logging, gauges, DTCs, reset, everything.

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Darn, also usable on OBD 1's?

No. Datamaster/cable/laptop.

HAHA!!   jay said dongle!!

wait,. what!???