Saturn - Ion :: 2004 - Coolant Level Message Won't Go Away
Apr 9, 2013
Coolant level message on my 2004 Ion won't go away. I have pulled the overflow tank and cleaned and flushed it. Checked the sensor with my multimeter for continuity, checked fine. Checked and remade wiring connections to the sensor. I thought maybe the float material was the same as would be in an hydrometer so it would only float in the correct mixture/protection level of coolant. Flushed and filled the system with 50/50 mixture of Dexcool. That theory was incorrect. The only thing I've seen so far that makes sense is a "software issue" that was mentioned in another discussion I read.
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For the last several days, most of the times I've started my car I've had the Red "Check Coolant Level" message on the MFD - accompanied by a tone / chime.
The first time it happened, I was a tad below Min, so I added a 'glug' of G13 to push it back up into the normal range. Everytime I've checked it since, the level is in the normal range.
So how is the level "sensed"? I had a new coolant reservoir put in about 18 months ago, so my "hope" is that it's not actually that (though those are really cheap).
Is there something else I should be cleaning / renewing? Maybe as simple as the electrical connection on the reservoir?
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My friend bartered for a '99 F250, 2wd/auto, 4 door, 7.3, 258k miles.
It had reportedly sat for one year, though the expired registration sticker and other things point to it sitting for two.
It ran low on oil, sputtered and died. Oil in the degas tank. Filled to oil to mid way on the hatch marks on the dip stick.
I drove it 25 miles to my house, and the oil level is not reading on the dip stick.
The sludgy fluid level in the degas tank is unchanged. Where is the fluid going?
I will refill the oil to see just how much it lost in the 25 miles if it important to someone, but I prefer to not waste the oil.
My first plan is to remove, inspect and replace the oil cooler o-rings. Even though the dealership charged him for this, I don't trust that they did it right. I think it is the easiest and mostly likely place for oil getting into the coolant.
It does have a really long crank before there is enough low pressure oil for it to start. At the moment I think this is a separate issue.
The dealership also charged him for a replacement injector. No idea if they replaced the cup or not.
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I've been noticing my coolant level seems to be going down. The last two times I had it in the shop they reported a low level and refilled it. Followed by today I noticed it's near empty on the reservoir. It's disappearing but where it's going. No drip marks underneath anywhere on the driveway or the car. No pink sludge on the bottom of the radiator. No pinkish hue or any indication it's getting into the engine oil on the dip stick... I'm at a loss here.
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My coolant light goes on, it started in winter in February and continues to yell @ me (checked the coolant and wires all is fine). I went to have it looked at, the mechanic says I need to get the Coolant level sensor replaced, but to do this he says it's part of the coolant reservoir, hence I need to replace both. Which will cost like $300 bucks, which I don't have?
Question: is this true? do you have to replace the reservoir to replace the sensor? I can't find an answer anywhere.
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The last week or so, the coolant level low light has been coming on in my 04 Touareg V6, and I've noticed that it is leaking underneath the car. I've been keeping a close eye on the level, and filling it back up until I could get it into the dealer. They can't get me in until the 24th, so when I was under it last night changing the oil I checked it out.
It is dripping from a round plastic piece on the firewall with a square "knob" on it. This "knob" has what looks like a cross indented into it. It was dripping slowly while the car was on, and continues for a few minutes after it's been turned off. I originally thought it was the a/c condensation dripping off, but it's definitely antifreeze.
I fear that it's the heater core and that it is leaking from the inside, but I could just be paranoid. It should still be under warranty (34,000 miles).
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Just noticed my level is about an inch below the full mark, it was fine at the last oil change, no leaks that I can see....nothing on the ground.
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Today I received a message on the MFI telling me that the coolant was overheating. My better judgement told me to immediately pull over at the next available spot to turn off the car since the coolant temp gauge was almost at 280. This is well over the 200 where it usually resides. However, the oil temp gauge was right at 200 which is normal.
Perplexed, I called my dealer. The Phaeton Tech was gone for the day so they suggested that I have the car towed in for inspection. Knowing the temperament of the Phaeton (2004 V8), I chose to restart after about 5 minutes. At that point, everything was reading fine & I drove home (about 20 minutes). I ran a VAG-COM scan to see if anything would come up, but nothing did.
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Pulling out of the driveway my 2004 Passat's computer told me there's an issue with the coolant and that I should STOP, so I pulled back in. My VW dealer has this coolant in stock (G12, red) but considering it is 7 degrees outside (or minus 14 C) I wonder whether I can't ignore the warning and drive the 2 miles rather than get on my bicycle.
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On Sunday I'm driving to the store my LOW COOLANT light goes on. So I buy some coolant. I get home let the car cool off and check my radiator, it is full. My coolant recovery tank is also at the proper level.
Been three days already checked levels again and I'm not losing any coolant.
What the car is NOT doing:
1. Not losing fluid
2. Not running hot
I'm thinking coolant level sensor?
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I haven't been able to find a discussion about failure or replacement of the oil level sensor. I'm getting a error message displayed each time I start the car. I took it into the dealer for an oil change. After they completed the change, they recommended replacing the sensor. I'm inclined to wait another 5k for the next service to do that. Diagnostics did not show any error codes. Doesn't make sense to me. just replace the sensor...
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I have 2004 V8 Phaeton ,the message LEVEL FAULT WORKSHOP. keeps appearing ,then disappearing, sometimes it will stay until the car is turned off,. When it comes some times even on long highway journeys I wont see it at all!. When it comes on nothing seems to change.
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My 2004 Phaeton with a little over 100k miles on it has been giving me a problem with the air ride suspension. When starting the vehicle, a "Level Fault - Workshop" message is displayed on the instrument cluster, and the car has been slowly sinking as the air ride (I presume) slowly deflates. Around 10,000 miles ago, I had a problem with the suspension, but that time the car immediately and actively sank; this was solved by replacing the air ride computer (it is the B, not C-type). I've tried replacing the computer with another B-type computer, but to no avail. The local VW dealer and an independent import car garage have told me some things, and I would like to learn more about this problem and possible ways to try and solve it.
1. I have been told that no voltage is making it from the computer to the left front sensor. Dealer says its the computer, but could this possibly be the wiring harness or a bad connection? If so, how do I get into the wheel well in order to test this hypothesis? My best guess is it isn't the computer, as the car never actively sank (this happened when the original computer went bad).
2. I have also been told that the right rear sensor is bad. Is this a part I can replace with a modest amount of auto knowledge? I do my own oil, replace brake pads/rotors, etc. If so, any drawing/maintenance manual parts list available?
3. I have heard conflicting reports as to a freshly-ordered sensor being and not being compatible with the B-type computer. Dealer told me new sensors will only speak to a C-computer; independent garage told me new sensors will speak to my B computer. Who is correct?
From a few hours of internet browsing from the first instance and this second instance of failure, it seems this is a somewhat common issue with the 2004 Phaeton.
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I just replaced the head on a 1997 Saturn SL2 due to it running rough and low compression on one of the cylinders. It idles very smooth now and has at least 160 PSI on all 4 pistons. The problem is that it surges as you are accelerating slowly, gets poor gas mileage and it seems that the oil level is raising on the dip stick. I'm guessing that gas is some how getting into the oil.
I checked the spark plugs for carbon build-up which would indicate a rich gas mixture but they're clean (lite tan color). I also replace some of the vacuum lines where I found cracks, but I may have missed a few. Overall the car seems to run pretty good. The problem is that this is my daughter's car who lives 10 hours drive away and I don't want to stick her with any problems. I don't want to take it to a dealership where they'll charge me a lot of money but my mechanic that I normally deal with doesn't know what to do with it since there aren't any fault codes on the computer.
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In the last year I've had a NOX sensor fault (dealer repaired) and a DEF heater fault (I replaced). I'm now getting an EGT sensor fail. Every fault is with the same system.
I'm also realizing that while I'm getting the exhaust system cleaning message, my DEF level is not being depleted.
All the dealership wants to do is change out fault codes but I think the true issue is elsewhere.
2011 F250 SD FX4 6.7L (stock)
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Have a small coolant leak. The level is dropping and I can smell it but I cant find it. The radiator was new at 100K miles and the heater core is bypassed. No evidence on or near the hoses, water pump or radiator. Getting ready to replace all the hoses because they are overdue but I would like to find the leak(s) first.
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Level in the tank going down? I don't appear to have any leaks but it's now down to the "Min" level cold.
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My Touareg has 9400 miles and yesterday I checked the coolant level when cold. Inside the reservoir there is an awkward yellow cylinder with the max and low words. The manual is not very detailed about where the level should be like the oil, or at least show a picture. I noticed that my coolant is right underneath the letters LOW for the low mark. I would take it that I need to add, but need to confirm whether or not that is an OK level. Could LOW be the translation by the Germans for the cold mark? My American made GMC Envoy has a clear reservoir with precise max-cold-low marks so you can actually safely see the level even when hot and be sure about it. I ask this because today I had the 10000miles service done and the tech said the level is fine.
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My coolant level sensor is bad. How do I replace it? I understand that there is a retaining metal wire holding it on. How do I get that wire off?
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At the end of last winter, I got the warning flash that my coolant level was low. So I topped up (about a pint or more)About 3 weeks later I had to go through the same scenario !! but then it started to get hot outside and my air conditioner mode took over and lo and behold - no more coolant loss.!!?? Now that winter and cold weather is back - so is my leak!!
So I run off to the local dealer and they get the car up. And drop the belly pan with the engine running and the heat cranked up. the mechanic said he found a dripping hose coming from UNDER the intake manifold.
The engine is a 2002 2.8 v6....
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2006 with 58000 miles. Never noted overheat or leak on garage floor. Fluid level low in coolant reservoir. Dealer wants to replace water pump.
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