Symptoms of a Bad Coolant Temp Sensor (2004 Impala)

Not sure if you have a bad coolant temp sensor and you don't want to pay someone $200 to find out? Watch this vid to hear some very specific symptoms I was having as a direct result of a bad CTS. I replaced it and it runs perfect, now.

Пікірлер: 24

  • @MrMDee-si1bz
    @MrMDee-si1bz6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing! Paul! My Montana has the same %^*% symptoms! I’ll try that! 👍🏻👍🏻

  • @Pathfinding-earth
    @Pathfinding-earth Жыл бұрын

    I have a Nissan, but it describes all of my issues, so Im going to get that and see what happens, I also have that code but for Nissan is P0115. thanks for this video.

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad to help! Let us know what happens.

  • @bbracing3925
    @bbracing3925 Жыл бұрын

    Holy cow, you just described what I'm dealing with in my 92 Lexus SC300 that is also at 200,000 mi. I'm also smelling the sweet exhaust smell, erratic mid range temp. idle issues. Stumble/ fuel cut? (Punching the gas to merge). It also kind just feels sluggish. I've "scanned" it multiple times (T1-E1 pins) & no related dtc codes for it or anything leading to it. But I have a new one because I've been sort of suspicious of the temp sensor. Hearing your test drive observations makes me feel hopeful haha. It can get annoying sometimes with the older OBD1 systems as they age. Thank you, I'll let you know if this applies to my Lexus or not.

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad to help! Hopefully that is your issue, too as it's pretty cheap and easy!

  • @bbracing3925

    @bbracing3925

    Жыл бұрын

    @@paulhaines5755 Unfortunately my research into the before mentioned issues will continue. Silver lining though, my sensor was bad. It was starting to burn up inside the sensor (between the plastic and brass body of the sensor) it was also brittle. It broke in half just touching it. It made it much easier to remove. The sensor is not in the easiest location to see or get to on a 2JZ-GE.

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Hmmmm - so still running bad I take it? I'll look into the cat, next. A rich running vehicle can ruin/foul/plug the cat in time + also give you smelly exhaust.

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Other simple things to try - have your injectors professionally cleaned at the local lube shop. It really does help. I've had it done a couple times over the years and notice a real difference in how my car runs. Clean your MAF with approved cleaner only. Make sure you air filter is clean. Make sure you do not have a spark plug wire that is arcing out somewhere on the engine. Inspect it in the dark and listen for it. Remove upstream O2 sensor and run it. If it improves noticeably you likely have a cat issue.

  • @Djayhasapikachu
    @Djayhasapikachu18 күн бұрын

    How do you find the temp sensor on let's say a 04 Malibu V6

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    18 күн бұрын

    I'm not sure. On my engine it's under the throttle body.

  • @jt8280
    @jt82807 ай бұрын

    Hi, Paul I have the same engine, no smell from the exhaust but my temp gauge is always at the mid level when driving daily and does not kick in the electric fans. Could it be the temp sensor ? Thanks

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    7 ай бұрын

    YES I believe a bad or flaky temp sensor can cause issues with the cooling fans. Bear in mind I'm no pro - just a guys fixing my own stuff the best I can with simple tools so I might be wrong. Here's how I understand it: The CTS gives resistance info to the ECM. Resistance changes with temperature. The ECM controls many many things that affect how the car runs. Additionally, the ECM energizes relays that turn the cooling fans on and off. I'm pretty sure that if you disconnect the CTS and start your car, the cooling fans will come on as a fail safe designed into the ECM system. If they do not, you have an issue with a fuse, relay, wiring or the fan motors themselves. Check the basic stuff first; aka fuses, relays, wire connections! FYI the fans on my car rarely come on unless it is hot outside/summer season so I did not recognize this as a problem when my CTS was bad. All I noticed was poor performance and the things discussed in this vid. Fast forward almost a year and the car still runs very well - no issues.

  • @jim12186
    @jim1218610 ай бұрын

    did your dash temp gauge show cold even when hoses were too hot to touch?

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    10 ай бұрын

    No gauges and such seemed to work fine.

  • @deedillz2491
    @deedillz2491 Жыл бұрын

    I think I’m going thru the same thing but mine overheats when the ac is on but I’m getting the p0125 code

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Hmmm that's interesting. I'm not sure how a CTS ties in with your AC. I haven't had that issue before and mine wasn't overheating but it is cold here and I haven't used AC in months! I bet if it was hot I might have had that same issue as you. So maybe the CTS tells the ECU to turn on the radiator fans? If your fans never come on that's prob why you are overheating. AC condenser creates heat and the fans need to pull it off. You might have to research it some more to see if your CTS is something to replace or test.

  • @deedillz2491

    @deedillz2491

    Жыл бұрын

    @@paulhaines5755 so your thinking that my radiator fans have been the fans that’s used? And not the actual ac fans? Because I didn’t noticed once that it was fans running one day when I had turned the car off

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm not 100% sure what you are asking. Please remember I'm no mechanic by any stretch of the imagination but I'll offer some help: my car has two electric fans behind the radiator. They come on when the vehicle gets hot and many times when the AC is running. The AC condensor will cause more concentrated heat in front of the radiator so this heat needs to be pulled away by the fans. If your fans are not coming on, there is a good chance that is why you are over heating. A bad CTS could be the cause of these fans not coming on but I can't be sure as I've never had issues that were in conjunction with my car over heating.

  • @deedillz2491

    @deedillz2491

    Жыл бұрын

    @@paulhaines5755 it was indeed the sensor my 04 impala is running like a champ check engine light off

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    Great! Good to know and good info that it's tied to the fans as well!

  • @jjano2320
    @jjano2320 Жыл бұрын

    Do you have to drain some coolant out?

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    When I did this job on my car I lost no coolant. The car was fully cold of course.

  • @bruteman45
    @bruteman45 Жыл бұрын

    Did you have to replace the throttlebody gasket??

  • @paulhaines5755

    @paulhaines5755

    Жыл бұрын

    I didn't and it's fine.