check coolant light, 98 escort se

My 'check coolant' light is truning on intermittently (ie. sometimes when i start the car it comes on and stays on, other times it does not light. It never seems to come on partway through a trip).

So I have done what the light suggests, i have checked the coolant. It seems to be topped up (filled to above the fins within the radiator and in between the max and min lines inthe overflow tank).

what does this light actually indicate? Is it a coolant volume sensor? Temperature? (not likely, thats covered by the temp gauge). There are no apparent leaks in the cooling system and the car runs fine.

Anybody else have this problem?
What should i do next?

I am not yet ready to ignore the light.

thanks, Dave

It is the coolant level in the reservoir. You should see two wires going in the top of the reservoir. Those are for the switch that turns the light on.

My 'check coolant' light is truning on intermittently (ie. sometimes when i start the car it comes on and stays on, other times it does not light. It never seems to come on partway through a trip).

So I have done what the light suggests, i have checked the coolant. It seems to be topped up (filled to above the fins within the radiator and in between the max and min lines inthe overflow tank).

what does this light actually indicate? Is it a coolant volume sensor? Temperature? (not likely, thats covered by the temp gauge). There are no apparent leaks in the cooling system and the car runs fine.

Anybody else have this problem?
What should i do next?

I am not yet ready to ignore the light.

thanks, Dave

is it possable you have an air pocket in the system? Have you done anything too it? Also how about the thermastat

is it possable you have an air pocket in the system? Have you done anything too it? Also how about the thermastat

air pocket: sure, i guess there could be, how could i test for this? What if there was?

I have done nothing to the cooling system since buying the car (last Feb).

What about the thermostat? it seems to work, as evidenced by the temperature gauge: the car heats up after a reasonable time (5 mins) and then remains at temperature (about halfway between vold and hot on the gauge)

Dave

Check the coolant reservoir. That light has nothing to do with temperature. It's a fluid level switch in the reservoir.

Here's a picture of the sensor removed from the reservoir:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/500/353032sensor1.jpg