Low coolant light - Urgent help needed !

[Westy57]

I have a 93 Beretta with a V6 that I need some assistance with.

My low coolant dash light came on and doesn't go off. I had the problem about a month ago and topped off the airfreeze in the holding tank and it went off. It came back on so I topped it off again but now it won't go off. I actually filled it right up to the top this time. It took about a half gallon even though the level in the tank was visible.

I haven't had any leaks to speak of short of a drop or two on the floor overnight. When I get home from work some days I can smell antifreeze sometimes but it doesn't spill any out. The car runs fine and the temperature gauge stays in the normal range same as it always has. I don't detect any water in the exhaust fumes. I'm tempted to simply unplug the sensor on the bottom of the tank but I commute 100 miles to work daily and the Beretta is my commuter and I can't afford to have anything happen to it ! It has 113K on it and I bought it 4 or 5 years ago when it had 8K on it.

I was going to hit the junk yard today to try to find a replacement sensor or tank but parts in the yard for 93's are getting pretty picked over.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be sincerely appreciated !

[richtazz]

the coolant level sensor is GM #22565474, and only runs $13 at a dealer. At most, if they don't stock it, it should only take a day to get one.

If your coolant spots are on the drivers side, check the "quick connect" heater hose fitting that goes into the intake manifold just below the t-stat housing. These are known to crack, and at first will only seep out coolant. Over time, the crack gets bigger until it will leak major amounts of coolant. Be careful inspecting it, as hamfisted techniques can snap that fitting off in the intake. They turn soft and can break if you look at them sternly.

[Westy57]

Thanks for the reply ! Usually if I do have a spot, it's generally on the drivers side beneath the coolant tank, almost as if it was boiling out the extra coolant. I'm starting to wonder if maybe it's just a bad sensor. When they go bad do they "usually" show low coolant or not work at all. Can a guy take the sensor out easily without having to take the tank out or do you have to remove the tank to get at it ?

Thanks again !

[richtazz]

The picture I have is just a line drawing, so I can't tell if it can be removed without taking the reservoir out of the car, sorry. IT could be just a bad sensor, either it's cracked and water logged or sludged up.