GRC & Warning Lights

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 5:07 pm

GRC and I are getting on just fine. Lovely car, but a little bit of advice would be very handy.

Running the last six miles home this afternoon the 'check coolant level' light came up, and remained. No other warnings anywhere.

When I got home I checked the reservoir, and the rad level - both are excellent. Well, David topped it up so it'll be good.

Started car again and straightway same warning came up. Should I slip the output pipe off the water pump and check it's actually working, or is there a simpler way.

Any help gratefully received.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:07 pm

Hi Terry,

It has been known that the electronic gismo that indicates low expansion bottle water level, sometimes tells lies, due to poor electrical contacts.

This unit is usually located by the left side of the radiator, when looking at the front of the car.

Take off the plug, remove the unit, and carefully clean the contacts of the plug and edge of the printed circuit board, apply a light coating of grease or waxoil, refit the plug and fit the unit back in place.

May do the trick.

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:10 pm

Terry I seem to recall having the same problem a good while ago ... about 2 BX's ago actually! In my case the connectors on the sensor were not properly in place. This is to be found on the left side of the rad close to the cooling fan sensor (assume it's situated the same as n/a diesel

). Connectors may be loose or need cleaning, hopefully this will be a simple solution.

ed4ferrets · Post by **ed4ferrets** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:12 pm

Yeah, what Brian said ..... he beat me to it

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:50 pm

Okay, I got that, and thanks very much. I suppose I should have thought about it, but having been fiddling around in the engine bay, getting some air out of the hydraulic system etc, it makes perfect sense.

So...first thing tomorrow morning I get to it.

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:39 pm

Terry, am I right in thinking that GRC is a turbo diesel? If so the coolant level sensor is located on the underneath of the (seperate) expansion tank. It's a small red connector if my memory serves me correctly...

I find that electrical switch cleaner does an excellent job of cleaning contacts, followed by something (as previously mentioned) to keep moisture out.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 11:20 pm

Thanks Mat, when daylight dawns I'll have a good look.

Was looking through Haynes to identify what I'm looking for and could find a TZD engine anywhere. Shouldn't be surprised i suppose when Marty reckons the best use for Haynes is as a jack stand!

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:20 am

Do you have the diesel 'engine only' manual? That's the one I have and the only reference to the turbo engine is in the supplement. Not a vast source of information but I think there is a cooling system layout in there soomewhere. Best of luck!

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 12:51 am

Mat, I think it's tucked away in GRX so I'll have a look tomorrow morning, but thanks for that anyway

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Wed Jun 04, 2008 5:22 pm

Terry, I've experienced this before on another TD - and it is very likely to be dirty/corroded contacts at the sensor under the bottle. While the side-of-the-rad coolant level sensor found on other BX variants can foul up on its prongs and give false alarms, I haven't yet experienced that problem on a TD - fortunate given that removing the sensor is a bit more involved.

Hope the air bleeding was a success.

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:19 pm

Yet another possibility :

Completely rotten wires from sensor to the control module. The wiring is about the shiteist you can get - very thin gauge and not protected against water/salt mist ingress at connectors. The copper rots and leaves some strange black remnant that wont do as a current path

Be happy that the circuit is designed to alarm either a low coolant - or a circuit fault. Otherwise you would never know when the coolant gets low that one day in your lifetime ...