

Therefore, it is your mechanic's job to confirm the real culprit and determine what needs to be replaced. Remember that black smoke coming out of the tailpipe should not necessarily indicate a bad engine coolant temperature sensor because it might be linked to another component that is not working properly. As a result, at the end of the combustion What happens, in this case, is that your vehicle's engine is burning more fuel the needed. However, when the coolant temperature sensor goes bad, it is very common to see clouds of black smoke coming out of the exhaust tailpipe. Typically, your vehicle should not produce clear clouds of smoke out of the exhaust pipe. Therefore, if you notice that you need to visit the gas station more frequently than often, it might be a problem with the engine coolant temperature sensor. The more fuel your vehicle sends to the engine, the richer the air-fuel mixture and the more fuel your car consumes to produce minimum power. Since this sensor is responsible for sending enough information to your car's computer to determine the fuel injection timing, your vehicle's computer might think that your engine is continuously cold and keeps sending additional fuel to get it hotter. One of the first and most common symptoms of a bad engine coolant temperature sensor is significantly reducing your vehicle's fuel economy. Significant reduction in the fuel economy Here are some of the common symptoms of a bad engine coolant temperature sensor: 1.

Most vehicles problems can be resolved cheaper if you detect them early, and if you leave them, they could lead to significant damages that could cost you thousands of dollars down the road if not the entire vehicle.
#COOLANT SENSOR DRIVER#
Therefore, one of the first things that you need to familiarize yourself with as a driver is the main symptoms of a bad engine cooling temperature sensor.īy learning about these symptoms, you can detect the problem early and help resolve it without needing to spend a lot of money. With this critical role of the engine coolant temperature sensor, it can be extremely hard for your vehicle to operate properly with a bad coolant temperature sensor. What are the main symptoms of a bad engine coolant temperature sensor?
#COOLANT SENSOR MANUAL#
If you want accurate guidance about where to locate the engine coolant temperature sensor, you can always refer to your vehicle's owner’s manual to discuss with your mechanic. The engine coolant temperature sensor typically is located somewhere close to the thermostat, if not inside it. Where is the engine coolant temperature sensor located? In some scenarios, depending on the temperature of the coolant, your vehicle decides on turning on the electric fan, which withdraws air from the radiator to help cool down the engine faster. Whatever the term, it refers to the same sensor that is responsible for measuring the coolant temperature and sending a signal to your vehicle's computer to determine and function other processes.ĭepending on the coolant temperature, your vehicle knows how hot the engine is and when to start important functions like the ignition timing, fuel mix, fuel injection, etc. This sensor is sometimes referred to as the CTS, or your mechanic might call it the ECT and sometimes the ECT S. However, it plays a major role in maintaining a perfectly running cooling system and preventing engine overheating that could cause significant damage. The engine coolant temperature sensor is a minor component of your vehicle's cooling system. What is the engine coolant temperature sensor, and what does it do? Therefore, you can know when this sensor needs to be replaced and prevent dealing with undesirable situations that could cost you thousands of dollars to get fixed.

This article walks you through the main purpose of the engine coolant temperature sensor, and it also highlights these symptoms of a bad coolant temperature sensor. In addition, this sensor plays a major role in many other functions, including fuel mixing, fuel injection, injection timing, etc. The engine coolant temperature sensor is the main component in your car responsible for communicating with your vehicle's computer and sending information about the current engine temperature.
