Date:         Mon, 23 Aug 2004 15:37:48 -0700
Reply-To:     jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         jbange <hfinn@INGRATES.NET>
Subject:      Re: Coolant temp warning lamp glitch?
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

>She had been in her office for 1/2 hour, then started to drive. After about
>5 minutes the red coolant warning lamp under the temp gauge started
>flashing. The temp gauge was in the normal, midway location.... She
>restarted the engine and the lamp continued to blink. She inspected the
>coolant level, and because it was hard to see, she rapped on the side of
>the filler tube to see the coolant jiggle. It was midway between min and
>max. ...  No steam smelled or seen.
>
>Re-started the engine and this time the lamp blinked for the usual lamp
>test period, then went dark. She drove the five miles to the drop-off
>point with no trouble.

Sounds to me like a loose coolant level sensor connection. If the level is
OK, the gauge reads normal, and a couple whacks on the expansion tank
"reset" it, I'd almost lay money on the sensor or its connector being the
culprit. I'd still unpack the back and eyeball all the sensor plugs (.9 bar
oil, coolant level, temp sensor) and other connectors just to make sure no
more unnecessary "heart attack" lights happen. I knocked loose my .9 bar
oil pressure sensor while changing the oil filter and nearly had a stroke
when the oil buzzer went off a block away from the house. (I hate those
idiot lights; I'm putting in gauges as soon as I can afford 'em)

John Bange
'90 Vanagon "Geldsauger"