Cooling system temp warning

[scotty73]

About half way to Tenby Friday when it was very hot i got a STOP warning with what looked like (cooling temp to high) message on the mfd it was in slow traffic very start stop with roadworks so pulls over at earliest possible opportunity... Temp never went higher than 90.
Pops the bonnet it felt hot under there but nothing i aint seen before, checked the water level i got a small air escaping sound nothing boiling over and water level was fine... 5 mins later carried on with our journey and for about a bottom clenching mile or so kept getting the same message.... Got up a bit of speed after the roadworks and it stopped so continued our merry way to Tenby.

Trip back today the weather was a bit cooler and not a glitch all way home... Theres two differences on the drive up.

1: It was bloody boiling in traffic.
And.
2: i had the aircon going which i've decided is fooked but mentally i thought it was cooler than just the blowers.

PS: I've never seen this car go over 90 not even while towing the caravan and have never seen this message before.

PPS: i wasn't towing when this happened.

[jasper5]

About half way to Tenby Friday when it was very hot i got a STOP warning with what looked like (cooling temp to high) message on the mfd it was in slow traffic very start stop with roadworks so pulls over at earliest possible opportunity... Temp never went higher than 90.
Pops the bonnet it felt hot under there but nothing i aint seen before, checked the water level i got a small air escaping sound nothing boiling over and water level was fine... 5 mins later carried on with our journey and for about a bottom clenching mile or so kept getting the same message.... Got up a bit of speed after the roadworks and it stopped so continued our merry way to Tenby.

Trip back today the weather was a bit cooler and not a glitch all way home... Theres two differences on the drive up.

1: It was bloody boiling in traffic.
And.
2: i had the aircon going which i've decided is fooked but mentally i thought it was cooler than just the blowers.

PS: I've never seen this car go over 90 not even while towing the caravan and have never seen this message before.

PPS: i wasn't towing when this happened.

That will be a faulty coolant temperature sensor, located to the right of the engine on the cylinder head (looking from front of the car) green one if I remember.

[dieselink]

if u go to change sensor m8,be gentle with it as the surround that holds it in with a clip is very very brittle,mine crumbbled very easy,then the 2 other engines in scrap yard done the same thing,i ended up having to glue mine back in witch was a nightmear.the housing it sits in is 1 compleat unit and over 100 quid for a new one with loads of conectoins to connect.

[scotty73]

Cheers i'll have a butchers in the morning, not sure i really want to after hearing that mind with a long trip planned over the weekend... dont want a cooked engine either though.

[rwb]

How high was it?
I saw this for the first time last week but no message.
I'm not sure whether the fan cut in or not -- I assume it did.
Went straight back down to 90 once I got through the lights causing the jam.

[scotty73]

I'd say thats about where the guadge was my misses was driving, no idea if the fans came on just got a beep, flashing stop light and mfd read coolant temp to high.

It was fine once she got out of traffic and it's been fine since.

If it's what Jasper said i need a part number quick cos i'm going away Saturday and dont want any of that sh*t going on.

[jasper5]

It's a well know problem, I had the same fault on my own 406.

It is the green one btw, you can buy them from motor factors, don't have a part number.

[scotty73]

It's a well know problem, I had the same fault on my own 406.

It is the green one btw, you can buy them from motor factors, don't have a part number.

What are they like to fit? the only green one i can see is just behing the air filter housing looks like it's going into the engine?

[jasper5]

Yes, behind the air filter.

There are 2 types, one is held in by a large spring clip (there should be a blue one next to it)

The other type screws into the engine like an oil pressure switch.

Make sure there is no pressure in the cooling system and the cap is on.

It's only a 5 or 10 minute job to fit.

Just remove the electrical connection, pull out the clip, pull out the old unit and slot the new one in, fit the clip and the electrical connection and top up coolant if you lost any.

The other type just screws out when you undo it with a spanner.

[dieselink]

yes its under air box and just back a bit,if its the green one like mine it held in with a 3/4 round clip which on mine pulled out towards the windowscreen. i,e backwards away from u.disconect the electric conection,push sensor inwards and pull clip out at the same time,but as i said m8 my housing the clip sits in was very very brittle so go gentle,i hope u get it sorted,the sensor was only about 12 quid,good luck m8

[scotty73]

Is this a silly warning like the one caused by a faulty handbrake sensor or is this more serious? i really need the car from Saturday onwards but dont want to brake anything i cant get fixed myself?

Thanks for your help lads i'd be lost without this place.

[scotty73]

Cheers for that Jasper (not sure where your reply has gone now mind?) it was indeed quite scary seeing the stop sign because we were in quite heavy traffic with just one place to pull off to look at it, i'll pop down to my lmf in the morning and see if he can get the part.

Much appreciated advice again mate cheers.

[scotty73]

£23 from my lmf?
I just ran the car until the warnings came on it was bang on 90 degrees and not once did the fan kick in, i'm guessing the fans dont kick in til it gets hotter than 90?

[dieselink]

should have used a site called carparts4less very good and cheap also everything is fast and free delivery,try them next time u want parts m8

[scotty73]

should have used a site called carparts4less very good and cheap also everything is fast and free delivery,try them next time u want parts m8

I aint picked it up yet i was going to in the morning, only reason i didn't order online was i need to get it sorted by Friday at the latest... might look on there now cheers.