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-   -   Coolant Temperature Sensor question (https://maxima.org/forums/4th-generation-maxima-1995-1999/703251-coolant-temperature-sensor-question.html)

jgcable 12-26-2018 06:30 AM
Coolant Temperature Sensor question
 
The temp gauge on my 1997 suddenly stopped working. It just reads cold all the time. Car is running fine. I suspect its the Coolant Temp Sensor. Is it normal for the car to not throw a code for it? Mine didn't.

dsonnylal 12-26-2018 07:36 AM
If you have access to a scan tool with a live data feature, you can verify if your CTS is working or not. Could also be an issue with the gauge cluster.

Turbobink 12-26-2018 08:27 AM
Keep in mind that there 2 sensors in the 4th gen..

One associated with engine management, the other related to the operation of the temperature gauge.

https://maxima.org/forums/4th-genera...e-problem.html

jgcable 12-26-2018 10:52 AM
So.... does a coolant temperature sensor cause a check engine light to go on if its faulty? I would think no. Only the other sensor that goes to the ECU would cause a SES light to trip. Why would my ECU monitor what gauges are working? That's my thought.

JvG 12-26-2018 11:01 AM
Originally Posted by jgcable (Post 9191268)
So.... does a coolant temperature sensor cause a check engine light to go on if its faulty? I would think no. Only the other sensor that goes to the ECU would cause a SES light to trip. Why would my ECU monitor what gauges are working? That's my thought.

Again, there are two sensors.

the ecu wants to know what the water temp is.
That's the ects. Engine control emperature sensor.
a faulty one would throw a code.

the second sensor reports to the guage on the dashboard. It would not throw a code.


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Turbobink 12-26-2018 01:24 PM
Originally Posted by jgcable (Post 9191268)
So.... does a coolant temperature sensor cause a check engine light to go on if its faulty? I would think no. Only the other sensor that goes to the ECU would cause a SES light to trip. Why would my ECU monitor what gauges are working? That's my thought.
Think of the ECT sensor as just that ... an engine management “sensor”. The failure of an engine management sensor will create a DTC.

Think of the gauge sensor as the coolant temp “sending unit”. The failure of a sending unit typically won’t result in the generation a DTC.

If you’ve got a DTC that points to the ECT, I’d recommend replacing it ... they’re cheap.

If all you’ve got is a malfunctioning dash gauge and no DTC, that would appear to point to the “sending” sensor or a gauge related electrical connector.


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