Check engine light came on....I checked the codes and both say "Engine Coolant Temp Sensor"! Does this mean the sensor is bad. I have plenty of fluid in the reservoir and the radiator is full when cool. The temperature gauge seems to be functioning properly as it reads from 0 degrees up to half way which is how it has been all along.

Does anyone have experience with this. The light came on Saturday night. Unfortunately I was about 150 miles out of town so I drove it back with the light on. Everything seemed to be functioning as usual. When I consulted the manual it described that light as being an emissions problem.

Then I found this sight and learned how to check the codes.

I reset the light via the instructions found on this forum and the light has not come on again.

Please advise....I am concerned with doing any further

damage.

Thanks,

Clevemax

 

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Diagnostic Trouble Code 0103 indicates a bad Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor, or a defect in the connector or wiring. There are two sensors, one for the gauge and one for the Engine Control Module. It is the second of these two which is causing trouble.

Your fuel injected engine has an Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor. This
sensor sends a signal to the Engine Control Module (the computer). When
the ECTS sends a "cold engine" signal the ECM responds by instructing the
fuel injectors to deliver a rich mixture. The rich mixture helps a cold
engine to start and run smoothly during the warm-up period. This is similar
to the operation of the choke on a carbureted engine.
There are other problems which cause cold starting and driveability
problems, but the ECTS is the first thing to check. This can be done with
an ohmmeter.
On the 4th Generation Maxima engine the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor is
located in the water outlet tube close to the engine end of the upper
radiator hose. There are two sensors in that vicinity. The one nearest the
hose is for the dashboard temperature gauge. The ECTS, the one you're
interested in, is adjacent to the the gauge sending unit. There is a good
picture of these sensors in the Haynes manual on page 3-7.
With the engine cold, disconnect the ECTS and measure its resistance.
Reconnect the ECTS, start the engine, and run it until fully warmed up. Stop
the engine, and repeat the resistance measurement. The "warm" reading should
be a much lower value than the "cold" reading. These are the specs:
Engine coolant temperature 68F, ECTS resistance 2.1 - 2.9 Kohms
Engine coolant temperature 194F, ECTS resistance 0.24 - 0.26 Kohms
(Roughly a factor of ten difference.)
The ECTS is a relatively inexpensive sensor and something the home mechanic
can replace without special tools.

 

I,ll take your word for it as far as ECTS as I do not have the book in front of me. The ECTS gives a temp signal to the computer which in turn delivers a certain amount of fuel based on what it reads. Mine went out six months ago and the car beforehand was hard to start at times, would die after coming to a stop and performance went down some. If it comes on again and shows up, chances are you will need to replace it. There is a way to check it with a volt/ohm meter but I do not have the specs in front of me. I replaced mine on a whim because I was going on vacation the next day and did not trully believe that wiring or connections were suspect. Keep an eye on it because if it comes back and gets like mine was, you won,t be able to drive it at all.