Last night comming home after having the car sit outside in cold 30F degree weather for a few hours, i got into my car, turned it on and got a low coolant warning on the DIC. I popped open the hood and didnt notice anything leaking anything and figured it was just because it was cold out. Well when i came out of work this afternoon in the same cold weather i go to start the car and the coolant temp was at 36 via my scan gauge, and again i had the warning of low coolant. Is this light relevant to the cold weather and because its cold outside its comming on? Once the car warms up the warning goes away. And it doesnt come on if i leave the car in the garage either.

 

hmm... I haven't heard anything about coolant levels changing in cold weather.

Next time pop the hood and check the fluid level before you start the car.

 

I have been having coolant issues. I've had to fill my resovoir twice now.

 

It is probably a computer issue. I believe there's a TSB out for it. I've had the low coolant warning for like 6 months now and my coolant level has not budged even a hair. It's a computer thing and there's a reflash for it.

 

i had the same thing the other day it only happens once and a while. low washer fluid maybe?

 

Cold weather can often be the trigger of a low coolant warning. You fire up the heater for the first time in months, the core fills with fluid, and suddenly the total level of fluid drops switching on the light. However, it still is an indication of a problem.

The coolant system in these cars and most others is so maintenance free now a days that there should be no reason to ever have low coolant. If you do, it means there is a leak, find it and fix it. As was said earlier, I believe a TSB might exist concerning a flash repair, but that is still a repair and should be done.

 

i think i do have a leak. The collant line that follows the fuel rail is covered in something at the connector. I think it is leaking from there. Very slowly though.

 

If its coming on in cold weather and there is no loss of coolant then its probably just a sensor or computer thats malfunctioning. My 04 Grand Am did the same thing and they replaced the sensor and it never did it again. But like they said above there is a TSB I would just have them check it out.

 

CHECK THIS OUT!

sence i got my car i had low coolant issue's with it.

dident know wear it was going but it was missing rather quick.

so i took it in a few times...had them check the head gasket and such. they put dye in the system and pressure tested it 3 times...STILL NOTHING FOUND

but yet i was still geting the low coolant light...and the bottle was geting empty....

i would get the light every month-month and a half.

but one day at the track i was lookin under the hood of my car and just by chance i cought this little pink reflection of the left side of the motor wear the the metal hard line that goes from the coolant bottle connects the motor..

dont know what else to call it....but this metal line is screwd into the block and it was that screw that was loose....so a quick tighten up and it hasent happend sence.

 

Aha! That is exactly my problem. Dude thanks. So i can just tighten it and that'll fix it. I always thought that was it.

 

the bolt is still tight on my engine and the light comes on every few days to a week or so... can it be low washer fluid? i dont have much washer fluid in my car and thought thats what it was (i may be sounding stupid but oh well). ill fill up my fluid to make sure.

 

I got this problem about a week ago and my coolant resevoir was about empty, so I filled it up. I will be sure to check that bolt to make sure it is tight, otherwise it will go in for service for the second time and I have only owned the car 4 months (uhhhh). I have also been getting this DIC message the past couple of mornings when I start up that says "ICE POSSIBLE". I assume that means that there could be ice on the road because it is cold, or does it have something to do with the car?

 

NOOOOO its not related to washer fluid...DUH!

and the "ice possible" is just the cars way of telling you to chill the **** out cuz its cold as a ***** out side...

none of these have jack **** to do with the "low coolant" msg....thats only for low engine coolant.

 

it's been negative here for over a week (temps ranging from -20F to +15F... the Cobalt doesn't get driven much in the snow, sand and salt, but at least every other day i drive it a little, usually to work and back (42 miles round trip). I drove the car to work today and had no issues with it other than it seemed a little stall-happy. (i chalk it up to the gas getting old) Anyways, i parked the car at 12:30pm, went into work, came out at 10:30pm and fired it up to warm up. I got a LOW COOLANT warning... which freaked me a bit because this car is an 07 with maybe 8000 miles on it... As the car warmed up, it went away.

On the way home, i ran into my friend Donny who has an 05 Cobalt SS... he says his does the same every now and again when its mega cold out. He's been all over the engine (he works at a garage- he just had his transmission out for an aluminum flywheel and comp clutch) and can't see any leaks... car still runs like an animal.

i'm hoping that is just one of those annoying sensor issues.

Scott

 

My low coolant light has come on twice in the past month. I have taken it in and they can't find anything wrong with it. They just told me to bring it back in when the light is on, but that will never happen because it only stays on for a minute tops.

 

Happens to me too after I start the car in cold weather - but only if the coolant was really warm and then cooled off to very cold

probably a sensor not functioning in the extreme cold - goes away on its own

 

Come to think of it... my 96 and 98 2.2L OHV Cavaliers did the same thing when it was ****- you-cold, like -45F... Parts of NY do actually get that cold!

See if it happens if it warms up near the end of the week.

Scott