Temperature warning light
06-29-2016, 01:06 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
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Temperature warning light
The coolant temperature warning light on my 2002 Boxster S Tiptronic is flashing. It flashed when I started the car, so the engine was still cold. I checked the coolant level and I was at maximum. The manual says to turn off the car immediately and bring it to a dealer.
Is this something that I want to flatbed the car to my local Porsche mechanic or can I drive the car to the shop (about 5 miles away)?
Also, any ideas what might be going on?
Is this something that I want to flatbed the car to my local Porsche mechanic or can I drive the car to the shop (about 5 miles away)?
Also, any ideas what might be going on?
06-29-2016, 01:39 PM
#2
Three Wheelin'
It could be a bad coolant level switch or a fan problem as well
If it was me, and there was coolant in the tank and the temp was not rising, I would just drive it to the indy as its just a few miles
Then again, if you have AAA or another free towing service, why not...
YMMV
If it was me, and there was coolant in the tank and the temp was not rising, I would just drive it to the indy as its just a few miles
Then again, if you have AAA or another free towing service, why not...
YMMV
06-29-2016, 09:34 PM
#3
Race Director
What JayG said.
I'd add be sure -- be very sure -- the coolant level is where you think it is. After some time the coolant tank develops a stain and it looks just like coolant.
A "trick" is to try move the car enough to cause the coolant to move about and from this one can see the actual level. My experience using this "trick) is not that good. If the level is way down one can't see the stuff moving about because, well, the level is way down.
So, what I do is remove the cap -- when the engine is dead cold! -- and then the screen and use a clean long screwdriver or a length of wooden dowel to actually reach down until contact with the coolant level is made.
The first time I encountered this I just glanced at the tank and thought the level was ok. But something prompted me to not trust my eyes and I removed the cap and the screen and found the level down enough to require nearly a gallon of distilled water to bring the level back up.
I put the screen back in and cap back on and after not too many more weeks of driving the light was flashing again. Again I checked the level and found it way down. This time I suspected the cap -- I found some water condensation on the trunk lid above the fluid access bay -- and shut the engine off after it was hot and tented the coolant cap with some foil. After a few minutes I found considerable water condensed on the underside of the foil tent. I topped up the level again with more distilled water and replaced the old cap with a new one and the coolant level remained good.
Be sure if you take the cap off and whether you reuse the cap or replace it with a new one you get the cap back on correctly. It is rather easy to cross thread the cap and it takes considerable effort to tighten the cap down all the way, more effort than might think.
I'd add be sure -- be very sure -- the coolant level is where you think it is. After some time the coolant tank develops a stain and it looks just like coolant.
A "trick" is to try move the car enough to cause the coolant to move about and from this one can see the actual level. My experience using this "trick) is not that good. If the level is way down one can't see the stuff moving about because, well, the level is way down.
So, what I do is remove the cap -- when the engine is dead cold! -- and then the screen and use a clean long screwdriver or a length of wooden dowel to actually reach down until contact with the coolant level is made.
The first time I encountered this I just glanced at the tank and thought the level was ok. But something prompted me to not trust my eyes and I removed the cap and the screen and found the level down enough to require nearly a gallon of distilled water to bring the level back up.
I put the screen back in and cap back on and after not too many more weeks of driving the light was flashing again. Again I checked the level and found it way down. This time I suspected the cap -- I found some water condensation on the trunk lid above the fluid access bay -- and shut the engine off after it was hot and tented the coolant cap with some foil. After a few minutes I found considerable water condensed on the underside of the foil tent. I topped up the level again with more distilled water and replaced the old cap with a new one and the coolant level remained good.
Be sure if you take the cap off and whether you reuse the cap or replace it with a new one you get the cap back on correctly. It is rather easy to cross thread the cap and it takes considerable effort to tighten the cap down all the way, more effort than might think.