Blinkin` temperature lite

[dbear]

Recently my '92 Vanagon has developed a problem. When you start it up the temp LED on the gauge goes off and then about ten seconds later starts flashing.
The gauge reads cold, the coolant tubes are cold and I'm pretty darned sure the engine is not overheating. I pulled the computer sensor and tested with hot and ice water. The results match the diagram in the bentley manual. I also cleaned the contacts on the temp sensor and the computer.Can anybody shed light on what is going on and what other checks can I do. I desperately need to get "Vanna" back on the road for my wife.


Thanks

dbear

[McVanagon]

When mine blinks, It has been from a low level of coolant in the expansion tank.
_________________
'69 Mike
'85 GL
'87 Wolfsburg Hardtop

[ValleyHappy]

[larrytrk]

Check coolant connector, clean, on tight and make sure the level is high enough and no loose coolant around connector. Loose or corroded connector will come on all the time.
No Buzzer just light!
_________________
It's all in your mind.
I Hate BAMBI!
87 Westy full camper "Bluie" aka-"busturd"
JUST SOLD HER, WESTYLESS!
Good by cruel world!

[Dogpilot]

You can also check to see if your sensor is bad by shorting the two wires together, it should not blink then if the sensor is bad, or it may be the controlling circuitry.

Mine will also start blinking if I say the self destruct code.
_________________
Geology with a Syncro rocks!
86 Syncro Westy AKA "The Bughunter"
98 Disco I
08 Range Rover SC
08 VW Rabbit S
1951 O-1G

[dbear]

Ah HA! thats what that blinkin light means.

I don't have a users manual and the Bentley manual is very unhelpful on such mundane things. I envisioned the light as being a failure indicator for the cpu temp sensor. I guess I've worked on too many late model computerized vehicles.

Thanks for enlightening me and not laughing too hard at my stupid question.


dbear

[Boegrrl]

Had same issue, went thru many diagnostic attempts..
Replaced dash elec board, bled coolant sys a couple times. My sys was not overheating, but that blinking eye never slept! Finally mechanic spotted a leak in neck of expansion tank. That leak kept the level low and perhaps the wires wet with fluid. In any case, cleaning the sensor and replacing expansion tank fixed the problem. Good luck, and just keep at it, eventually one thing or another will resolve the issue!

[Boogievan]

Mine blinks very randomly...sometimes all the time, sometimes never, and sometimes whenever it feels like it. I've just been kind of ignoring it for the last 6 months, and it hasn't caused a single problem yet.
Funny thing was, when a coolant hose blew up, dumped out the entire system onto the freeway, and the engine temperature got to frighteningly high levels... it never came on. Weird.

[dbeierl]