Coolant Alarm

[Wigan_Pixie]

I have a coolant alarm fitted, and it's been keeping itself nice and quiet. Last night, when the engine was cold, I started off and hadn't moved more than a couple of feet, the alarm flashed and beeped once As we were only 5 minutes from home I decided to carry on. A couple of minutes later it happened again, flashed and beeped once I got home without any problems. I checked the coolant level this morning and it was fine

I cannot understand why the alarm would go off, when everything appears ok. Should I be worrying or was is it just a case of unexplained phenomena?

Anyone else experienced this?

[francophile1947]

I had it when I first fitted a Mk3 alarm - I hadn't pushed it fully into the cigar lighter socket, so it beeped when I hit a bump

[Wigan_Pixie]

Mine is wired in, so I don't need to plug it in. I think I'll ignore it for now and panic if it does it again.

[bigdaddycain]

Could the level be near the bottom probe on the expansion tank, and it drops below that level when you turn a corner,brake,accelerate a bit sharpish,this would slosh the coolant around a bit in the tank, giving a "false alarm". Check that the level is slap bang on the max mark....

[haydn callow]

There really only 2 reasons why this can happen.
1..as above..a slightly low coolant level...probably wouldn't happen when hot as the coolant expands and so the level rises.
2. A loose connection on one of the wires. (check every single crimp and joint)



Can you see the level in the tank ??

[cheffy34]

I found that mine beeped when my coolant was down near the bottom probe and it was parked in a different space on a different hill, dropped it just enough i got out and checked it i certainly wouldn't drive it if it beeped i'd stop and check just incase that what it there for an early warning system

[Wigan_Pixie]

I didn't need to top up the coolant and I've been driving around all day without a single beep. I can only assume that it was 'one of those things' that will never be explained and never happen again. Still it brought a bit of excitement into my normally dull life.

[haydn callow]

The BOTTOM probe has little to do with the alarm. It is just a earth and in fact the alarm will work perfectly well with NO bottom probe (by earthing via the coolant to the engine) It is the TOP probe that is the level sensor and should be about 1 cm below the FULL mark (I'm sure it will be if the template was used)
If you didn't have a bottom probe the test beep/flash would be longer.

[haydn callow]

slike you may have a poor intermitant connection

[You've Been Bongod]

take it back and have it checked because if it keeps goin off then you might have a problem

[bigdaddycain]

If the coolant level is near the top probe,the level can drop a bit if you go around a corner, park on a hill, go up a steep hill or any other sudden movement that could upset the level of the coolant, then the alarm would go off,as it should, if the level drops below the top probe, even if it's only momentarily.

[haydn callow]

.There is in fact a 4.7 second delay built into the alarm to prevent such false alarms caused by "slopping" about. Going up a hill could cause it to go off if the level was down a bit. If your level is ON the FULL mark then it should not beep at all. As I said check all connections. The only other possible cause would be a fault in the charging system putting out high surges. (most unlikely)

[cheffy34]

I found that mine beeped when my coolant was down near the bottom probe and it was parked in a different space on a different hill, dropped it just enough i got out and checked it i certainly wouldn't drive it if it beeped i'd stop and check just incase that what it there for an early warning system

Bottom of the probe i know what i meant

[bigdaddycain]

I found that mine beeped when my coolant was down near the bottom probe and it was parked in a different space on a different hill, dropped it just enough i got out and checked it i certainly wouldn't drive it if it beeped i'd stop and check just incase that what it there for an early warning system

Bottom of the probe i know what i meant

Yep, same here Cheffy...

[Wigan_Pixie]

I have absolutely no idea why the alarm went off but the day before it happened, I had been on a very wet, muddy field, which was a bugger to get off. I got stuck quite a number of times but eventually got off without help. Poor Mad Willie was (and still is) covered in mud and when I checked the coolant level the day after, there was mud everywhere under the bonnet, which was cleaned off (ish). Could this have anything to do with it? It may be a stupid theory but it's the only thing that's been different.

I have recently had a hose changed at Wheelquick. The alarm didn't activate then because it happened when parked on my drive and on a day when it didn't rain so I spotted the damp patch. Mike advised me to check my coolant level, as I may need to top it up a bit - which I did. I make a point of checking my level every week but I can't see the water level, so it's a bit difficult. I now use a clean lolly stick as a dipstick and I've never had to put any in apart from that first time.