Low coolant light on-why?

[Vito117]

I changed out my upper radiator hose becuase it had a hole in it and when I topped off the colant I still get the "low coolant" light on. I filled the reserve tank also.
I also notice that although it cranks out serious heat and defrost I cant seem to lower the temp on the automatic temp. control unit. I 'll lower setting to 65 and it still feels like 90.
New thermaostat needed?
Any ideas?

 

[BlackOnBlackATX]

well a new thermostat wouldnt hurt, but its tough to say. how long does it take your engine to get to operating temp? where does your needle stay? because the low coolant light could simply be the sensor gone bad, but if your car is not having problems heating up etc, the problem may then lie in your climate control unit as far as the cabin heat is concerned. i happen to have a few older units in my home so i can always sell you one for dirt cheap if this is the case. give us some more info and we will try to help out.

 

[sdpatt]

For the record, the LOW COOLANT indicator is powered by a sensor that is located in the coolant expansion bottle. The sensor is part of the cap and can be easily removed, cleaned or replaced. If the level of the coolant in the expansion bottle is above the MIN line, the sensor detects this by flowing an electrical current through the coolant between the metal tabs on the sensor head. These tabs can become coated with crud and not allow the coolant to contact the metal tabs. You can remove the sensor and clean the tabs with a screwdriver or metal brush. If the tabs are destroyed by corrosion, you will need to replace the sensor. It's not very pricey.

As long as the temperature needle on the gauge rises into the NORMAL range after a few minutes of engine operation and stays within the NORMAL range during operation (A-L for 3.0L and R-M for 3.2L due to the different thermostat temperatures), the thermostat is probably just fine.

The inability to regulate the temperature of the air from the climate control is a problem with the blend door or its controller. Run the climate control self diagnostic test to check the function of the system. It may be as simple as a loose vacuum hose or linkage knocked off the vacuum actuator under the dash. Have you done any work behind the glove box for the stereo?