Table of Contents
Why do some cars have two coolant temperature sensors?
There may be two temperature sensors in some vehicles, one to send information from the engine system to the control unit and another from the control unit to the dashboard.
How many wire connections to an ECU does a coolant sensor have?
two-wire
The engine coolant temperature sensor is temperature-variable resistor, which usually has a negative temperature coefficient. It is a two-wire thermistor immersed in coolant and measures its temperature.
How many wires should be in a coolant temp sensor?
Today’s coolant temp senders have two wires, one wire is feed a small amount of voltage from the computer while the second wiring is read by the computer and the engine temperature determined. A coolant sensor wiring connector is held in place using a safety clip.
What type of sensor is a coolant temp sensor?
ECT sensor
Checking the ECT sensor voltage. The sensor is connected to the engine computer (PCM). The PCM supplies the reference voltage (typically 5 Volt); another wire is the sensor ground. Both the reference voltage and the ground must be checked first.
What does the coolant temp sensor control?
The coolant temperature sensor, also known as the coolant temperature switch, is an engine management system sensor that is used to monitor the temperature of the engine’s coolant. Most coolant temperature sensors operate using electrical resistance to measure the temperature of the coolant.
How does an automotive coolant temperature sensor work?
This simple one wire temperature sender was also used to give feedback information to the temp gauge in the dash. Today’s coolant temp senders have two wires, one wire is feed a small amount of voltage from the computer while the second wiring is read by the computer and the engine temperature determined.
What’s the difference between two wire and three wire sensors?
Sensors can also be broken down by their wiring configurations. The most common are 2-wire and 3-wire. Two-wire devices are designed to wire in series with the load. In a 3-wire configuration, two of the three leads supply power while the third switches the load.
What happens if a coolant sensor goes bad?
Like any component under the bonnet, coolant temperature sensors can develop faults over time. A faulty sensor can lead to a range of problems developing, including overheating and poor engine performance.
Is the coolant temp the same as 0 to the sender?
If you’re coolant temperature is 125 degrees, it’s the same as 0 to the sender, and it’s switched off. If your coolant temperature is 210 degrees, it’s the same as seeing 185 degrees, and it’s switched on.