A low coolant warning (LCW) light alerted me to a small/slow leak in the radiator. The radiator and cap were replaced. A few days later a LCW came on intermittently with coolant level full. The level detector (passenger side of the radiator) was replaced. That detector activated the LCW every time the thermostat opened. A second replacement detector started to activate a few days after it was installed. The dealership said there was no indication of oil in the coolant and said the head gasket was fine. Since they said the detector needed replaced (GM detector although made in Mexico...) the shop that had installed the detectors installed yet another one AND installed a new wiring harness for the level detector. The dealership also wanted to replace the Instrument Cluster as it is the only other component on that circuit but I declined. Now the LCW is coming on again. The intermittent nature of the warning light indicates to me that there is not some "flow disturbance" internal to the new radiator or the LCW would be on more consistently. Could the Instrument Cluster really be the problem? That would mean the LCW circuit started failing right after it warned me of the coolant leak correctly initially! The van is a 1999 with 229,000 miles. (GM reman engine at 180,000.) I am picking up a "block test kit" at NAPA to test for a small head gasket leak myself. The LCW light is a PITA. I would hate to just disconnect the detector but it's as good as useless now. Thanks for any advice?

 

Did they bleed the system correctly when they put in a new radiator? Do you hear gurgling sounds after you shut the van off? Does your heater work well? If you hear gurgling or the heater doesn't get very hot, you have air in the system, and it needs to be bled again. Sometimes it takes several times to get all the air out.
If you do need a new instrument cluster ( I doubt it) get one from a junkyard, as the dealer will charge you an arm and a leg, and they are plug and play, and fairly easy to swap.

 

The heater(s) work great and I hear no gurgling. Right now I'm more concerned that it might be a small head gasket leak that "occassionally" burps into the coolant. But, if not bubbles disturbing the level detector, I didn't know if the Instrument Cluster could really be the problem. I would think if that was the issue it would be failed "off" not intermittent. Thanks.