How do I know if my ECT is bad?
Determining the Symptoms of a Bad or Faulty ECT Sensor
- Hard starting, even when the engine is hot.
- Check Engine light on – usually showing a P0128 DTC code.
- Poor MPG.
- Poor idling or idling instability.
- Dirty emissions.
- Engine overheating.
What can a bad ECT sensor cause?
Poor Engine Performance Or Stalling The signal from the (ECT) sensor tells the engine’s computer; when to apply extra fuel during a cold start. A faulty sensor can confuse the computer; keeping it from providing enough fuel. As a result, the engine may hesitate, stall, misfire or have poor engine performance.
What happens if you unplug the coolant temp sensor?
What Happens If You Unplug The Coolant Temp Sensor? Unplugging the engine coolant sensor while the car is running will likely cause the engine to stumble and run rough. Unplugging the engine coolant temperature sensor before starting the engine may result in a no start, especially likely on a cold morning.
How long do ECT sensors last?
Often, the engine coolant temperature sensor must be replaced at about 100,000 miles. If you don’t properly maintain the engine cooling system, the sensor could fail much earlier.
Can a bad ECT cause no start?
The parameters controlled by the ECT in the management are tiny. Only very small amounts of fuel and ignition compensation occur, not nearly enough to cause a no start. Hard to start issues could be as basic as simple “tune-up” items, ignition timing, or idle control system components.
Do I have to drain coolant to replace ECT sensor?
Open the radiator valve and drain about two to three quarts of coolant. You only need to remove enough to drop the level below the sensor. Then close the drain valve. This will minimize coolant waste when you remove the sensor.
How long does it take to replace a coolant sensor?
The actual process of replacing the coolant temperature sensor is extremely simple. However, the difficult work comes in the preparation of the cooling system – both before and after. Tip: This job should only be completed when the engine is cold and has not been running for a minimum of one hour.
How do I test my ECT sensor?
Connect the black lead of the meter to the body of the cold sensor and the red to the terminal. You should have a reading of approximately 2000 ohms. Check the warm sensor in your engine. You should see a much lower reading on the ohm meter.
How much does it cost to replace ECT sensor?
To replace the ECT sensor, you are going to pay, on average, $95-$140. How much you pay depends on the type of car you own and where you go for servicing. Each mechanic has their own rates, and they may be getting their parts from a variety of vendors, which can change how much the parts cost you.
Can a bad coolant temp sensor cause hard start?
If the sensor is reading too high of temperature when compared to the ambient air temperature sensor when first started then the computer would see it as a problem and turn on the check engine light to use a known good reading. No start will not be caused by the sensor.
Do you need to drain coolant to change coolant temperature sensor?
What happens if your ECT sensor is bad?
Once the car is warm, it switches to relying on the oxygen sensors for a more precise reading. A failed ECT sensor can prevent this change from happening, resulting in a rich-running engine and poor fuel economy. 4. Your engine runs poorly: The sensor affects almost every aspect of engine management.
When to see the electronic throttle control light?
The only other time you should see the electronic throttle control light is when you turn on your vehicle. At this point, your vehicle is completing a system check, and when everything checks out, the light should turn off.
What causes the etc light to come on?
Welcome to JustAnswer!. There are a number of causes for seeing the ETC light illuminated, but what they boil down to are basically a problem with engine idle speed control. Your misfires may be in response to an inabilty of the engine controller (PCM) to regulate engine speed directly, so it has to resort to cylinder killing to get the job done.
How much does it cost to change the etc light?
The ETC is an expensive engine component and since it is electronic its cost is sometimes non-negotiable. In most cases, you don’t need to change the ETC but if you have to you can expect to spend in excess of $200 – $300 and that too depending on the make and model of your car. Hello I’m Magnus, the owner and the writer of this website.