This is my first post on these forums, I just got a 03 Cavalier LS yesterday, good condition with 67K, pretty clean inside and out. Anyways, I tried doing some searching but I didn't find anything. The temperature gauge doesn't seem to be working, it's stays all the way down and doesn't move, even after the engine is fully warmed up. I thought it might be something with the ECT sensor but i'm not sure, i don't have a check engine light or anything indicating sensor is not working so I need a little guidance right now. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. Also, the fuel gauge seems to be inaccurate, filled up the tank yesterday, it had about a 1/4 tank and i put in 24 dollars, the pump kept clicking and wouldn't let me put anymore in but the gauge only shows around 3/4 full, could it maybe be the fuel sender? I seen there were gm tech bulletins on this due to corrosion on the sender. Anyways, thanks in advance.
check all the fuses i had the same problem and check all wiring to and from the gage
Well it isnt the fuse, because if the fuse was blown, NOTHING would work.
It is either the ECT SENDER, NOT sensor is not working correctly. Or just one part of the cluster is bad ( highly unlikely)
Secondly turn your key to the ON position, now unplug your fuel pump sender think there is just one plug back there, does the gauge go to full or empty, ( I forgot right now if unplugging it should make it go full up or down but it is one of the two) if yes you know the wiring is good and the clutser is good just that the sender is bad. Which by the way is done as an assembly with the fuel pump.
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
or it could just be time for a new thermostat. id try that first. their only like 10 bucks.
Right but if the t-stat was stuck open, meaning the car would takeforever to heat up, the gauge would still go up slighty, just not to half way up where it should be
- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new
Ok, just a little update... I put gas in it again and this time I was able to get the gas gauge to go all the way to full, i guess the gas pump i used last time was acting up and kept clicking off even though tank wasn't full, so now it seems to be ok. The temp gauge is still kinda acting funny though... In the morning if I start the car the temp gauge won't work, but if i shut off the car and start it back up and then drive around the temp gauge will work and it hovers at around the half way mark and kind of cools down when driving. So, it seems that the temp gauge thing is kind of intermittent, works sometimes and sometimes not. If the sensor was bad, wouldn't it set a check engine light? Maybe i'll try wiggling the connector around a bit to see if it's a loose connector. Anways, thanks for all the responses.
Hmm, with my car its normal cause it would stay at Cold then when im starting out the gauge would rise up but i was told that was normal.
I would just replace the ECT SENDER, See what happens, worth a shot. Fuel sending unit is usually the problem for improper fuel readings, Also You could try a bottle of Sea foam in the gas tank, See if that corrects the corrosion build up on the sending unit.
Good Luck.
