1. Home
  2. Lexus Automobiles
  3. LS400 Radiator Grill Warning Light

LS400 Radiator Grill Warning Light

This warning light turned on 3-days ago on my LS 400 (1990). I checked under the hood and saw that fluid was indeed leaking from the base of the sensor attachment on the overflow tank. Off to the dealer and one new overflow tank, new sensor, new tank cap etc. (and $423.00!) was installed.

Now the radiator warning light turns on about two-or-so minutes after engine ignition. Have used the car for one day with this new condition as the temperature guage is steady and apparently the car is not overheating. The coolant levels seem okay too.

A mechanic friend said I shouldn't worry about it.

Any views from this knowledgeable group?

Reply to
Carygee
Loading thread data ...

I'm not sure what the "Radiator Grill Warning Light" or "radiator warning light" precisely is. Is this a low coolant warning light?

If so, I'd suspect that perhaps the dealer performing the fix never hooked up the new sensor, the new sensor is faulty, otherwise somehow managed to not get it working correctly. It sounds like perhaps the Lexus system has a delay built in where it ignores a low-coolant indication for a couple minutes after startup. This might be the reason the dealer missed it - they didn't wait the 2-3 minutes.

The sensor probably works by immersion. I'd first confirm that 2-3 minutes after startup, the tank level is where it should be. Next I'd try immersing the sensor or shorting the sensor wiring to see if this extinguishes the light. Standard trouble-shooting stuff.

However, since you spent $423 on a repair that didn't fix the problem, my first step would be to return to the dealer. My bet is that you've got bad sensor or a sensor not hooked up that they'll take care of for free.

- Mark

Reply to
markjen

It's back to the dealer today (with the hope/fear they won't claim it's now something else...$$$)

Ugh

(BTW, when working properly, this radiator icon lights up upon engine ignition then turns off 2-3 seconds later).

Thanks.

Reply to
Carygee

Back from the dealer; problem repaired: The spring clip that is meant to secure the overflow hose to the overflow tank was improperly installed causing some of the hot coolant to bubble out before entering the tank. In short, shoddy workmanship. (And this is the dealer, not the corner garage).

Shocking IMHO but sadly all-too-prevalent today...

Thanks for your interest and advice, though.

Reply to
Carygee

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.