Low Engine Coolant Light

I just started having the same problem with a 94SL1... The resevoir seems full, but the hoses seem quite soft.. Now I'm no mechanic, and I don't get how I am supposed to add fluid to the rad when there is no rad cap!! Any ideas?? What am I missing?? Thanks, M.

-- '04 Ram 3500 Cummins SLT '94 Saturn SL1 '79 Yamaha 650 Special

The reservoir is the plastic tank that has the words engine coolant only on the cap. There are levels marked on the side of the tank.

Ken

Coolant/Auto

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I've had a similar problem with my 2000 Saturn wagon, the 'fill resevoir' light has been on, I took it to a garage, they tested it, said the coolant was full, must be a defective warning light. This car only has 40K on it, but I suppose anything is possible. I've noticed some coolant on the garage floor, though the overflow resevoir stays full-- what else could be going on?

Thanks,

Terry M.

I'm not sure how pressurized overflow bottles on S series Saturns work and I forget off hand what the L series uses. Typically what happens is when the engine is warm fluids are pushed into the bottle past the radiator cap. As the engine cools it draws the fluids past the radiator cap and back into the engine. If there is a leak, often its easier for the engine push fluids through the leak and suck air in through the leak because its less restrictive and easier to go through the leak than through the radiator cap. This is where a lot of people run into trouble. They never de-cap their radiator to notice its low because the overflow bottle is always full.

The biggest problem I have is... there is no rad cap, so all I have to go on is the overflow jug... If the car is not pulling fluid out of the jug, how do I know..

Also, if this is the only way to fill the car with coolant, it must take hours to change the engine coolant... M.

-- '04 Ram 3500 Cummins SLT '94 Saturn SL1 '79 Yamaha 650 Special

Yeah - and an air pocket is very bad news - a quick way to melt stuff.

I just ahad a look at the radiator, there's no cap, no way to visibly inspect the radiator--

Terry M.

The bottle is the top of your radiator (should have a hose going to your radiator or to a high point in the system). The highest point of your cooling system is where all the air will go. Sometimes they add bleed screws at other high points to help purge air out if the air cant make it to the bottle.

Yeah that's what I had always assumed...someone on this ng though said their Saturn had a radiator cap. The past couple days I've had more radiator fluid on my garage floor, I think I'm going to have to crawl under the car & see where it's coming from--

...my 97 used to throw up from the reservoir after I shut the car off. I was thinking the worst and it was just a bad reservoir cap that needed replacing.

No radiator cap on the '96 SL2 here, yes on the reservoir cap.

Ken

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Geez let's hope my wife's saturn isn't throwing, up could be a symptom of something serious! There's no 'saturn doctor' in my area either...I might have to do some home 'surgery.'

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll watch for overflow at the res. cap.

Terry

I have the same problem with my lights, but there is no fluid leaking. Will flushing the radiator help?