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All of my dash board lights turn on, usually just the gas gauge, air bag, check engine, low coolant, traction off, no seatbelt, all of them flash on, and then my 2001 buick regal looses acceleration, the wheel locks up then it dies. I can restart it if i put it in park, but i was wondering what could be wrong with it?
It usually happens when im going to stop or turn.
Re: all my dashboard lights flash, then my car dies.
Any number of thing's could be causing the problem , given the amount of electrical an electronic's on the vehicle ! Basic testing could uncover the problem . Voltage drop testing B+ power and ground circuits . Checking for DTC'S - diagnostic trouble codes in all the modules on the vehicle etc.... Do you know what a automotive wiring diagram is ? What a DVOM - digital volt ohm meter is an how to use it ? Learning how to test an not guess is how to find a fix . Anything you here on here would be a guess . Electric Testing Techniques You Need to Know
The low coolant sensor should be located in the passenger side radiator tank, You need to take it out and clean the sludge off of it for it to work right. Or you can just unplug it and forget about it, the light will go out and it won't cause any problems.
Have you done the basic maintenance. Spark plugs, oil change, ect.? As for the fans, if you have a/c one of them should only come on when your a/c is on. The other is regulated by a relay so when your car reaches a certain temp it kicks on.
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You should first check your coolant overflow tank to make sure there is the proper amount of coolant in it. You MUST check the coolant level when the engine is cold to get a proper reading of the level of coolant. When you open a car's coolant system to flush it is common to get air bubbles in the engine. As the engine warms up, the coolant expands and the excess goes into the overflow tank. When the engine cools, the coolant contracts and it draws coolant from the overflow tank. So, after a flush, you must check the level of the coolant the next couple of times you drive your car because it will take several expanding and contracting cycles for all of the air bubbles to be forced out of the engine. If the level is the same after checking it a couple of times, then you should open the radiator cap check the level there. It should be at the very top of the radiator. (MAKE SURE THE ENGINE IS COLD OR YOU WILL GET BURNED!!!).
If insuring the engine has the proper level of coolant doesn't correct the low coolant light, the next step would be to replace the sensor. In most engines it is just a screw-in plug with a wire on it that transmits to the low coolant gauge in the dash. Most automotive part stores should be able to look up where it is located. It is like changing a spark plug, but you may loose a little coolant out of the engine when you remove the old one, so check the coolant level after changing it.
you need to do the fallowing : - make sure that you donr have a n oild leak some where look under the car - u have a missfire in cylinder number 5 ( it colde be the spark plug or the coil ) if you wana go cheep , start by buying 1 spark plug and change it in number 5 if fix the problem ok if not , get the coil and change it
Obviously it's temperature gauge light. Check for coolant level first. Then check for coolant leak. If coolant is leaking out of your car, the lower coolant levels in your engine will cause it to overheat. If you have your heater on and it starts blowing hot air instead of cool, your engine is low on coolant. This will cause to flash a warning light on your car's dashboard.
I suggest scanned the computer car in order to know what fault codes is stored there.
When the light comes on, one or more diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) are stored in the engine control module. These DTCs remain even if the light goes out. To address a Check Engine Light problem, the DTCs are retrieved and the appropriate troubleshooting information is followed in order to determine the problem.
The Four Most Common Check Engine Light Scenarios and What to Do: * The Check Engine Light turns on and off or flickers. If the Check Engine Light comes on in the city but goes off on the freeway, then the fault is present during city driving conditions. Pay attention to whether or not the vehicle runs or drives any differently when the Check Engine Light illuminates. If vehicle performance does change, drive the car as little as possible and take it to be checked by a service professional as soon as possible. If there is no change in vehicle performance, you can drive home, but have it inspected as soon as possible. In this condition, you run a risk of the vehicle dying or not starting.
* The Check Engine Light comes on and stays on. If the Check Engine Light illuminates constantly during driving with no noticeable driving or performance problems, there is a permanent fault in the emission control system. When this happens, the computer that controls the emission system usually has a backup program that runs while the fault is present. (These backup programs are often referred to as "limp home" mode programs.) You should get the vehicle serviced as soon as possible, but in most cases, the vehicle will continue to operate, though you run a risk of it dying or not starting.
* The Check Engine Light illuminates, stays on, and there are performance problems. This means that a vital component of your emission control and engine management system has a serious problem. It usually involves a component or system needed for the vehicle to run at all. In most cases, drive the vehicle as little as possible. In many cases, the vehicle is not safe to drive at all -it could stop or stall out at any moment. It is best to pull over to a safe place and have the vehicle towed to an automotive diagnostician for a thorough inspection and repair.
* The Check Engine Light light comes on and blinks in a steady pattern while driving. Don't confuse this steady pulsing of the Check Engine Light light (usually one or more flashes per second) with a flicker (see above). The Check Engine Light may stay on steadily or it may flash when the vehicle is accelerated. This is very serious. There is a severe failure of the emission control system that is causing the engine to misfire to the point that the catalytic converter is damaged each time the Check Engine Light flashes. It may mean that the catalytic converter is overheating to the point that it will glow red or, in extreme cases, start a fire on the underside of the vehicle. Immediately pull over to a safe place and have your vehicle towed to an automotive diagnostician for repair. Vehicles can be severely damaged and even destroyed by fire if this condition is ignored for too long.
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Well the air bag light would not have anything to do with the engine. The warning light for the gauges would come on if the gauges needed attention. And that would happen if the engine died. When you turn the key on, does the gas gauge register ? Do you have spark and fuel pressure when you crank the engine ?
Add Coolant to spherical reservoir at right rear of engine compartment as viewed from front. If it is low the coolant gauge flashing light will warn you of a low condition.
Check and see if your alternator is charging Low voltage will cause those lights to come on, as the computer is shutting down.
To check your alternator you will need a volt meter... WITH the engine running you should have about 14 volts coming out. IF NOT you need to replace the Alternator!
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