Coolant Temperature Sensor location

Tiny
JMAJIRSKY
  • MEMBER
  • 2006 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 80,000 MILES
Where is the Coolant Temperature Sensor located on the 2006 Chevy Malibu, V6 3.5L The temperature gauge stopped working and the car is having a hard time starting without giving the car gas, and from what I've read, this is the best place to start.
Tuesday, April 17th, 2012 AT 2:22 AM

19 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,602 POSTS
The engine coolant temperature sensor is located at the rear of the engine near the thermostat housing here is a guide to help you see what you are in for when changing the sensor out with the locations of the sensor on your car in the diagrams below.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

Here is what it is in your car (below) Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.
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Saturday, September 9th, 2017 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
SKANKBONE
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  • 1 POST
Either everyone who has responded to you is assuming that they know your particular model and year of Malibu, or they just don’t know what they are talking about. A more accurate answer is that it depends on the aforementioned variables. For instance, on a 2006 Chevy Malibu MAXX - LTZ, the sensor is ON THE LEFT side of the block.
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Sunday, July 28th, 2019 AT 5:35 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
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Excellent addition to this thread! Please feel free to help out whenever you are on the site :)
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Sunday, July 28th, 2019 AT 12:03 PM
Tiny
BRYAN RODRIGUEZ
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 2.2L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 164,000 MILES
I am having trouble in locating the temperature sensor. I know the process to get it done but I cannot seem to find where it actually is.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
Sensor location is Number 1 item in picture. Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
SPONGE47
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  • 1 POST
  • 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 94,000 MILES
How to install a coolant temperature sensor?
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BLUELIGHTNIN6
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,542 POSTS
Here is a guide to help walk you through the repairs with diagrams below to help show you your car.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/coolant-temperature-sensor-cts-replacement

Partially drain the cooling system.
Disconnect the engine wiring harness electrical connector from the Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) sensor.
Remove the ECT sensor.

To install:

Apply sealant to the threads of the ECT sensor.
Install the ECT sensor.
Tighten the ECT sensor to 15 ft. lbs. (20 Nm).
Connect the engine wiring harness electrical connector to the ECT sensor.
Fill and bleed the cooling system as needed.

Check out the diagrams (Below). Please let us know if you need anything else to get the problem fixed.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE1979
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU
Geting code p0118 saying Coolant Temperature Circuit High Input
put in new Coolant Temperature sensor and new plug connecter still same checked for votes at plug got 4.95 votes
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
  • 52,797 POSTS
Did you replace the connector? Thats more of a failure than the sensor

Roy
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE1979
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Yes tryed 2 new Coolant Temperature sensor and new connector also looked at all wires under the hood all wires look good seems to have ground and the 4.95 votes to sensor car just wont stay idling hard to start keep geting code p0118 also got code n/a and p0107 today wich the p0107 is low MAP sensor signal circuit so I tryed a new map sensor still not do the trick
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE1979
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I also see both cooling fans come on soon as turn the key to on but fans seem to be turning at lower power not as fast turning
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ASEMASTER6371
  • MECHANIC
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Thats because of the voltage from the coolant sensor.

You need someone with a scan tool to monitor the actual voltage going back to the pcm

Roy
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
NATE331
  • MEMBER
  • 8 POSTS
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 120,000 MILES
This is a picture of a 5th generation Chevrolet Malibu with a 3.1 engine.
Can you point to the area of the picture and tell me where the coolant temperature sensor is?
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
The ECT is on the top rear of the engine.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE1979
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Yes one I got is cheap one that just tells codes thank you
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RNRWEBBER
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2001 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 3.1L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 232,000 MILES
My coolant light keeps coming on & I always check the level and there's coolant in the resorvoir so I bought a new reservoir and I also looked up other problems and found that it could be 2 things the ECT sensor or the coolant LEVEL sensor, I changed out the ECT sensor and I cannot find the coolant LEVEL sensor. Could you please tell me where I can locate it so that I can replace that one also. Thank you for your help
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
If you have one it may be where the arrow is pointing to in pic
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
RNRWEBBER
  • MEMBER
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Ok thank you is it easy to replace
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
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Should be just a clip in if you have one not all vehicles do make sure you have one first you'll see wires running to it you may have to remove the bolts that hold it in.
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Sunday, November 1st, 2020 AT 2:10 PM (Merged)

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