Check Engine Light on and Car over heating

Tiny
PETER CREANZA
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
  • 3.5L
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 330,100 MILES
Today after picking up my car from the mechanic who performed the following:
Replaced Heater hose assembly, transmission over haul- torque, electrical solenoids (4), over all kit, oil pan gasket, thermostat and gasket set, sway bar links, head gasket replaced. Upon driving it, I heard a swishing of water, several minutes later the engine light came on. Drove the car for approximately twenty minutes, the check engine light remained on and also, the temperature gauge on the dash board began to go from "normal" towards the letters M and A, and the fan engaged and then went off several moments later and the temperature Gage returned to "normal" until the next light and the temperature gauge began to clime again and the fan engaged and off several moments latter.
In August of 2016, I had the radiator replaced and most recently the radiator cap replaced.
Any idea why the check engine is remaining on? It was not on prior to the work being done and also why is the car over heating after replacing the thermostat?
Any help you can offer is appreciated.
Saturday, October 8th, 2016 AT 6:50 PM

20 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
I hate to say it but it is either a head gasket or air in system and was not filled all the way. check to make sure coolant is full then once it is run car and shut down let cool and check again in degas bottle. This guide will help us get the codes

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/ford-lincoln-mercury-obd1-1995-and-earlier-diagnostic-trouble-code-definition-and-retrieval

Please run down these guides and report back.
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Sunday, October 9th, 2016 AT 2:47 PM
Tiny
PETER CREANZA
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you for your feed back
Also today, had an OBDI diagnostic test while car remained idling for at least twenty minutes. The check engine light did not come on. No problem with engine. The manual makes reference, if check light come on and then goes off after several minutes, the car has corrected the problem.
The coolant fan came on several times during the idling period. I will need to drive the car on the freeway and see if the fan engages.
Problem may be with the transmission causing engine light to stay on.
I will return the car to mechanic so that they can checkout the transmission issue which by the way seems to be running rough, and also ask why am I hearing the water splashing sound upon, beginning driving the car and during my making turns.
Peter C
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Sunday, October 9th, 2016 AT 3:53 PM
Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Because it has to deal with air in system so you should do what I said in first reply to see if it goes out.
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Sunday, October 9th, 2016 AT 4:08 PM
Tiny
LAYTONJOE1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 175,000 MILES
I self checked the code and it came to be a 172-HEGO sensor circuit indicates lean. (Rear Side). So what should I do to fix this problem. This is a regular taurus not a sho
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:52 PM (Merged)
Tiny
LAYTONJOE1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
The check engine light does not stay on constantly it will go off and on alot at different rates
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:52 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TWARREN86
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 16,000 MILES
I took my car to precision auto, to diagnose why my check engine light was on. They told me it was my ignition coil, and my cylinder 4 was messed up. So today I called to check on the status and they said the car is done but when they was testing it out it start running rough again ( check engine light apparently came back on). I guess it back in limp mode again, then the dude tell me it could be my fuel pump I am so confused. Any ideas?
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
Fuel pump will cause a no start in most cases, bad coil will turn a check engine light on and will cause engine to run rough and hesitate , also a bad spark plug or the need to a tune up
Codes should indicate to the the reason for a check engine light

Fuel pump failure and low fuel pressure should not effect only one cylinder
As in your case only cylinder # 4 was the troubled one
Check injector
Check coil
Check and do a compression test
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
F_DOT
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 118,000 MILES
How do you check the codes on a 1995 ford taurus? Where is the plug located?
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+1
Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JGAROFALO
  • MECHANIC
  • 489 POSTS
The connector for the test is under the hood, on the right side, near the firewall. It is usually in a black plastic protector that has EEV TEST printed on it. To read the codes, you will need either a Ford STAR tester or an OBD-1 tester with Ford adapter cable. You can also ground the STI pin of the test connector and get the code(s) flashed out on the "CHECK ENGINE" light

Let me know what codes you get, and I can help you further.
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOLSON1
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1995 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
The engine warning light comes on in the morning when I drive to work. Whwn I get to work I shut the engine off and turn it back on. The light doesn't come back on. It's been doing this the past 3 days. What could this mean?
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Which engine warning light? Oil, temp, check engine? If it is check engine, have the PCM scanned for codes. Any other warnings check engine fluids, oil, coolant
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:53 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JOEL12
  • MEMBER
  • 9 POSTS
  • 1994 FORD TAURUS
  • 108,000 MILES
Why does my check engine light go on on the parkway. I have a 1994 ford taurus gl 3.0L v6 and I have already replaced the catalyst converters. Also the check engine light goes off when I turn off the car and when I turn it back on the check engine light is off. What can be the problem?
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,873 POSTS
The Engine Computer detected a problem, set a diagnostic fault code, and turned the Check Engine light on to tell you. Many auto parts stores will read the codes for you for free. Those will indicate the circuit or system that needs further diagnosis.

There are well over 1000 potential fault codes so there's no way to guess what it is. You can make some generalizations by the way the Check Engine light acts. About half of the codes won't even turn the light on. The light must turn on when the problem detected could adversely affect emissions. If the light turns off while you're driving, the problem went away for now and those are the least serious. If the problem stops acting up while you're driving but it was a little more serious, the light will stay "latched" on until you stop and restart the engine, like you described. If it's still more serious the light will be on any time you run the engine even if the problem hasn't acted up in a while. For really serious problems the light will flash while you're driving. That's when you must stop the engine right away to prevent overheating the catalytic converter and damaging it. That is caused by too much raw fuel going into the exhaust system.
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
GEORGETAMAYO
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1994 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 122,000 MILES
I have a 94 Ford Taurus with the 3.8 liter v6. It is not the SHO. I just replaced the ignition control module and now the check engine light came on. The check engine light was never on before. What may the problem be? Do I need to reset the check engine light and if so, how do I do that? Thanks
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
BMRFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 19,053 POSTS
I would suggest recheck work area for a lose or disconnected plug and or a wire
checking for codes would be my next step as codes would help in pin pointing what is happening and the reason for check engine light to be on
disconnecting battery would reset all
good luck let me know
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ALLENNOVY
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1994 FORD TAURUS
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
How do you clear codes on a 1994 ford taurus
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Take it to a nationally recognized parts store and have them scan the codes and reset. (Also, you can try disconnecting the battery for about 10 minutes to see if that will do it. If it doesn't, it will require a scanner.)
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TJOCONNOR
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 1994 FORD TAURUS
Computer problem
1994 Ford Taurus 6 cyl Two Wheel Drive Automatic

The check engine light on my 1994 Ford Taurus LX keeps coming on and going off. After driving for about 10 minutes or reaching 45mpg, the light comes on. Once the car slows or speeds up to about 55, the light turns off. I had a mechanic hook it up for a diagonostics test but nothing came back wrong. There's no noise or anything that seems out of the ordinary except for the light.
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
DAVE H
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,383 POSTS
This is an intermittent fault. Could be a sensor going faulty or a wiring problem. Untill the light stays on and gives a fault code it will be difficult to trace?
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TJOCONNOR
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thanks for the help.
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Saturday, October 24th, 2020 AT 12:55 PM (Merged)

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