Running hot

Tiny
ECARLDWELL1
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 1.3L
  • 6 CYL
  • 165,000 MILES
My check engine light and my battery light and coolant light comes on at same time. Is it a sensor or something else?
Tuesday, January 1st, 2019 AT 7:55 PM

1 Reply

Tiny
HARRY P
  • MECHANIC
  • 2,292 POSTS
To be honest, there are a lot of things that can cause those lights to come on. The fact that they're all coming on at the same time tells me that whatever the problem is, it's all related. i.e. fix one, and they're all fixed. My suggestion to you would be to start with checking the battery cables. Loose battery cables can cause a lot of different things to happen, including false warning lights. Here's a how-to guide on checking battery cables and terminals: https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

Next, if the battery cable check doesn't solve the issue, go ahead and check the fluids and such, then drive the car to the nearest auto parts shop (Advance Auto, AutoZone, O'Reilly, PepBoys, to name a few) where they can do some basic testing for you for free. The first thing to do would be to have them scan the computer using their scanner and write down any trouble codes that come up. Report them here. Also have them check your alternator for the proper amount of output. A failing alternator can cause all sorts of crazy things to happen with the various electrical components.

An alternator's job is simply to create the electricity needed to run your car. Here's an article that we have on them: https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-alternator - It's a nicely written piece with a good amount of education in it.

There are hundreds of potential trouble codes, and since many of them are related to one another, it's important to get the actual code numbers and report them here.

Go ahead and get those tests run. Come back here and let us know what you find.
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Tuesday, January 1st, 2019 AT 8:24 PM

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