I have gotten a low engine coolant light on the dash, that pops up when I start my car. After about a minute to three mintues it goes away. Can anyone diagnose the problem? Not sure if the engine coolant is low or not, I had the service people look at it, heard nothing of them.

Any ideas?

 

If it's a blue light that is just telling you the car is still cold. It also won't shift into O/D till that light goes out. Everyones car does this, it's normal and covered in the owners manual.

 

Yup! That little blue light just indicates that the engine is not yet up to operating temperature. No problem, and it will go off (and allow an automatic transmission to shift into 4th gear, etc.) quickest if you just drive your new box gently for a bit.

It is in the Owner's Manual.

Here's mine just after a cold start:



Tom

 

Man... there should probably be a sticky about the blue temp light.

 

do the automatics really have that green light to tell you what gear your in??? i wish the manuals had that, i constantly shift into first to make "sure" i'm in first. Sometimes i forget i'm in gear and let go of the brake at a stoplight and crank! i jus mess up my gears and it grinds and ....oh no.....haha.

 

It's blue for a reason. It was self explanitory for me and this is my first import. I still don't understand the logic of it being there in the first place. I know the engine is cold because I just started it duh!

 

Yes, it sure beats looking down at the shifter to see what gear it's in.

 

You should know what gear you are on... period..

just by looking at the spedometer and RPM gauge and the sound of the engine, you can probably guess what gear

Maybe I just have a sensitive ear and learned to drive manual that way.. Thank you Gran Turismo!

 

The idea is to know what gear one is in before releasing the brake (Neutral? Reverse? Drive? Park?), and to know if one has limited the automatic transmission to staying in 1st or 2nd, or possibly not shifting into 4th.

In an automatic, much of this is not specifically noticeable until an automatic shift you are expecting to happen, doesn't.

A stick shift has a very obvious shift pattern alowing one to know the gear selected by feel - many automatics are not so obvious. Also, with a manual transmission, all shifts take place because if direct user action. With an automatic a "range of actions" is selected and there often isn't any indication that it is an incorrect selection until an expected action fails.

Once one is familiar enough with the selector for an automatic, though, tactile feedback will often be enough to keep the driver informed.

As to the speed vs rpm for an automatic, unless the transmission is a lock-up type and is locked, there is no absolute correlation between the two.

I've driven a tremendous variety of vehicles, Peugeot scooters with automatics to Peterbuilts with 15 speed RoadRangers, and without exception every automatic I've ridden or driven has an indicator showing the range selected.

Tom

 

I am actually more in awe of that mileage you are showing.. is that actually over 100K?

 

cool.

 

No, that pic was taken back when the box was just over 10K.



Tom

 

scan gauge....arrhhhhggghhhh........

 

Vanilla likes her Scangauge, Krispies.

 

wow guys, thanks alot! You are the greatest! I am so excited about my new car XD.

 

if you live in a cold area..dont even think about using your heater until that blue light goes off

and you better get familiar with what is under your hood..and know how to check the levels of everything

 

I will thank you. I just got the car friday and I am really busy. Thanks for the advice

 

You got an xD already??? Wow that was quick!

 

No, that was an emote. An excited face.

 

What color did you get? Anyways as scionlife members welcomed with warm wishes and great smiles!!! Welcome!