[rugbybrado]

I just got this car used and I just got low coolant warning on it. there has been a faint smell of coolant, but in the last 2 days ive driven the car over 150 miles and no increase on the temperature gauge and no warnings, until right now. I went out to it and started it back up and their was a warning on it.

I figured that if something was wrong with it it wouldve sprung a big leak by now esp since one of my trips was 90 miles. Especially since the amount of coolant that gets pushed thru the motor to cool it down. I went out their and looked under the hood and the coolant in the over flow tank is bairly below the cold line on it?

An ideas, do i have a real small leak or something, or is this normal on hot days, or did it purge some off becasue the heat today?

 

[GKellogg]

Very sensitive sensor....

I have an '03 Arc and I was about 1 cm below cold fill in reservoir and low coolant light came on. Fill to line and it should dissapear....

 

[rugbybrado]

ya, i came in the house got some water to go back out there, re started the car and no warning, went to walmart-shopped- came back out and started it and stil lnothign, drove the crap out of it and it never came back on. Never ended up adding any water either..wierd stuff, hopefully everything is ok.

 

[Cojoroh]

if your coolant level is right below the minimum mark, you won't get the message after any type of hard driving, or probably any driving at all, since the coolant temperature level will have gone up. you should only see it when the engine coolant temperature is cold, assuming it is right below the minimum mark when cold. you might also see it when cornering hard if it triggers the sensor. i'm not sure why saab is selling cars with the coolant level right at the minimum mark, but it seems to be a common problem...mine was the same way.

 

[mbodo]

I'm not 100% certain, but this might be a recurring issue. I have a faint smell of coolant as well and finally had to add about 2 quarts of fluid this summer. Dealer says he will fix it under the new engine warranty.

Search around, I think there are several other folks with the same issues (especially on the '03 models).

 

[OOHYA]

I had a simular event.

Please review this thread:

http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50066

Mine was a bad waterpump. I was lucky to have gone to the dealer rather than topping it off myself. i could have lost a bearing and overheated the motor.

 

[rugbybrado]

hey to anyone who has experinced this, have you ever noticed a water leak in your driveway or did you just smell coolant but never see anything?

 

[boogyman]

I had a low coolant level indicator and then the temp gauge stopped working. A day later I got a check engine light. Took it to the dealer and they replaced the sensor on the bottom of the overflow, which functions as both.
As far as the smell and leaking after a hot run. I have only noticed the smell. I have looked for leaks, but it must just evaporate after escaping the overflow.