# Low Coolant Warning in Chevy Malibu

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-coolant-warning-in-chevy-malibu/21560>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Created:** [November 2, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-coolant-warning-in-chevy-malibu/21560 "2008-11-02T20:57:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![moshiul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@moshiul](https://community.cartalk.com/u/moshiul)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 8:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-coolant-warning-in-chevy-malibu/21560/1 "2008-11-02T20:57:09Z")

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I am getting a low coolant warning on my 1999 chevy malibu. The coolant level looks ok. I have repaired my car 5 months ago for intake manifold leaking. Any idea on what is the problem? The milage is about 125k. The engine temp looks to be steady although I have’t made a long trip after the problem. In some instances the warning disappears for few minutes and come back again.  
  
  
  
 Thanks  
  
 Moshiul

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**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-coolant-warning-in-chevy-malibu/21560/2 "2008-11-02T21:11:45Z")

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Change the sensor that determines the coolant level.

When the light comes on stop and look at the level, the sensor is telling you a little lie, unless it’s low.

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/low-coolant-warning-in-chevy-malibu/21560/3 "2008-11-02T21:30:18Z")

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Yep, either change the sensor which is gunked up or ground the wire out to shut it off. The sensor uses the water to ground it which keeps the light off. If the water level goes down, it loses the ground which turns the light on. If it is gunked up, it can’t ground itself. If you run a wire from the sensor wire with a clip to a metal ground, it will stay off and also not be functional.