I just started my car this evening and the temperature guage is flashing. It is an 03 996 with 30,000 miles. I let the car idle for about 5 minutes and the temperature still wouldnt register and the light kpet flashing.

Does anyone have any suggestion to the problem?

 

I would suggest you open your owners manual and read what it says regarding that particular warning light.

Just my two cents.

 

Lots of possibilities. Have a look at this thread for all of your answers:

http://www.renntech.org/forums/topic...coolant-light/

 

Check coolant level...I understand that the high temp light will flash if the level is too low.

Beyond that...owner's manual time.

 

Did you read through that entire thread?

It goes on to detail every possibility for a flashing light, not just low coolant...

Tons of good info in there (including stuff you won't find in an owners or workshop manual).

 

The main point of the idiot light is in the owners manual. The easiest thing to do is when you see the light go off, open your manual, and check what it says is MOST LIKELY the problem, and in this case, most likely a low coolant level.

Once the simple problem/fix is ruled out, then you start searching for answers. It's common sense, well, for most people anyway.


If you started your car in the garage one day and the light started flashing upon start, what would you do? Would you start to search for all the possible problems in the world? Orrrrrr.... would you rule out the most likely cause and function of the idiot light via manual and visual inspection? WWCND

 

Here from the same thread I posted above:

""Four functions of the coolant warning light:
1. Engine coolant level too low -- light flashes slowly (0.5 Hz)
2. Engine compartment temperature too high -- light flashes slowly (0.5 Hz) (engine compartment blower might be faulty)
3. Engine coolant temperature too high -- light is lit; pointer on the right
4. Temperature sensor at water outlet faulty -- light flashes rapidly (1 Hz) ; pointer on the right

Note: The temperature warning in point three is indicated if the conditions "engine coolant temperature too high" and "engine coolant level too low" are present simultaneously."

 

The engine itself was cool (assumed), and 9 times out of 10, it's a low coolant level since the car is cold started and the light turned on at start and the OP did not state anything about the car running hot or the needle to the right.

This would rule out #2, #3, and #4 based on the OP stated information. Which brings us back to my above mentioned post: "If you started your car in the garage one day and the light started flashing upon start, what would you do? Would you start to search for all the possible problems in the world? Orrrrrr.... would you rule out the most likely cause and function of the idiot light via manual and visual inspection? WWCND"

"Once the simple problem/fix is ruled out, then you start searching for answers. It's common sense, well, for most people anyway."