Will the water temperature sensor affect the start of the car engine? What are the symptoms of a broken water temperature sensor?

A damaged temperature sensor will certainly affect starting, especially in the winter in the north. The engine has a low-temperature starting fuel enrichment function that relies on the temperature sensor to provide a signal, and the cooling electronic fan of the cooling system also relies on its signal to operate.

Will the water temperature sensor affect the car engine starting?

Damage to the water temperature sensor will definitely affect the cold start of the engine, and there is also a very low probability that it will affect the hot start. When the water temperature sensor fails, the temperature signal displayed when the engine is started cold is often the temperature signal when the engine is hot. The ECU cannot get the signal of providing an overly rich mixture and can only supply the engine with a leaner mixture (the signal when the engine is hot), so the engine is not easy to start when it is cold.

What are the symptoms of a broken water temperature sensor?

1. The engine is difficult to start at working temperature (this is also an occasional phenomenon), especially after high speed, it is difficult to start after being left for a while.

2. The car can be started after a long time of hard starting. There is no other strange feeling during driving. Occasionally, there is a very big sense of frustration when shifting gears, which is considered to be a problem with the clutch.

3. The water temperature gauge indicates abnormally, swinging back and forth; in the winter morning, the pointer responds after a while of starting the engine (previously, it took 10 minutes for the engine to reach operating temperature when the outdoor temperature was around minus 20 degrees Celsius).

4. Fuel consumption increased significantly.

How to check if the water temperature sensor is damaged

In this case, you need to check whether the water temperature sensor plug is in contact normally or replace the water temperature sensor. Fuel consumption increases dramatically and the idle speed is unstable, similar to missing cylinders and misfire faults; acceleration is difficult, the speed cannot be increased by pressing the accelerator pedal, and the muffler emits black smoke and makes a "thumping" sound. Let's talk about how to detect it. For example: reading the static engine data of the car (referring to the cold car) found that the coolant temperature output by the engine ECU is 104°C, while at this time (the setting is winter temperature) the actual temperature of the engine is only 2°C. Obviously, the water temperature signal received by the engine ECU is wrong, indicating that there is a problem with the water temperature sensor.

Another example: If the water temperature sensor is not good, it will cause increased fuel consumption, because when the car is cold, the computer will control the fuel injection to increase appropriately to speed up the rise of water temperature. If the sensor is always in a cold state, the fuel injection will inevitably be too much, which will cause the spark plug to be "choked" by too much fuel. This will make it more difficult to start.

Related News

The water temperature sensor will not only affect the cold start, fuel consumption, and power of the car, but it will also affect the service life of the car engine! Cars are not like people. If we feel a little uncomfortable, we can take a rest or recuperate to get better. But cars are not like that. If it is broken, it is broken. We should replace it when it is broken and maintain it when it is necessary! We should also take good care of the car. It is not only our means of transportation, but also our second wife!