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Strange electrical issue

Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 2013 CHEVROLET MALIBU
  • 2.5L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 99,000 MILES
Hi,

The owner has some kind of electrical issue. The temperature gauge for engine temperature on the cluster doesn't move, and the engine light is on throwing 3 codes: P111E, P00B4, and P0119. The owner replaced the thermostat housing which has a sensor made into it, and also the radiator temperature sensor on the radiator. If I clear the codes while the car is running, the gauge moves from 0 to where the temp should be, but will not work when I crank the car back up. Also the fans come on immediately when you start the car.

Update:

Sometimes when the vehicle is driven and then parked and cut off, you can get out of the vehicle close the doors and get back in and start it up and the temperature gauge will work but still have the engine light.
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Monday, January 27th, 2020 AT 4:16 AM

11 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
I think it is clear that you have circuit issue. I would run through this testing for the P00B4 and see what that turns up. Each of these codes is telling you that the ECT is not reading properly which is what you are seeing on the gauge.

All three seemed to be linked so it you fix this code then all the other will be fixed as well and the gauge should start working again.
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Tuesday, January 28th, 2020 AT 3:05 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 581 POSTS
Turns out the owner broke the radiator temperature sensor putting it in, resulting in the P00B4. He also replaced the thermostat housing with the sensor in it, clearing the other code. Now just P111E remains but it still acts funny. Just today the gauge was not working and then all of a sudden it shot over to hot and the dash was asking to idle engine. My scan tool can see that ECT temperature was at 109 C, But I noticed the IAT had some missing values. I had maybe 4 values but the rows labeled (20, 22, 23, etc) had a value of 0.
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 5:27 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Okay. That is progress. I attached the diagram for this code. We need to go through this and it will lead us to the issue. A circuit issue is still possible. It could be related to the IAT issue that you are seeing but let's just follow the code that the vehicle is telling us.

Let me know what you find and we can go from there. Thanks
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 7:06 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 581 POSTS
So these values are to be read when starting up cold, after the engine has been off for at least 8 hours it seems. When hot, I now get an ECT temperature of 109 C, Ambient was like 15 C and IAT sensor 1 57 F and sensor 2 59 F.

I guess I can say I don't have a short to ground at the ECT, sense it does not say 150 F. My scan tool also doesn't pick up the RCT for some reason, there's no spot for it.
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Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 AT 5:40 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
That may just be the scan tool issue. Let me know if you have questions with that test and we can go from there. Thanks
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Monday, February 3rd, 2020 AT 4:50 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 581 POSTS
Well looking at the guide, it says to continue to the electrical diagnosis if I have a 15-60 degree difference in temperature. Looked at it again today and the ambient temperature was 35 F, IAT was 37F and ECT was 222.8 F. Looks like I have to check resistance at the ECT?
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 6:31 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Was this with a cold engine or did you just shut it off after running it? The ECM runs this rationality test when you first start the engine. If you think about it, the Ambient (outside) temperature, the intake air temperature, and the engine coolant temperature should be about the same temperature. If they are this far off when the engine is cold then that is an issue.
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 6:42 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 581 POSTS
No this was after running it, turning it off once it got here. And starting it again.
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 6:48 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Okay. Then that sounds normal. I would let it sit overnight and check it in the morning by just turning the key to the on position and not starting the engine. Those three sensor should be pretty close if not identical. The ECT was telling you what the coolant temperature was which it would be around 215 F after running so 222 is correct. If it doesn't come down when cold then that is not correct.
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 7:29 PM
Tiny
CANNON1349
  • MECHANIC
  • 581 POSTS
Okay so before starting the car after sitting for more than 8 hours, I get these readings:
P00B7 (x2)
P0119
P111E (x2)

Ambient Temp: 9 C
IAT 11: 24 - 15 C
IAT 12: 33 C
IAT 13: 0 C
IAT 21: 0 C
IAT 22: 0 C
IAT 23: 0 C
ECT: 90 C
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Sunday, February 16th, 2020 AT 10:57 AM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Yep. The ECT is high. I attached the testing for the P111E code. Each code is pretty similar but this one is for your ECT, RCT, IAT, and Ambient temperature sensors not being within the proper calculated amount after the engine as been off. Basically the longer the engine is off the cooler it gets and these temps should be all about the same.

The fact that you already have the ECT and Radiator temp sensor replaced, the only major things left are the ECM or wiring. Clearly if you run through this test you should find the issue.
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Monday, February 17th, 2020 AT 7:11 AM

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