Does a 2006 Subaru liberty have a coolant temp sensor

[06liberty]

Just wondering if my car has a coolant temp sensor because the fans only work when AC is pressed do not come on when engine reachs temp i was wondering if it does have a coolant temp sensor if so maybe it's shit itself and isn't telling the fans to turn on or are they run by the ecu??? And could there be a couple of problems because it still over heats with the air con on which makes the fans run but it takes twice as long as it does without the air con and fans going???

[Yowie]

(1)Just wondering if my car has a coolant temp sensor
(2) because the fans only work when AC is pressed do not come on when engine reachs temp
(3) i was wondering if it does have a coolant temp sensor if so maybe it's shit itself and isn't telling the fans to turn on or are they run by the ecu???
(4)And could there be a couple of problems because it still over heats with the air con on which makes the fans run but it takes twice as long as it does without the air con and fans going???

(1) Almost certainly. On some EJs it's screwed into the coolant crossover moulding in the top/middle of the engine. If you're actually losing coolant, hypothetically the water level could drop below the sensor position and cause odd sensor results.

(2) Fans coming on with AC is normal. An ECU-controlled set of parameters decide when it comes on in non-AC conditions. I understand that "coolant getting hotter than x degrees" is one of those parameters.

(3) See (2).

(4) AC is of course going to put more strain on your cooling system (partially offset by fans activation)

A cheap approach to explore the issue further would be to download the torque app to your phone, obtain an ebay bluetooth OBD2 sender then check the coolant temp readout with that. If it's normal looking data (eg between 85 and 95 degrees coolant temp in most driving conditions once warm) you could downgrade your concern about the sensor itself being faulty.

I'm sure others can suggest other/better diagnostic approaches.

[06liberty]

(1)Just wondering if my car has a coolant temp sensor
(2) because the fans only work when AC is pressed do not come on when engine reachs temp
(3) i was wondering if it does have a coolant temp sensor if so maybe it's shit itself and isn't telling the fans to turn on or are they run by the ecu???
(4)And could there be a couple of problems because it still over heats with the air con on which makes the fans run but it takes twice as long as it does without the air con and fans going???

(1) Almost certainly. On some EJs it's screwed into the coolant crossover moulding in the top/middle of the engine. If you're actually losing coolant, hypothetically the water level could drop below the sensor position and cause odd sensor results.

(2) Fans coming on with AC is normal. An ECU-controlled set of parameters decide when it comes on in non-AC conditions. I understand that "coolant getting hotter than x degrees" is one of those parameters.

(3) See (2).

(4) AC is of course going to put more strain on your cooling system (partially offset by fans activation)

A cheap approach to explore the issue further would be to download the torque app to your phone, obtain an ebay bluetooth OBD2 sender then check the coolant temp readout with that. If it's normal looking data (eg between 85 and 95 degrees coolant temp in most driving conditions once warm) you could downgrade your concern about the sensor itself being faulty.

I'm sure others can suggest other/better diagnostic approaches.

Yeah that was my next step get an OBD2 of eBay and have a suss at what it brings up

[06liberty]

Pretty shit photo but can any tell me if this is the coolant temp sensor its screwd in to the metal tube that runs to the heater core hoses also connected to top radiator hose?

[Yowie]

The thing in the red circle (behind the crossed-out hose) looks like it, but as you say, it's not the greatest photo so a bit hard to be sure. If it's plugged into a load of coolant (as you say) then the odds are pretty good.

[06liberty]

The thing in the red circle (behind the crossed-out hose) looks like it, but as you say, it's not the greatest photo so a bit hard to be sure. If it's plugged into a load of coolant (as you say) then the odds are pretty good.

yeah sweet I will get a new one see what happens I rang Subaru yesterday they just said get onto Fair trading about the mechanic because noone else will touch it as they can become liable what a f**K around

[RX25SE]

Just wondering if my car has a coolant temp sensor because the fans only work when AC is pressed do not come on when engine reachs temp i was wondering if it does have a coolant temp sensor if so maybe it's shit itself and isn't telling the fans to turn on or are they run by the ecu??? And could there be a couple of problems because it still over heats with the air con on which makes the fans run but it takes twice as long as it does without the air con and fans going???

Will the fans come on if the engine idles for a while, A/C off and bonnet closed?

It's unusual for a coolant temp sensor to fail. An open circuit or a short circuit in the sensor or the wiring will cause the fans to automatically turn on (fail safe).

My guess is your overheating issue lies elsewhere.

[RX25SE]

Is the coolant full when checked cold?

Does the top and bottom hoses feel hot when the engine reaches operating temp? (middle of temp gauge)

Does the heater feel hot when on full heat and low fan with engine at operating temp?

Your car may have the ability to display fault codes (not all possible codes) on the instrument cluster without the need for a scan tool. There are a couple of methods depending on model year; one involves using the headlamp switch and trip meter reset button, the other bridging a diagnostic connector (green IIRC) under the dash and pressing the trip meter reset button. Google will reveal the procedures... If it doesn't work, then you have lost nothing.

[06liberty]

Yeah the rad fans only come on with AC I've figured one don't turn on when engines reaches temp so this is one problem! And both the top and bottom hoses are hot when I feel them and I did the code thing yesterday and it bring up front and back 02 p0032 and p0037 it also bring a C code c0114 I googled it said it was and relay I took back to the mechanic either he can fix it proply or I go to Fair trading rekons his specialised in Subarus haha what a joke