Water Temp Sending Unit Replacement

The temperature sensor on the Chevrolet Malibu is located underneath the  hood. To locate the sensor, simply pop the hood and look in the upper engine  area on the driver's side. Locate the temperature sensor mounted in the intake  manifold near the water outlet. You should be able to identify the temperature  sensor as a small pipe attached to a few wires.

The temperature sensor is an essential component of the electrical engine  system. When the sensor goes bad, you might notice a few problems in the way  your engine runs. The main symptom of a faulty sensor includes your engine  running too hot or too cool, which can cause your engine to randomly shut down.  Keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge on your dashboard and look for  irregular temperature readouts.

Another way to make sure your temperature sensor is in working order is to  manually inspect it. A visual inspection is usually recommended because it  covers the possibility that your temperature gauge or engine computer is also  faulty. To manually inspect the temperature sensor, look at the sensor and check  for corroded areas. Problems are often caused by faulty wiring, so pay close  attention to the wires and connection areas. If you notice excessive dirt on the  sensor or corrosion in the wires, replace the necessary component  immediately.

Replacing a temperature sensor is easy and only takes about 10 minutes. Pop  your hood and disconnect the negative cable from the battery. Locate the sensor.  Once you have found the sensor, remove the wires from it. Use a screwdriver to  remove the screws that hold the sensor in place. Remove the sensor and replace  it with the new one. Screw the new sensor in place and reattach the wires to it.  Connect the negative battery cable to the  battery.