Temperature light flashing at odd times

[StevenPH]

Ive been on a long road trip, and recently my temperature light has been flashing intermittently when the A/C is on. It flashes just for a few seconds, then goes off. I'm curious if this is something I should be concerned about...

It only happens when I'm running the a/c, and so the engine is running slightly hotter than normal. But the temp gauge is only slightly above halfway. It usually runs only a few ticks lower than that when the a/c is off.

My coolant level is good.

What's odd is that under heavy load, the gauge can easily get up to 3/4, but the light never goes on. Even years ago when I blew a hose and almost overheated, the light never came on. I just assumed it was dead and didn't much care.

It seems to me like an electrical issue, and nothing I should be too worried about until I have time to tinker?

[TylerDurden]

Likely a poor connection: sender, gauge and everything in between.

The flexi pcb on my cluster had light corrosion on the surface where the gauge connected. Light would blink occasionally, then the gauge died.

Also had a bad sender give me panic attacks - light blinking and gauge would peg.

[StevenPH]

Does that connection provide information to the cooling system, such that if it eventually fails will cause me trouble? I assume that sender is different than that which controls the radiator fan?

Thanks

[TylerDurden]

The sender & gauge just display the coolant temp. The radiator fan has its own thermostatic switch mounted in one of the radiator tanks.


I should clarify that my gauge didn't actually die, it stopped showing anything because the connection went from intermittent to failed.