Coolant sensor question after replacement

[rywegh]

I got a 2003 TB with 4.2l. Monday was a fun day of replacing the upper and lower hoses, thermostat and coolant temperature sensor and idler pulley. The lower bolt on alternator was not fun but think I was more pissed at the lower bolt on thermostat housing, for some reason could not get it to thread. I was so happy when I finally got it all put back together and filled up. NO LEAKS! thanks God for that huge favor.

My issue is today I got in it and was going down the road and realize the check gauges light is lit. Looking at dash I see the temp gauge is laying down then moved then laid flat again. Not stepper motors. Finally got a SES light. pull the code P0118 Engine coolant temperature circuit - high input... ok I just replaced it, did I get a bad one? Go and look and check the plug connection and see it is loose. no matter how much I squeezed it it still would not lock in place.

I bought the replacement at Pepboys it is the BWD brand coolant temp sensor. Has anyone ran into this issue where you can't get it to plug back up?
Was getting an intermittent p0128 is the reason I did these replacements plus the fact that it is hitting ten years and was still running the original tstat and hoses. I did the ECT because I was there and didn't want to have to take it apart again.

 

[Wooluf1952]

It's possible one of the pins in the connector got bent. It would be in the connector on the sensor side.

 

[DENSTRAILBLAZE]

It's possible one of the pins in the connector got bent. It would be in the connector on the sensor side.

I bet you have one of the little rubber bushings down in your sensor. And one from the old sensor is on the conector so it will not latch.remove the one from the conector and it should snap together. This happened to me 3 weeks ago at first i thought i had wrong sensor but upon further obs. this was my problem.
Hope this helps

 

[Menthol]

I bet you have one of the little rubber bushings down in your sensor. And one from the old sensor is on the conector so it will not latch.remove the one from the conector and it should snap together. This happened to me 3 weeks ago at first i thought i had wrong sensor but upon further obs. this was my problem.
Hope this helps

Eggzactly! Had the same problem with mine.

 

[rywegh]

That sounds like it... I will head outside in a second to see. Thanks for the hopeful answer.

 

[rywegh]

Thanks Guys! I went out and sure enough had an extra bushing/gasket. I removed it and the two pieces clicked together.