I haven't posted here in quite a while but I am baffled by this DIC message. I have an '07 Tahoe with right at 34K and tonight, after driving home from dinner, I get this message on the DIC...Engine hot, A/C turned off.

This makes no sense as the temp needle never moved off of the low end of 160 and, the A/C was running, on the lowest setting at about 70 degrees.

I continued to drive home for the next 10 miles or so and everything remained the same. When I got home, I pulled in the garage and checked the coolant. It was just below full. I could put my hand to the radiator hose and although it wasn't extremely hot, I couldn't hold my hand there long. The outside temp was about 65 degrees, give or take.

I'm thinking this might be a T-stat issue but WTF nonetheless???

This is our family car and only gets driven on the weekends around town. I just had it serviced for an oil change last month.

Any ideas from the forum?

 

If the temp gauge said 160*, then something is wrong as it should be running at 200* when warmed up. A stuck open 'stat could cause that.

 

Well, it was the t-stat. I'm not sure if it was stuck open or not but a trip to the service center this morning got it replaced under warranty.

I still don't understand the DIC message though. I got the same message first thing this morning when I cranked the truck up and backed out of the garage. How could the engine be hot after sitting in the garage all night??? My guess is that particular DIC message is generic for a thermostat issue.

 

Are you saying that you're still getting the DIC msg after the t-stat replacement?

Actually the t-stat doesn't have to be stuck open very far for the engine to run cold.

 

I had the same problem this morning so I replaced the thermostat and it removed the warning lights. Everything is back to normal.

 

Good to know, was it pretty easy to replace? get it at your local auto parts store?

 

I'm having the same issue with my 2010 Chevrolet Impala...

 

Also, just FYI: the A/C system on vehicles runs 100% regardless of the 'temp' you set it for.

60 or 70, or 90, if it's on, it's on 100%.

the vehicle, or the **** just uses either an air dam or valve on the heater core to adjust the temp coming out of the vents.

There is no way to throttle an A/C unit.

Also, in case you were wondering, the Defog position on most cars will run the A/C, to dry out the air, even if the light on the dash does not indicate it's on. So.. don't drive in Defog if you want to save gas, assuming you don't need to.

Don't believe me? turn on the defogger, any time, pop the hood.. see if the A/C compressor is running

 

Unless the ambient temp. is below about 36*. Then the compressor won't come on to prevent freezing the evap. The "snowflake" on the A/C button will flash on and then off.

 

Yes, the Tahoe does this, some cars do not, and will run the compressor anyway.