I have a 96 2dr 4x4 automatic tracker. I went to autozone to have them read the service engine code and it said the coolant temp sensor was bad. I went to their website component locator and it just said "passenger side in intake manifold" There are about 3 or 4 little plugs that screw into the intake close to the thermostat that could be them. Could someone tell me exactly where it is and how I will know it when I see it?
Thanks

Buy a new one then you will see what it looks like. Should be the one with two wires.

There are two senders. 

The one for the dash gage which is on the front of the intake manifold (opposite the radiator) below the thremostat.

The one for the ECM is "around the corner" on the side of the manifold near the #1 cylinder intake. 

You can check this out by disconnecting the temperature gage unit, then running the car for a few minutes.  If the dash temperature gage stays cold, you found the temp gage sender and the other one is the ECM sender.

According to the Chilton Total Car Care CD, it is a one-wire device.

From personal experience, I have had LOTS of trouble trying to get the right part when visiting auto parts stores when it comes to Tracker temperature senders.  Your best bet is to take the defective sender with you to the parts store or, better yet, take it to your local Chevy or Suzuki dealer parts department.  My choice of the two would be the Suzuki dealer.

Hope this helps!   

Just because the code says your senser is bad does not mean your sensor is bad.
If your thermostat is not allowing your engine to warm up it will throw the same code.
Changing out the therostat with a low temp one or removing it will throw the same code.
Make sure your engine is achiving proper operating temp before waiting money on a sensor that may be doing exactly what it is suppose to be doing.

RShrimp has a valid point!

Check other items in the system like the thermostat and the temp sender connector.  A corroded, dirty connector can cause the sender to provide faulty readings which, in turn can cause OBDII error codes.

Commentary directed not at the poster but at others reading this post:

http://www.obd-codes.com/index.php is a website that lists most of the OBDII codes and their meanings.  In the case of engine cooling problems, there is a code - P0115 that translates to P0115 Engine Coolant Temperature Circuit Malfunction.  The first assumption made in reading this is that the sender is bad.  But the message reads that there is a malfunction in the circuit - not in a specific component in the circuit.  OBDII systems (even future systems that would be more capable than OBDII) can isolate a problem down only so far.  A more precise troubleshooting system would only add to the overall cost of the vehicle -- costs that would be better applied to improving the efficiency and durability of a vehicle.

That said, it is very unrealistic to assume that OBDII codes should be considered as the absolute end-all diagnostic.  All they can do is possibly isolate the problem to an area of the car that is monitored/controlled by the Engine Control Unit (ECU).  It's up to the mechanic (some guy/gal at a garage or you, dear reader) to do further testing and inspecting to find the actual problem.

AutoZone knows this and, although the idea of free OBDII readings is noble and good, they offer it only as a service to help people fix their car.  It is not a rip-off service.  OBDII codes are a valuable troubleshooting tool when used by an individual with specific training or - lacking that - someone with common sense and problem-solving skills.   AutoZone is not a garage with ASE-trained mechanics.  AutoZone is a parts store.   AutoZone expect you to be the one to make the ultimate decision as to how to spend money for a repair.   

It helps that you are standing in their store when making that decision...

If you have a multimeter it is easy to test the Coolant Sensor, you just need to measure its resistance and check it against the (rather crude) graph shown in the manual. If the manual gives resistance values at at least three different temperatures then its possible to derive the resistance for any other temperature.
As far as I can determine the diagnostic test for the coolant temperature simply checks that the derived voltage is equivalent to a temperature that lies within the expected operating range (-40C to approx 150C)
Don't forget to check your grounds too.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I have found the sensor. I think it is bad because  the connector  is glued into the rest of it with epoxy, and you can spin the little connector all the way around. I think the part is physically broken. Also, the dash gauge shows about halfway when the engine gets up to running temp. If I had a bad thermostat this wouldn't happen, would it?

Thanks for all the replies. I think I have found the sensor. I think it is bad because  the connector  is glued into the rest of it with epoxy, and you can spin the little connector all the way around. I think the part is physically broken. Also, the dash gauge shows about halfway when the engine gets up to running temp. If I had a bad thermostat this wouldn't happen, would it?

I think its a safe bet that the sensor is bust   

I thought I found the sensor, but I'm not sure now. There are 2 plugs that screw in close to the thermosat around the corner from the  temp gauge sending sensor. The one closest to the top has one wire going to it. It is the one I said had the epoxy in it that looked loose. It has 1 spade connector coming out. The other plug right below it has 2 wires coming from it. That is the part Autozone gave me when I asked for a coolant temp sensor. They couldn't tell me what the 1 wire sensor was for. Do any of you know?

on my 16 valve 1.6 the one with the single wire is for the dash gage, the other that has the two wires going to it goes to  the ecm. my 16 valve goes through a thermostat every year I just put in a new 195 deg at the begining of each winter.

The one wire one for the dash gauge is on the front of the intake on mine. Just around the corner on the passenger side there are 2 plugs screwed into the intake. The one on the bottom has 2 wires and the one on the top has one. I read somewhere that the one wire sensor might be for the A/C. Does anyone know if ths is true and why the A/C would need a coolant sensor?

That sensor is for the AC condenser fan. If you detouch the connector while the engine is off the AC condenser fan will turn on even if the AC is off. This was my problem for months with the fan suddenly engages intermittently and turns out to be a bad wire going to the sensor.

correction... while the engine is on

thanks