The needle is moving up and then back down. This mostly happens while at a stop and simultaneously the ac compressor kicks off.
Recently new radiator and temp gauge, plus coolant flush.
My car (200,000kms - 5spd). Just noticed today that the gauge is not moving at all. Heat comes out of the dash vents no problem. Could it be the thermostat? Or is it the gauge it's self?
View 2 RepliesMy car recently turned over 120,000 miles. I have owned her for 5 years. Currently, the engine temperature gauge needle is moving all over the place. It typically registers the correct temperature (I think), but sometimes it goes all the way over to the red, then peaks and falls back down to the midline.
Before this started happening, the needle would lie just below the midline when traveling on the highway and just above the midline when driving in town. Yesterday, it was lying between the 1/4 mark and the midline -- much lower than normal. Is this as simple as just replacing the temperature sensor?
My mechanic noticed a month ago that the transmission hoses are all swollen and in need of replacement. Is this related?One more thing, within the last week, the electrical system fails while driving, but just for a second. I can tell because the radio goes out. Once, it went completely dead, then came back on within 2 seconds. It made me think of the alternator, but it seems if that were the case it would go dead and not come back on, no?
I have a 2005 Elantra GLS with a couple thousand miles over 100K. There is what appears to be an overheating issue with my car. When I'm driving it in city driving usually less than 45 MPH, the heater blows cold air. However, on the highway (greater than 50 MPH) it blows hot air and the temp needle stays in the normal range (just below the halfway point between hot and cold and more towards the cold). However, when I slow down and come to city speeds, the temp needle starts to rise and the heater blows cold air.
The needle went to the red zone this morning but as soon as it got to the red zone, it slowly came back down to the normal point (within 2-3 seconds). And @ the same time, the heater started blowing warm/hot air like it would be functioning normally. When the needle got the red zone, my car didn't stop or I didn't see smoke coming from the hood or anything like. It was almost like something (maybe thermostat) tripped and allowed the engine to cool.
After doing some research on this, the potential issues point to thermostat, coolant level, radiator crack. I haven't checked how the coolant level is doing but I will check that this weekend.
I recently had the radiator on my car replaced and wen I got it back the temperature and gas gauge needles are both blown past the HOT sign and past the full sign on my gas gauge and is sitting under the little black piece under the the cold side and under the empty side. it was obviously messed with and completely turned around but why is it like this? will it reset itself or should I take i.e., back to the mechanic to have it fixed by him?
2000 buick park avenue....
Ok I was driving home right know from work, and looking at the speedometer, i notice that my temperature gauge turns off (the needle goes all the way down). what can it be?
View 2 RepliesLast week I noticed an erratic temperature gauge while I was in stop-and-go traffic. It would go from just below halfway to nearly the red in about 7 seconds, bob around, go down a bit, then up, back down to halfway and sit for a while, etc. etc. etc. I stopped, added a little water to the reservoir and car was fine for about 20 minutes but then it started up again.
Went I got home I checked oil and it was low. I added a quart. After this the car has been fine.
Until today. It did go into the red a couple of times and sat there for a few seconds. I was surprised there were no lights or warnings of overheating! I opened the hood when I got home and didn't get the impression that the engine was particularly hot (though the upper radiator hose was hot).
I read this might be caused by air pockets in the cooling system and I need to "burp" it by taking off the radiator cap, starting the car, running the heater, and then topping up the radiator when I see the coolant level go down.
Resurrecting my 940 TD after it's been sitting for a year and the temperature needle now doesn't rise as the engine warms up. Is there any trouble with sensors on these or should i be concerned about something else? It was working when I stopped using the car.
View 3 RepliesSince I bought the car I noticed my temperature gauge has never even touched the middle mark on the instrument panel. Is this normal or is my thermostat hung open?
View 4 RepliesLast fall I had my radiator flushed and at the same time my coolant overfill canister with built in temperature guage sensor was replaced with a new unit. (The service station replaced the resevoir canister with a new unit in the engine compartment, because they felt the sensor is prone to failing after 7 years.)
Ever since, my temperature gauge needle on the dash will randomly drop (even when the car is up to FULL OPERATING TEMPERATURES) showing the engine being cooler than it out to be. In other words the needle drops signifying to a much lower water temperature. After a period of time the needle will recover back to the normal full operating temperature mark on the dash gauge.
What could cause this? Inside my radiator do I have a "diafram" temperature valve that could be failing /"sticking?" In other words could a temperature valve in the radiator be sticking at odd or random times??? I also notice that my heater does not put out the usual full furnace heat that a Passat is know for. The temperature is about 1/3 cooler now that we are into winter temperatures.
Is my heater core clogged?
Could the new coolant sensor in the new coolant overfill chamber not be working well? This whole situation began AFTER my radiator was flushed, and AFTER I had the coolant reservoir canister and sensor replaced.
This weekend I was one a trip in my '98 Civic, and I noticed some movement in my temperature gauge. It didn't really overheat; the needle never got near the red, but it did go a little higher than usual.
Normally, once the engine heats up, the needle on the temperature gauge doesn't move, not even a little. It sits right under the squiggly lines on the temperature gauge icon. However, on Friday, when I got off the highway, the needle rose into the upper part of the icon, to the part with the thermometer.
As soon as the car started moving, the needle on the temperature gauge went back to its normal spot, so I assumed it was a problem with the radiator fan and I kept on driving, prepared to turn on the heat if the needle on the temperature gauge started going up.
Saturday morning I took the car to a local shop in Jacksonville, and it turns out the engine needed a new fan and a new thermostat.
The first lesson that comes to mind is that keeping an eye on my temp gauge might have saved me an engine. It certainly saved me a head gasket. Since a head gasket or new engine would have been worth more than the car, catching this before it became a problem saved me from having to buy another car.
The next lesson is that my Civic had two things wrong with the cooling system, and yet it barely showed any symptoms. The air conditioner doesn't work I guess since a working A/C would probably have made it overheat. In any case, I've probably been driving without a working radiator fan for some time.
The final lesson is that if I had tried to diagnose this myself, I'd probably be driving around with a new radiator fan and a bad thermostat. I paid about $435 for a new fan, thermostat, and fresh coolant (I declined the cooling system flush) and it was worth every penny.
Car is a 2012 GTI 6MT with APR intake.
Within the last couple of days, my engine temperature gauge has been acting a little strange. The needle will fluctuate depending on if I'm accelerating or at speed. I've actually seen it go down several times before going back up to normal temp. On a couple of days, it will go up to about halfway to normal temp, and just stay there for a lot longer than it usually seems to.
There have also been times when the car is at normal operating temp, I'll go into a store for maybe 15 minutes, and when I come out, it shows the engine temperature is maybe halfway to where it should be. Then it will go back to normal after a few minutes of driving. I would think that if the engine is warm, it should stay there for more than 15 minutes, even if the car isn't on.
We haven't had any abnormally cold days lately, and I'm not getting any CEL, but I was wondering if anything to worry about, or if it's normal.
The needle has always stuck dead on 190f when it gets up to temp. About a week ago I took the center grill of to paint, I put it back on and the check engine light came on ... code p2433 secondary air pump problem. I figured I had just disturbed something etc. Now the coolant gauge is going up to around 240f during normal driving, the fan stays on for about a minute when I turn off the ignition.
View 16 RepliesThe needle in temp gage on my 2005 Toyota is now facing the opposite direction. This happened right after the most recent oil change. Is this a gauge or a sending unit problem?
View 11 RepliesAbout 4500 miles ago, I had the timing belt, water pump, thermostat, and all the accessory belts replaced and now, the water temp gauge sometimes rises rapidly from "normal" all the way to the "red" and back within about 15 seconds! This is on a 2006 Elantra GT
Should I replace the "coolant temp sensor" or do I have a real problem that needs repair?
I finally got my 20th to run right. But now and ever since I bought it the gas needle keeps going down and back to normal every time i make a sudden move or go through a bump. What could be causing it?
View 5 RepliesI have a 2004 Hyundai Accent. The temperature gauge in the car moves toward the "danger zone" only under both the following conditions:
1) Car is at IDLE after being driven for a while (15-20 minutes). 2) Headlights are ON (I've sat in the car and watched the temperature gauge move up and then back down as I turn on and thrn turn off the headlights).
*What I've also noticed is that the temperature gauge starts moving up as the radiator fans kick ON.
The check gauges light on my 1988 Cheyenne 4x4 is coming on and the oil pressure gauge is erratic back and forth from low to high pressure.
The vehicle is a 4.3L manual. Any likely cause or where to start with troubleshooting?
I have a 98 f150(4.6 V8) that has 'seemingly' overheated for about 5 seconds twice in the last month. I noticed the temperature gauge went all the way up after about 1 mile of travel, then it immediately fell back down to normal. The truck has 198k miles.
I flushed out the system using a Peak Flushing Tee, replaced the thermostat with spring facing the engine block, and refilled the system.
I haven't had another overheating instance but I am having problems with my heater....the truck seems to warm up fine and the heat starts off working well. The temperature gauge reads normal for a few minutes then drops and I lose the heat. The truck blows cool air for a while, then will start blocking hot air again.
I believe the water pump has been replaced fairly recently...the pulley has no slack and I don't see any leaks or wetness around the pump or its weep-hole.
I read it could be a blend door or blend door actuator. I don't hear any funny clicking and obviously get some heat.
Should I try another new thermostat? Intermittent water pump problems?
I have been reading alot about the speedo needle that jumps on the 2002 elantra gls while driving. My speedo is doing the same thing and I have been told it could be the VSS , the auto trans sensor, the vss sending unit. speedo gauge etc. Which sensor to start with or how to test ? I assume they are on the tranny cover which I have not looked at yet.
View 5 RepliesI had to have my transmission replaced after i lent my car to my dad who then hit a massive pothole and destroyed my transmission along with tire and rim. Got my car back and while driving home, I noticed my temperature gauge didn't move. Got home, parked the car and let it run and no movement from the gauge at all. Unfortunately, I retrieved my car shortly before the shop closed so I can't call them until tomorrow but what this could possibly be?
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