Couple of things are coolant level, make sure it's full and not air bound, do this by re checking and removing the cap when cool, check or replace your thermostat. Check or replace the temp sender. Last would of course be the gauge.
TEMPERATURE GAUGE INACCURATE 1. Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Disconnect temperature sensor connector. Connect Instrument Gauge System Tester (014-R1063) to temperature sensor connector. Set tester at 74 ohms. Turn ignition switch to RUN position, wait 60 seconds and read gauge. If gauge reads cold, go to next step. If gauge does not read cold, go to step 3). 2. Set tester to 9.7 ohms, wait 60 seconds and read gauge. If gauge reads hot, replace temperature sending unit and retest. If gauge does not read hot, go to next step. 3. Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Remove instrument cluster. See INSTRUMENT CLUSTER under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Disconnect instrument cluster connector C3. See Fig. 8 -10. Measure resistance between temperature sensor connector and cluster connector C3, pin No. 15 (Red/White wire). If resistance is less than 5 ohms, go to next step. If resistance is more than 5 ohms, repair open in circuit No. 39 (Red/White wire) and retest. 4. Turn ignition switch to OFF position. Check continuity of instrument cluster printed circuit between terminals of printed circuit flex connection and terminals at gauge. See FLEX CONNECTOR C3 table. FLEX CONNECTOR C3 5. If there is continuity in each circuit, replace fuel gauge/temperature gauge and retest. See FUEL GAUGE/TEMPERATURE GAUGE under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. If continuity is not present on each flex circuit, replace instrument cluster printed circuit and retest. See PRINTED CIRCUIT under REMOVAL & INSTALLATION. Pin No. Gauge Terminal 8 B + 14 GND 15 SIG Page 1 of 1 INSTRUMENT PANEL - ANALOG -1996 Ford Taurus GL 8/16/2008
Aug 16, 2008 at 7:31 AM
