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Repair Topics / Engine Temperature
Car and Truck Engine Temperature Questions This
category contains featured questions as
examples. They relate to most vehicles.
Question: 1999 Toyota Tacoma
truck, miles: 121,000. The truck has a.
standard shift truck and I have a problem. A
while back, I had to have my thermostat
changed. After the mechanic changed it my
temperature gauge would not go up very high.
It bugged me. I thought the mechanic may
have put a defective or wrong thermostat in,
when he installed it. I first went up to buy
a new thermostat before I went to fix or
look at the problem. When I pulled the
thermostat out of the truck, I compared it
to the one that I just purchased. The one
the mechanic installed was a higher degree
temperature than the one I bought which was
from my local Toyota dealership. I was so
happy, that I figured the problem out, so I
changed it. It worked fine for about a month
and then, the needle on the gauge gradually
stopped going up to where it's supposed to
go. I repeated this last scenario of buying
the thermostat and replacing it 3 more times
and the same thing always happens. Could it
be something else? I am at a dead-end and it
is cold here in the Northeast in the winter.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Answer: The chances of three separate
thermostats being faulty are extremely remote. We
suggest verifying the in-dash temperature gauge using a
temporary thermometer in the radiator. It is possible
that in-between thermostat changes, your truck lost a
small amount of coolant, either externally or internally
from the engine which would cause the temperature gauge
to fluctuate.
Question: 1995
Ford Mustang, mileage: 161,000. Recently my
temperature gauge has been fluctuating wildly. The gauge
reads almost (but not quite) in the red then falls back
to the center of the normal range. I cannot
predict what will make the needle move (speed, vent,
a/c, etc.). Along with this wild fluctuation, the
car intermittently blows cold air when the heat is on.
Please help.
Answer: We think your problem is a low
coolant level. With the engine cold, and we mean
cold, open the radiator cap (not the overflow cap) and
it should be clear full. If not, fill it to the
top. Over the next couple of days, check for
coolant leaks under the car when parked.
Question:
1999 Pontiac Grand Am, mileage 165,000. The
temperature gauge needle rises and falls back about
every 7 seconds while driving down the highway.
While sitting in traffic it rises very quickly but cools
upon normal driving, once in awhile I will notice a
small puddle of coolant under the car after shutting the
car off. Is it possible the water pump is going?
Answer:
A partially plugged radiator may be causing your
problem. Have the radiator “boiled” out at a
radiator service center. Also, have the cooling
system checked for leaks.
Question:
2002 Honda Accord, mileage: 80,278. I would like
to know the average running temperature for this car,
with Florida’s temperatures of 85 - 90 degrees.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Answer: The average temperature for your car
should be 170 to 200 degrees. If it is running
warmer than that, check the fan clutch and/or radiator.
Question: 1999 Volkswagen
Jetta, mileage: 60,000. My temperature gauge does not
move. Generally, when engine has warmed, the needle
should move somewhere between markings of 70C and 110C
(Canada). Needle does not move and implies that car has
not warmed. Idle is rough. Are we looking at a sensor or
simply a thermostat?
Answer: The thermostat may be
your problem. Remove the thermostat and check it when it
is cold to see that it is closed. Put the thermostat in
a pan of hot water on a stove. The thermostat should be
open when the water is near boiling. If the thermostat
is okay, the temperature sensor may be your problem.
Repair Topics / Engine Temperature
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