1988 Honda Accord 1988 Honda Accord LXi Temperature Gauge

Tiny
DGL9876
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 HONDA ACCORD
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • MANUAL
  • 237,000 MILES
When I turn the ignition switch to the On (II) position the temperature gauge will go to middle of "C" and "H" and this is after the car has been sitting for at least a day. When I start to drive the car the needle will go "H" and then return to the middle and then return back to "H". The car never overheats it is just seems that the gauge is giving a false reading. I have already replaced the thermostat and coolant temperature sending unit. The coolant levels have been checked and are good. Is there anything else that could cause this problem or is the next step to replace the fuel/temperature gauge?
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 AT 3:39 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Sounds like you may have a gauge problem, the temp sender is pretty simple one wire set-up, its usually a bad sender. Try unplugging the single wire off the temp sender and grounding it out, the temp gauge should go full hot
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Friday, May 15th, 2009 AT 7:46 AM
Tiny
DGL9876
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I ran you suggested test and received different results each time I did the test. The first time the temp gauge went up about 3/4 the way and stopped, the second time the temp gauge went to "H" for a split second and then came back down to the middle and the third time the gauge only went up a 1/4 of the way. I replaced the temp sender last week before this test. Do these results point to the temp gauge or could there be an electrical problem?
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Monday, May 18th, 2009 AT 12:28 PM
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
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Could be abad wire between the sender and the gauge. You will need to use a meter to measure the resistance in that wire to see if it is bad
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Monday, May 18th, 2009 AT 1:12 PM
Tiny
DGL9876
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Do you know what range the resistance should be?
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Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 AT 7:15 PM
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
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If you are testng from the cnnector at the back of the dash to where it plugs on the sender, it should have little to no resistance, that wire needs to be used for a varied resistance for the gauge, it has to be a good connection
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Wednesday, May 20th, 2009 AT 8:57 PM

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