Ordinary degree of engine temperature gauge

Tiny
ISAM ZAROUR
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 KIA CERATO
  • 3.5L
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 3,018 MILES
The radiator fan start work when gauge at 2.8 befor 1.2 to red line. Is that ordinary for my car?
the gauge divided to four parts and fan not working until at 2.8 and stop when the engine off, not continue work until engine cold. Is that usually okay?
Sunday, September 24th, 2017 AT 10:04 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,777 POSTS
Most electric fans will turn on with a coolant temperature around 210 F (99 C) - 220 F (104 C). They will stay on until the coolant temperature drops to a point below that. Normally around the 200F (93 C) point. You do not want the fan to keep running until the engine is cold. It would do a few things, one the colder temperatures mean the engine has to burn more fuel to return to operating temperature. Two it would drain the battery, those fans take a lot of power to run.
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Tuesday, September 26th, 2017 AT 4:22 AM
Tiny
ISAM ZAROUR
  • MEMBER
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I do not have a degree gauge. I only see the temperature gauge pointing to near 3/4 of the gauge for fan to start working, and the question is: is that normally. I see it is too high? And if it high, what is the reason? Thank you.
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Tuesday, September 26th, 2017 AT 7:14 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,777 POSTS
You would need to actually measure the temperature to determine if it is correct. That style gauge is useless in reality for this exact reason.

If the engine is running okay and the coolant level is normal without boiling over it is working as it should.
The temperature I listed are what you would see if you actually measured them. If you can find an infrared thermometer you could measure the actual temperature at the radiator and engine.
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Tuesday, September 26th, 2017 AT 7:32 AM

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