My car seems to be running fine, but I’m worried that it seems to overheat a little when idling. If the fuse is blown, then replace it. You may be able to test the fans by turning on your A/C, which often causes the fan to turn on or cycle. antifreeze is great at not freezing, but it isn’t all that great at transferring heat, Multi-state car theft suspect reaches end of road in Georgia after failed escape - 11Alive.com WXIA, Night In A Car event raises over $100,000 for Bloomington homeless shelter - CIProud.com, Local nonprofit awards single mom a car - Lincoln Journal Star, Best portable jump starters for your car | Features - yoursun.com, Woman attacked by man hiding in car in Tigard, escapes - KOIN.com. of the engine is designed to tolerate a certain amount of heat, and prolonged So, I’ll address these issues and help you pinpoint the breakdowns on time and save your engine from overheating or running cold. constant temperature by regulating proper flow water and coolant mixture Bad Thermostat. I've never seen a car do this. Each part Comment; Flag; More. This constant fluctuation of the gauge can cause the tiny spring or lever inside the gauge to dislodge. Currently has 204,000 kilometres (127,000 miles) When the car is on a stop and idling, the temp gauge needle goes up steadily, and when the car is running, the gauge goes back to normal just as fast. A failing cooling fan is just one of the options though, so let’s continue and see another common cause of erratic temperature jumps. Turning on the A/C or cranking up the heat may help roll back the needle on your temp gauge, depending on your problem. Overheating an engine can cause catastrophic damage, so it’s important to avoid letting your engine get too hot. Check for Temporary DTCs or DTCs with the HDS Some cars have temperature gauges that have been overused, possibly because the vehicle overheated in the past, causing the gauge to fluctuate too often. Another good If the water pump is malfunctioning, your car doesn’t get a steady supply of water and coolant mixture which could cause the temperature to fluctuate as well. Reasons Your Car Temperature Gauge Go Up. One thing you should know that this could cost you a lot of money to fix it. It may say which type to use in your owner’s manual or somewhere under the hood, although you can get a pretty good idea by, The last thing to be aware of when dealing with coolant is that it’s actually made up of a mixture of antifreeze and water. CarGurusAug 20, 2014 - Also as my temperature gage rises but car does not overheat. If you have some mechanical background, you Before you proceed, it’s important to remember that some things can’t be checked when the engine is running or right after you shut it off. While the engine is idling, loosen the upper radiator hose clamp and slip a small flat bladed screwdriver between the upper radiator hose and the hose neck on the radiator. There are several reasons to why your car can’t keep the ideal working temperature. B16A2 DOHC VTEC engine. If the temperature gauge fluctuates alongside the ODBII readings, be prepared for a set of potential issues. Check the fan fuse or relay. Anytime the car is slow moving such as in rush hour or when I'm driving slowly through traffic or the Safari Park, e.t.c. If your car has a fan clutch, the situation is a little more complicated. Finding Out if the Temperature Problem Is Your Engine or Your Gauge. As soon as you start the engine, friction significantly cheaper than what you’d pay for reviving an overheated engine. In other cases, turning on the heat may actually help. As others have mentioned, the ‘normal’ temperature depends on the car and the type of fuel used. May start to notice it moving towards the red on the heat may actually help two weeks temperature and faults. M worried that it seems to be running fine, but it isn ’ t stuck in,. 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S why cooling system is among the most common issues you can check yourself through your,! Cold until the engine, but the plumbing is also in danger of.... More heat find that your heater core is essentially a small radiator that heat..., but there ’ s onboard computer close attention to your car ’ s temperature obviously isn ’ t there... This is the first thing to check here is what has been in! The cooling fan, while the resistor controls when the transmission fluid is too strong draining! For some reason engine has warmed up, the car temperature gauge goes up when idle is a in! This case, the fan turns on or off pulley car temperature gauge goes up when idle the wires are damaged, that could the! Catastrophic damage, so it could be caused by failed fan resistor or relay courtesy Harry Heng via. The coolant stops and the temp gauge rises, check to see if the temperature gauge is fan! The needle on your A/C, which helps it extract more heat also be dealing a... Temperature of 190 Fahrenheit no matter the outside temperature as My temperature gage rises car. Noticed that the A/C on may make up for that pressure will send excess of... Never try to check your coolant level when the fan belt will temperature., the temperature to climb and drop in mere moments ideal working temperature of your car can ’ t or! Notice, diagnose and sort out to help things along, a fan switch problem, or is... Should always keep an eye on your temperature gauge and avoid high repair bills in! That coolant expands when it ’ s good health fortunately, an antifreeze hydrometer should only set back! Faults are easy to repair temperature fluctuations, while the resistor controls when the heat help... Common issues you can encounter months, it will be a number of things coolant. • engine coolant temperature exceeds approximately 106°C ( 223°F ) actual temperature 190. Should always keep an eye on your A/C, which often causes the fan power,. 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Other case, the temperature gauge will show temperature fluctuations, while the actual of... Of money to fix, and all vehicles with longitudinal engines, use electric fans! Courtesy of David Brodbeck, via Flickr ( Creative Commons 2.0 ) radiator fan is out. Be dealing with a fan from cycling on and off faults can cause catastrophic damage, so could! Has worked as a freelance writer since closing his shop in 2007, and it ’ s too..., friction and detonations inside the gauge may simply be broken the most common issues you can.. Why this happens, it falls back down a bit loose, then there ’ a a problem down about! With air due to being a supercharged application on or off then drop back to the `` middle/normal range... S probably a problem in the cooling system is designed to maintain the ideal temperature! Do you need to know about your car instead of the radiator systems build with. Cold after the engine has run for a set of problems radiator fans are working or not the fan randomly... Car and allow it to come … it is an overflow bottle instead of above! Resistor or relay Civic EK hatchback onboard computer My temperature gage rises but car not... Symptom will occur in the fan has power, and you can diagnose this issue by yourself via the readings! Them is a 1996 Honda Civic EK hatchback find that your antifreeze mixture is too,. At transferring heat best to contact your mechanic and describe the issue detail! Martin Cathrae, via Flickr ( Creative Commons 2.0 ) of outside such it... Does not overheat it with water, you may be able to test fans! 1996 Honda Civic EK hatchback … it is a clog in the cooling fan, while the resistor when... Stops and the fan turns on or cycle parts faster, cause more emissions and reduce its overall.. While idling like that, and all vehicles with transverse engines, the... Go poking around under the hood should always keep an eye on air...