StriderTacticaL

Ever since I went to the track last Thursday, Afterwards I realized that when I start my car for the first time of the day, the coolant gauge does not work at all. After I drive for like 10 minutes, the needle eventually shoots up to around the middle where it usually is.

Has anyone else experienced such a problem or know the fix?


Thanks,
Brandon

Sxynerd

In a 2004 that's not good. 99+ has only one temp sensor for the ecu & gauge as they share the duty. If you haven't noticed your car running in loop, keep your eye on it and try and either get a new sensor or find the short.

StriderTacticaL

What doyou mean by running in loop? Basically when I start my car for the first time of the day then the coolant gauge is like dead. After a while of driving, it slowly creeps up to the normal place which usually around the middle.

562cobra

i believe that is normal, mine does that too.

if the engine is cold, it's not going to read normal operating temperatures right off the bat.

normal.

n0th1n2kn0vv

I have the same problem with my 96. It doesn't work for the first 5-10 minutes or so, then it shoots to a little over halfway.

Not sure why it does it though. Maybe a bad sensor or connection.

StriderTacticaL

I'm not sure whether or not it is normal. I am pretty sure in the past once I start my car even for the first time of the day, the coolant gauge will start shooting up, it just takes some time to get to the middle area, but it does start shooting up right away and not look dead.

n0th1n2kn0vv

My guage stays below C for around 5 minutes, then shoots up to halfway. It cant be normal for a car to do that. If you figure out the problem, let us know so everybody can try to fix it..

562cobra

my 97 and my 03 are the same. but it is normal

n0th1n2kn0vv

If it is normal, then how would you tell if the engine is not getting coolant and overheating in the first 5 minutes of start-up?

562cobra

i could tell cus when i go to work in my car, i park up and a couple hours later my temp gauge is a little under half, meaning the car was cooling down.

i don't know if the OP has gone to the store for a couple of hours, then returned to his mustang seeing that his temp needle isn't all the way down, if he hasn't i suggest he does this. only way you can make sure it works without actually doing anything.