Yikes! My temp gage just flipped out! Need advice

[Qualitywires.com]

I started my car up today and haven't drove it for about a week. I noticed that the the temp gage was pass the 250 degree mark and I only had the car running for about 10 mins. I checked the hosein the car and it was still mushy and there didn't appear to be any sign of over heating. What should I check for? Do I have a bad water temp sensor?

Would Air in the system cause this?

 

[TomMiriViper]

May be a bad thermostat. Have you ever replaced the current one?

 

[NDW]

Check your cooling fan - make certain that it is running. If it isn't, check your cooling fan relay. You can switch it out with your starter relay after you start the engine to see if the relay is defective.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

May be a bad thermostat. Have you ever replaced the current one?

It's not over heating.

 

[SapphireGTS]

Mine did the exact same thing. Its temp gauge was pegged and I drove it for about 20 more mins. The car didnt seem to be overheating. When I got home I could hear my coolant boiling.

This my not be the case with yours but I wouldnt rule it out.

You can stick a 180 degree tstat in when you do your roe blower.

 

[slaughterj]

The problem is, not driving you car for a week!

 

[joe117]

Let it cool to air temp. Then start it up and see what the gage does.
If it pops right up to 250 on start up, or moves in any jumpy way, it's probably the sender.

If it seems to climb up fairly fast, you need to check the thermostat or the fan.
I'm wondering how the hoses could be soft if the thing really was at 250.

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Hi Adam, it's part number 4848110, the temp sender sensor (about $50), it's located under your left throttle body! I've just had to do mine (same happened). You'll need a deep 1" socket, and you can get away without draining the whole cooling system down, I just drained about 2-3 litres! I tested the sensor and found it to be a faulty reading sending to the gauge (wiring info is in the manual), it sends to the gauge separate to the PCM, ie doesn't send via the PCM. (If it's not the sensor the sender wire to the gauge could be shorting out, this will cause the same max reading).

 

[DChan415]

Nadine, is that the part number for the 4 wire coolant temp sensor/sender combo switch?

 

[Nadine UK GTS]

Yeah, that's the 4 wire sensor, not the earlier single.

 

[Qualitywires.com]

Thanks Nadine! I thought it might be a faulty sensor. I will have to call my tech to order one. It's under warranty.