Coolant temp gauge fault?

[Nadine UK GTS]

Just wondering before I pull my dash out if anyone has had experience of a faulty coolant gauge? My '97 has had the gremlins strike again! I'd run him real slow about a mile, waiting for him to come up to temp, and then suddenly his gauge shot upto max read, past the red!!!! I checked him out but he wasn't even up to normal operating temp, no leaks, no loose wires etc. As the sensor (in the head) sends to the PCM and I had no check engine lamp or fan operation, I'm thinking test the gauge for fault first, or the loom for a short? The gauge still reads max if from cold I put the ign on! All the more reason to install an oil temp sensor too now!

 

[DChan415]

Before you pull the dash, unplug the one wire coolant temp sender. If the gauge reads 0 with it unplugged, and reads max with it plugged in, its shorted internally. Otherwise, if the wiring between the sender and the gauge is shorted, it will read max also.

 

[DEVILDOG]

Maybe the guage got crossed up and is measuring your tire temps after your world famous burnouts! Above sounds like good info to try versus pulling the dash. Good luck.