92 degrees F outside. Engine feels very hot to touch. Can only leave my finger on the aluminum parts for a second or so before it hurts. Even the alternator feels hot like this. I noticed the radiator fan didn't come on at idle, even after the hot engine was idling for a few minutes - I thought this was odd behavior. However if I turned the AC on (or the flow knob to the defogger) then both fans went on at low speed, then occasionally went to high speed momentarily, then back to low speed - they never shut off as long as the AC was on.

When turning the key to the ignition-on position, the red coolant temperature light comes on for a second - as the owners manual says it should. To show that it is working. Then it shuts off. It never comes on when the car is running - even when driving for an hour at over 60 mph in 92 degree F weather with the AC on. The red coolant temp light also didn't come on in 92 degree F weather when I turned the AC off and the defogger off for 5 minutes. Of course I don't know what the fan does when the car is moving. I never saw steam ever escaping from the radiator. Took a trip without problems - 3.5 hours each way - except the engine did seem rather hot to the touch. Dipstick too. Fingers hurt if I left them on the metal part of the dip stick for more than a second or so.

Any comments? I wish this car had a water temperature gauge instead of just an idiot light.

In 80 degree F weather, the car when cold only has to be driven about 1/4 of a mile before the green water temp light goes off.

I did have a minor collision a week ago. Hit an empty 5 gallon plastic paint bucket at 70 mph. Dragged it along under the car, about halfway down the car's length, for a few feet before I stopped the car, jacked it up, and pulled it out. When I got home I noticed that the horizontal piece of plastic behind the the lower radiator grille was loosened by the collision. It's piece number 12 in the linked diagram. Described as "front bumper air duct (lower)." The clips, they are tabs molded into the part, pulled out where they attach to the grill - part number 2 in the diagram. Under the "duct" is a length of AC tubing. The piece is basically still in place, just not firmly attached. (I need to eventually pull the bumper cover off and look at it.) This piece is a few inches below the bottom of the radiator though - below the level of the horn. The temperature sensor, on the bottom of the radiator, is on the other side of the radiator.

Brought the car to the dealer and told them about hitting the bucket (I was on my way there to get an oil change when I hit the bucket) - they said the car was fine. They said they just needed to replace a couple of plastic push clips on the lower shrouding. They didn't say anything about the horizontal piece working loose.

 

"Doc, it hurts when I do that."
"Don't do that."

The engine and everything attached to the engine can be anywhere from 180*F to 1000*F at operating temperature. Don't touch hot things, you'll get hurt.

Normal.

Normal.

The radiator fans don't need to run until the bottom tank of the radiator reaches about 212*F. Any air movement through the radiator can cool it enough to reduce the need for fan operation, and the fans rarely ever run while moving down the road, unless the AC is on. The AC always takes control of the fans regardless of and independently of the coolant temperature, but the coolant temp will still keep the fans running if the coolant temp demands it.

The fans WILL run once the bottom tank of the radiator reaches about 212*F, then shut off when the temp reaches about.....maybe 200ish.

All normal.
If you are ever driving along and the red coolant warning turns on or flashes, STOP and shut the car off. See your owners manual.

I think the cold light is blue instead of green though.



Buy a Scangauge or Ultragauge.

 

Idiot lights? I haven't heard that term in ages. The displays on current autos are nothing more than digital idiot lights. The days of analog gauges are gone. Even the Scan and Ultra gages are digital representations.

 

If you have an android phone, for a few bucks, you can get the bluetooth dongle that plugs into the ODBII port and provides all kinds of data, including temps using free torque lite/pro app.

 

You're the idiot if you believe in temperature gauges in automobiles.

 

Thanks for the info ezone. Blue, green? One of those. Yes tbFit, I want to get some sort of ODBII port data reader thing. I don't have a Android phone. I don't like small screens. Probably I'll update my ancient laptop to a newer one and get am OBDII dongle that plugs into the laptop or makes a bluetooth connection to it. I like big screens and full keyboards. I don't like touchscreens.

 

It's not a simple analog dial you can glance at, but the data presented is dead nuts accurate, the exact same values the PCM sees.
No buffering or dummy like most gauges these days.

 

WAGs and SWAGs, like the gas gages, lights, dots, and range. At best, pay attention lights and displays. Beats nothing, but not by much.