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Don't try and explain it away as a function of the analog to digital conversion, it's a simple case of lazy or intentionally deceptive programming and there's no excuse for it.
Mine can be off by more than 40 degrees, that's terrible.
Like has been said, the gauge is an idiot light that looks like a normal gauge (because idiot lights are so 80s).
If the gauge is in the middle, there's nothing to worry about, so to speak.
If you want to know the exact temperature of your coolant, click over to the digital readout.
Simple as that. If you think the gauge is ever going to be accurate, you need to reevaluate your expectations.
Like has been said, the gauge is an idiot light that looks like a normal gauge (because idiot lights are so 80s).
If the gauge is in the middle, there's nothing to worry about, so to speak.
If you want to know the exact temperature of your coolant, click over to the digital readout.
Simple as that. If you think the gauge is ever going to be accurate, you need to reevaluate your expectations.
Why should I re-evaluate? The gauge has calibration numbers not an L and H, it should read correctly. Do you have confirmation from GM this is working as intended or just making assumptions and passing it off as fact?
I will be bringing it up with GM customer service as an improperly working gauge.
It might be minor but it bugs me and obviously others hence this thread.
Why should I re-evaluate? The gauge has calibration numbers not an L and H, it should read correctly. Do you have confirmation from GM this is working as intended or just making assumptions and passing it off as fact?
I will be bringing it up with GM customer service as an improperly working gauge.
It might be minor but it bugs me and obviously others hence this thread.
Since every car does the same thing its assumed to be normal, unless the service manual describes the operation no one really knows for sure except the guys who programmed the ECM/gauge.
Why GM decided to use a 'dummy' gauge is beyond my pay grade. Its possible they are blending a couple different sensors/inputs (not sure if these have a cylinder head temp) and just showing you what the PCM wants you to see.
If you get someone in engineering to listen, also see if they can explain why the oil pressure gauge jumps around at a steady RPM when warming up. My guess its a self test for the variable oil pump..
Why should I re-evaluate? The gauge has calibration numbers not an L and H, it should read correctly. Do you have confirmation from GM this is working as intended or just making assumptions and passing it off as fact?
I will be bringing it up with GM customer service as an improperly working gauge.
It might be minor but it bugs me and obviously others hence this thread.
Why should I re-evaluate?
I will be bringing it up with GM customer service as an improperly working gauge.
It might be minor but it bugs me and obviously others hence this thread.
Because that's the way it is. There is NOTHING wrong with your gauge. As others have said, it's not really a "Gauge", just an indicator. EVERYONE on this forum who has ever responded to questions about indicated temps has said theirs reads at 220. It is a smoothed gauge as I and others have said. It will read 220 through a wide range of actual temps. Plug a Scangauge in or other OBD based reader, observe OBD reported (digital) temps and you will see this very clearly.
"Working as designed"....I doubt your dealer will gladly tear your car apart for this..Would you want him too?
Last edited by Modshack; Jun 21, 2014 at 11:04 AM.
dunno.... stay tuned....tomm morning...I understand the "smoothed" concept of the gauge but having false gauge is a bit of a sham in my mind....for a flagship/perf car....
photo shows OIL temp at 217, COOLANT at 208....the dummy gauge is for COOLANT....so it is just like all the others.
just like a broken clock is right twice a day, so will this gauge be when your coolant happens to be 220! this doesn't mean your gauge is suddenly working perfectly.....
How closely does your gauge track the digital readout during warmup?
Mine tracks about 12* off when warming up (analog gauge is high), once it reached the magic 220 mark it stays there whether the digital engine temp is 208 (where it normally is cruising) to 217-218* when driving it hard.
While I'm not really surprised at the 'dummy' gauge, thats been done for years. I'm surprised the only way to see the 'real' temp is on the tour dash. Would have been nice if one of the side gauges could be engine/water temp - but I guess if they did that people would complain the gauges dont match..
photo shows OIL temp at 217, COOLANT at 208....the dummy gauge is for COOLANT....so it is just like all the others.
just like a broken clock is right twice a day, so will this gauge be when your coolant happens to be 220! this doesn't mean your gauge is suddenly working perfectly.....
Yeah, I knew that, mark's was off 40 degrees, I was showing mine off by 10 or so,....
The pocket gauges up in sport can be coolant , and seem to follow the "smoothed" concept too....
This is why I only use the Touring --> Performance display for temps at this point. I almost never deviate from this screen....which kinda sucks because the analog speedo isn't that easy to see, IMO, I wish the stupid car in the middle wasn't there, I'd rather have the digital speedo readout there inside the tach with the temps all to the right.
OK Gurls....Here's a warm-up test. Scangauge connected, Digital dash reading up and comparing to the analog (fake) gauge. I observed the temps rising until the Analog showed 220 and snapped this picture. As you can see the Analog gauge (not a "real" gauge for those with earlier reading comprehension issues) Hits 220 when the real temps are as low as 181 shown here... This behavior is JUST like the past 3 cars I've owned ('11 Mustang GT, '11 GTi, '13 VW beetle) and many in the past where I've done this test. Seems an industry standard.
Chillax..
Last edited by Modshack; Jun 21, 2014 at 12:03 PM.
hmmm...my bad...thought i had set it that way once....I guess they figure since they give you the big coolant fake gauge, you don't need it again...LOL
