99 Maxima Temp gauge

Poloistic · Oct 23rd, 2009, 12:53 PM

I have a 99 Nissan Maxima, after driving for 2 minutes the temperature gauge is already in the middle. It drives normally for long trips, gauge does not move, no anti-freeze is leaking, antifreeze is in the radiator and reservoir at normal levels and not bubbling, Engine is not hot ? Randomly on short trips the gauge goes past the middle towards the hot marker but does not go past it and fluctuates? Is my temp gauge out of whack? Something else? Please help!

jdgrotte · Oct 23rd, 2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poloistic

I have a 99 Nissan Maxima, after driving for 2 minutes the temperature gauge is already in the middle. It drives normally for long trips, gauge does not move, no anti-freeze is leaking, antifreeze is in the radiator and reservoir at normal levels and not bubbling, Engine is not hot ? Randomly on short trips the gauge goes past the middle towards the hot marker but does not go past it and fluctuates? Is my temp gauge out of whack? Something else? Please help!

Get yourself a manual, find the 2 temp sensors, one is for the gauge, the other is for the computer. Pull the connector off the sensor for the gauge, the gauge should max out (hot). Pull the connector off the one for the computer and you should get a code for CTS. How about the air from the vents? Does it warm up also? If the air is cold from the heater when the gauge says it's warmed up, then you've got other problems.
Does the gauge work its way up to the middle when you drive the car for 2 minutes, or does it jump up there as soon as you turn the key? Reason I say this is because one both of my B14's, that's about all it takes is 2 minutes for the engine to warm up completely (and I live in ND), and assuming there are no failures (low coolant, water pump shot, etc), it stays right there at about 1/2 way up. I've had a scanner on it so I'm watching live data from the CTS and I can watch it warm up.

Poloistic · Oct 23rd, 2009, 05:58 PM

Actually after a min or two it starts to creep up but after 30secs or so it is in it's normal position at 9 o clock. The air does get warmer as it warms up. The troubling part is... Yesterday I took a 1 hour continous trip the stopped for a few minutes then started back for another 40 min no issues. This morning I drive the car for 10 min... The gauge first goes to the middle after a few min then a little after that methodically moves towards the H Level even but the engine is not running hot at all!

jdgrotte · Oct 24th, 2009, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poloistic

Actually after a min or two it starts to creep up but after 30secs or so it is in it's normal position at 9 o clock. The air does get warmer as it warms up. The troubling part is... Yesterday I took a 1 hour continous trip the stopped for a few minutes then started back for another 40 min no issues. This morning I drive the car for 10 min... The gauge first goes to the middle after a few min then a little after that methodically moves towards the H Level even but the engine is not running hot at all!

And what about pulling the wires off the sensors?
And how do you know the engine isn't running 'hot at all'? Did you put a thermometer in there somewhere? Would you know the difference between 190F and 240F? They're both pretty freekin' hot to me...