reefinedLuxeery

I have a '96 3.5 RL with just over 200k miles that has been a very solid and dependable car so far.

Recently, however, I was returning home after having driven about 10 miles and noticed my temperature gauge was all the way up to maximum. The temp outside was only 40-50F and the fastest I had driven would've been about 40mph. It didn't make any strange noises, smells, or perform/handle any differently and when I got home I felt the engine and it didn't seem abnormally hot. So I didn't worry too much and figured it must just be an electrical fluke or something.

The next evening I needed to drive down the street to the store, keeping in mind the car had been sitting in the shade all day and the outside temp was in the 40s and the car hadn't been run in over 24 hours, but the instant I started the engine the temp gauge immediately jumped to the halfway mark. Within one block it was all the way to maximum so I turned around and parked my car and haven't driven it since. I checked the engine when I got back home and it was still cool to the touch.

There are no signs of fluids leaking under my car, and I checked all my fluid levels-- everything was fine except the coolant reservoir was a little bit below the Min level.
Could not having enough coolant in the reservoir have really caused the engine to be at maximum temp after only driving one block, or does this sound more like thermometer/electrical issue?

Thanks so much for any advice.

acura35rl

yes exactly, I was going to indicate that the coolant level has a lot to do with that gauge. I had the same problem when a small leak in my radiator gave me the clue there was a problem. Fill the radiator with the car on full and vamoose the car is fix. keep in mind to always check for leakage.....

reefinedLuxeery

Thanks, comforting to hear that it may just be a quick solution.

I've always thought that you add coolant to the reservoir when the engine is cold, but I should have the engine running?

reefinedLuxeery

So I filled the reservoir to just below the Max line and started my car, the temp gauge instantly went to half-way mark again and started rising as I left it running. I turned it off before it could reach the top incase it actually was overheating, but it's definitely still acting weird.

I've done some more searching and found something like this could (possibly?) be caused by air trapped in the system and to try bleeding it. I found These Instructions for refilling and bleeding.
I can't do a full drain and refill at the moment, but I was wondering I could just do Step 8 (the bleeding part) of the instructions to test if bleeding the system will work for me?

Thanks again.

3.5RLv-tec?

iTrader: (2)

My sister civic had a similar problem like this. The temp. is normal while driving, however, when ilde or at stop light the temp. goes all the way to max. We fixed it by replacing the radiator and the thermal stats. Hope that's help.

reefinedLuxeery

Just for a follow up incase someone else searches this problem: it turned out that my gauge cluster that was the problem.