Temperatur Guage Gone Haywire !

[katman]

Hi All,

 

Am a bit baffled by what started happening tonight in my Galaxy 2.0 Mk1.

 

Teperature guage suddenly jumbed by about 6mm then dropped back again. It did this several times and also at one point was fluctuating by about 2mm.

 

Coolant level is OK, car seems to be running at the right temperature and the heater is working perfectly.

 

A bit later it got worse. Sometimes indicating COLD, sometimes in ints normal operating position of sitting around the line betweeen cold/normal and sometimes at it "getting warm sitting in traffic" position around 6-8mm into the normal section. It never gets beyond the middle of the normal section and didtn hit that point today but it did bounce between its COLD and Getting Warrm In Traffic positions a couple of times.

 

Whe it changes like that the change is instantaneous, not a gradual change over 30 seconds or more.

 

I looked in the haynes manual and wiggles the two plugs that it indicates for the temperature sensors but we are away at a hotel at the moment and it was dark and only had the car park lights to see by. After burning my fingers and scraping the skin off my forearm I decided to call it a night.

 

Went for another drive and it seemed better but still fluctuated slighty although maybe I am being over sensitive now.

 

Any ideas on probable causes as we have a 200 mile journey home tomorrow !!!

 

Thanks

 

Keith

[?Bleeno?]

Change the sensor Keith.

[katman]

Thanks Bleano, will give that a try when I get home.

 

I went for another run last night and it seemed ok at first then flickered a little before deciding to fall to COLD for at least 5 or 6 miles. Just as I had concluded it had died completely, it sparnag back into life !!!!

 

Keith

[?Bleeno?]

Hi Keith ....... just found this under the FAQ and think you will find it very useful although this is for a Mk2 Tdi.

 

http://www.fordgalaxy.org.uk/ford/index.ph...amp;#entry98280

[tiny]

The temperature gauge sender unit on a 2.0 Petrol is located on the bottom of the thermostat housing, there are two sensors and the one for the gauge is the lower of the 2, positioned more towards the front of the car. Marked with a red circle in attached pic.

 

The part is

Edited February 15, 2008 by tiny

[katman]

Thanks for the info guys. Will go to the Ford dealer tomorrow and see if they have one in stock. It behaved perfectly on the journey home today, all 200 miles of it but yesterday it was just going beserk !!!

[fordprefect]

Thanks Guy's,

Mine has been driving me mad no problem for ages than tells me it's boiled over check coolant.

Calms down for a while days or weeks then goes bezerk.

Don't fancy the job it sounds like a nightmare but now can be prepared thanks 'Bleeno"

Electrics on this car just a nightmare.

Good old F.O.R.D

 

Hi All,

 

Am a bit baffled by what started happening tonight in my Galaxy 2.0 Mk1.

 

Teperature guage suddenly jumbed by about 6mm then dropped back again. It did this several times and also at one point was fluctuating by about 2mm.

 

Coolant level is OK, car seems to be running at the right temperature and the heater is working perfectly.

 

A bit later it got worse. Sometimes indicating COLD, sometimes in ints normal operating position of sitting around the line betweeen cold/normal and sometimes at it "getting warm sitting in traffic" position around 6-8mm into the normal section. It never gets beyond the middle of the normal section and didtn hit that point today but it did bounce between its COLD and Getting Warrm In Traffic positions a couple of times.

 

Whe it changes like that the change is instantaneous, not a gradual change over 30 seconds or more.

 

I looked in the haynes manual and wiggles the two plugs that it indicates for the temperature sensors but we are away at a hotel at the moment and it was dark and only had the car park lights to see by. After burning my fingers and scraping the skin off my forearm I decided to call it a night.

 

Went for another drive and it seemed better but still fluctuated slighty although maybe I am being over sensitive now.

 

Any ideas on probable causes as we have a 200 mile journey home tomorrow !!!

 

Thanks

 

Keith