I recently test drove Toyota Camry and some Subarus. I do not know about other car manufacturers but I noticed that these cars were not equipped with the engine temperature gauge. I was so puzzled when I first noticed it. The salesperson at a local Toyota dealer told me that in the winter, when the RPM needle goes down to one after starting the car, that is when you know the car is a bit warmed up. I was thinking, "huh?" Does it have to do with the fuel economy in the winter that people tend to warm up their cars longer than necessary? Are the cars these days designed and built to not overheat at all?
No Engine Temperature Gauge?
- Thread starter LOLVO
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A lot of consumers now do not want all those gauges, especially on an econobox type car. Besides when the cars actually did have gauges they were just set up to go to middle as soon as the temp hit a certain point and stay there unless the car was overheating. There will be a light that will come on or start flashing if the car overheats.
Originally Posted By: LOLVO
I Are the cars these days designed and built to not overheat at all?
As has been said, you'll get a warning light if the car overheats.
I Are the cars these days designed and built to not overheat at all?
As has been said, you'll get a warning light if the car overheats.
Super long life coolants and frequent car ownership changes means it's doubtful the original buyer will ever have a problem with overheating. Stuff doesn't fail like it used to.
IMO gauges have gotten useless; they are programmed to show dead center so as to not confuse the consumer. For me I'm kinda insulted by that, and would rather not have the gauge if they are going to do that.
Scangauge or Ultraguage or ELM327/whatever Bluetooth thing it is + Andriod tablet/smartphone will get temp gauge and more.
IMO gauges have gotten useless; they are programmed to show dead center so as to not confuse the consumer. For me I'm kinda insulted by that, and would rather not have the gauge if they are going to do that.
Scangauge or Ultraguage or ELM327/whatever Bluetooth thing it is + Andriod tablet/smartphone will get temp gauge and more.
My xB is like that, it has a blue cold light and a red hot light, my code scanner will display the actual ECM-seen temperature (blue light goes off at 140F). Just an excuse to buy a Scangauge!
I prefer my chevy gage clusters. I want to know if somethings up.
Not all gauge clusters are programmed to show the "mid" range but it does seem somewhat common nowadays.
Most of today's drivers are clueless as to how to interpret a gauge anyways.
I guess it's just one reason NOT to buy a particular vehicle.
Most of today's drivers are clueless as to how to interpret a gauge anyways.
I guess it's just one reason NOT to buy a particular vehicle.
Cost cutting.Remember all those 70s cars that only had a speedo and gas gauge? Maverick/Comet,Granada/Monarch/Versailles,and those low end GM rigs (Nova...etc).That wasnt done to make the customer feel better...it was cost cutting,with the gauges optional.Buy a Rally Nova,Vega GT,and get the gauges.
Originally Posted By: LOLVO
I recently test drove Toyota Camry and some Subarus. I do not know about other car manufacturers but I noticed that these cars were not equipped with the engine temperature gauge
Check carefully. Our new RAV4's temperature gauge is in the "digital" part of the cluster where the odometer is.
The RAV4's "gauge" consists of a tiny rectangle that moves rightwards along a line as the engine heats up. Hokey and hard to monitor.
I recently test drove Toyota Camry and some Subarus. I do not know about other car manufacturers but I noticed that these cars were not equipped with the engine temperature gauge
Check carefully. Our new RAV4's temperature gauge is in the "digital" part of the cluster where the odometer is.
The RAV4's "gauge" consists of a tiny rectangle that moves rightwards along a line as the engine heats up. Hokey and hard to monitor.
I know the trend and it drives me nuts. Coming from the marine world I'm used to their being lots of gauges, that tell you just about everything you could think of.
GM like in the truck posted above still does a good job, and they are real gauges. Not the kind that Ford uses that just sit in the center.
I love the W140 gauge cluster. But Mercedes got rid of the real temperature gauges because people were complaining about it increasing, when say you get off the highway on a hot day and sit at a light. Which it does. Same with the oil pressure gauge, people don't like it when its real and moves as the RPM's do.
GM like in the truck posted above still does a good job, and they are real gauges. Not the kind that Ford uses that just sit in the center.
I love the W140 gauge cluster. But Mercedes got rid of the real temperature gauges because people were complaining about it increasing, when say you get off the highway on a hot day and sit at a light. Which it does. Same with the oil pressure gauge, people don't like it when its real and moves as the RPM's do.
This 2014 Camry has a coolant temperature "gauge".
A friends 62 impala ss409 has a green light when its cold and a red light if too hot. Just like an xbox!
The 2012 Camry has a temp gauge.
Loved all the gauges in my mustang. At least the fusion gives me a lot of info when I look for it. I would love numbers but it's whatever.
Originally Posted By: NHGUY
Cost cutting.Remember all those 70s cars that only had a speedo and gas gauge? Maverick/Comet,Granada/Monarch/Versailles,and those low end GM rigs (Nova...etc).That wasnt done to make the customer feel better...it was cost cutting,with the gauges optional.Buy a Rally Nova,Vega GT,and get the gauges.
But now it's a computer output and if they don't want to put in a transistor driver for an analog needle they could at least put it in the pile of things you cycle through with the odometer readout/ reset button. And maybe they do. My HHR has the precise temp AND a completely numb gauge. Got 'er up to 228'F when the fan came on, gauge sat at 7/16 like it aways does.
Cost cutting.Remember all those 70s cars that only had a speedo and gas gauge? Maverick/Comet,Granada/Monarch/Versailles,and those low end GM rigs (Nova...etc).That wasnt done to make the customer feel better...it was cost cutting,with the gauges optional.Buy a Rally Nova,Vega GT,and get the gauges.
But now it's a computer output and if they don't want to put in a transistor driver for an analog needle they could at least put it in the pile of things you cycle through with the odometer readout/ reset button. And maybe they do. My HHR has the precise temp AND a completely numb gauge. Got 'er up to 228'F when the fan came on, gauge sat at 7/16 like it aways does.
Get a Scan Gage, plug it into the OBD port and program the parameters you want.
They will display in a digital format. Its nice to know if something is going south before it happens.
They will display in a digital format. Its nice to know if something is going south before it happens.
My 2014 Mazda has a light that shows blue during warm-up, turns off when at operating temperature and shows red when Hot. I prefer a real gauge but, at least I have some indication. Ed
Originally Posted By: Eddie
My 2014 Mazda has a light that shows blue during warm-up, turns off when at operating temperature and shows red when Hot. I prefer a real gauge but, at least I have some indication. Ed
I'm strongly considering installing A-pillar gauges; coolant temp, oil temp, oil pressure.
My 2014 Mazda has a light that shows blue during warm-up, turns off when at operating temperature and shows red when Hot. I prefer a real gauge but, at least I have some indication. Ed
I'm strongly considering installing A-pillar gauges; coolant temp, oil temp, oil pressure.
Hello, I like the "triple" gauge in hattaresguy's post on p.1. I just like it.
You want dashboard change trauma?...drive a Tesla as I did last week.
I HATE the expression "awesome". The Tesla is truly awesome.
Mega-bomb, righteous, totally far out, completely new, entirely novel yet somehow familiar and easy to cope with. Kira
You want dashboard change trauma?...drive a Tesla as I did last week.
I HATE the expression "awesome". The Tesla is truly awesome.
Mega-bomb, righteous, totally far out, completely new, entirely novel yet somehow familiar and easy to cope with. Kira
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