[cruze1953]

Hi group I was working on my 2011 cruze eco and was monitoring engine temp on scan tool just to see how the gauge was calibrated, small marks are 10 degrees up to 1/2 scale,first mark or cold is120, then I noticed that the temp was going up and the gauge stopped, I have yet to see it move beyond 1/2 scale during any of my driving.7k miles, and it never seems to fluctuate from there. Anyway I let the temp increase to 235 degrees, cooling fan came on but dash gauge still read 1/2 or 198 degrees. Coolant temp unhooked was -40 and shorted was 283 degrees F.system seems ok but the gauge is useless beyond 198 degrees.
Anybody else noticed this yet, does your gauge go beyond 1/2 or drop back during thermostat opening or cooler running???

 

[maven]

The gauge is just a basic representation of coolant temp. Halfway just means normal. It won't go up noticeably past half way til about 238 or, then jumps from half to pegged very rapidly in about 20 degrees. They do this because they don't want people concerned about there coolant temp. If it showed 220+ all the time they'd have t explain to all the "mechanics" out there what is acceptable and what isn't, why its regulated so high, how it isn't bad etc.... its much easier to just have a gauge that shows cold, normal and hot. Don't worry, the car will set a check engine light if something is truly wrong, and when it REALLY is hot it will tell you.