Hi all

I'm here with the same problem. As I've said before when I turn the engine off the temp & fuel gauge needles jump back up to half way. Now I know the fuel gauge is working because the fuel is registering ok but the temp gauge never moves any higher than half way. I sat with the engine on for over half hour both and the hoses got quite hot but the temp gauge didnt move from half way and the fan didnt come on. I've also noticed that the battery was showing a red light as well as the green is that normal I thought it was just green when the battery had charged up.So is likely to be the themostat or something else hopefully the latter as I know that wont be an expensive job. This time next week I will be driving to wales so I would like this problem to be fixed before I go, will make me feel better knowing the car is ok.Other than that the car is running really well. Please help

zev

mk1 focus?

they temp gauges on these are far from accurate, unless the engine is absolutely roasting - i mean well over the running temperature the gauge will not move.

also the radiator fan doesnt kick in until about 110C (i cant actually remember but i know its quite high)

sitting idling, the car will only reach around 100C so the radiator fan wont kick in, it seems the radiators themselves are quite good.

as for the battery, the magic eye should be green, if its reading red then replace it but only with a lead calcium type battery.

if the magic eye is red, the chances are the battery is not holding charge like it should be.

mk1 focus?

they temp gauges on these are far from accurate, unless the engine is absolutely roasting - i mean well over the running temperature the gauge will not move.

also the radiator fan doesnt kick in until about 110C (i cant actually remember but i know its quite high)

sitting idling, the car will only reach around 100C so the radiator fan wont kick in, it seems the radiators themselves are quite good.

as for the battery, the magic eye should be green, if its reading red then replace it but only with a lead calcium type battery.

if the magic eye is red, the chances are the battery is not holding charge like it should be.

Thanks , the gauge does actually move from 0 -to half way in about 10 minutes so it is actually moving as such ,it just doesnt go any higher than that.Probably me thats just a worrier. I will change the battery just thought a bit strange for both lights to be on as you say it's possibly not charging properly. Yes I think it is a mk1 focus.

zev

Thanks , the gauge does actually move from 0 -to half way in about 10 minutes so it is actually moving as such ,it just doesnt go any higher than that.Probably me thats just a worrier. I will change the battery just thought a bit strange for both lights to be on as you say it's possibly not charging properly. Yes I think it is a mk1 focus.

zev

i spoke to ford rtoday and they seem to think there are 2 settings when the cars not moving it should come on at 98 when driving it should come on at 106/110 however another ford dealership couldnt confirm or deny this and said all were different so the mystery goes on

he did say with the car idling it should come on and that the rad has nothing to do with it as theres no cool flow through it when the car isnt moving so the fan should be cooling it down otherwise the engine will be so hot you could barely touch it so who knows

i spoke to ford rtoday and they seem to think there are 2 settings when the cars not moving it should come on at 98 when driving it should come on at 106/110 however another ford dealership couldnt confirm or deny this and said all were different so the mystery goes on

he did say with the car idling it should come on and that the rad has nothing to do with it as theres no cool flow through it when the car isnt moving so the fan should be cooling it down otherwise the engine will be so hot you could barely touch it so who knows

Hi,

Thanks I will have to get someone to look at it to make sure all is ok.

zev

Hi, As you can proberbly tell I know next to nothing about cars. Someone told me to turn the aircon on and the fans should kick in and they did. Does this mean that the fans are working. The temp gauge needles is still staying at half way so is this likely to be athermostat problem or something eles. I'm driving from manchester to north wales next week so I dont want any problems while I'm there or any big garage bills before I go. Any ideas or am I worrying too mch.

zev

the fact that the fan turns on when you switch the aircon on prooves that the actual fan is working, there could still be a thermostat problem because the fan always comes on when the aircon is on no matter how hot/cold the engine is, its not thermostat controlled.

having said that my focus's temp needle never goes above just under half way on the guage, i think thats just how hot mine gets

the fact that the fan turns on when you switch the aircon on prooves that the actual fan is working, there could still be a thermostat problem because the fan always comes on when the aircon is on no matter how hot/cold the engine is, its not thermostat controlled.

having said that my focus's temp needle never goes above just under half way on the guage, i think thats just how hot mine gets

Thanks I'm new to fords my other cars temp gauges soon got up and the fans kicking in.the focus obviously has a better engine and does'nt over heat easily. but as i said both fans are working with the air con so not a fan problem. if my engine should overheat which is prbably unlikely. if I turn on the heaters will that help to take some of the heat out of the engine,Or turn on the aircon to get the fans working. Would like to know just incase I have aproblem.

zev

Thanks I'm new to fords my other cars temp gauges soon got up and the fans kicking in.the focus obviously has a better engine and does'nt over heat easily. but as i said both fans are working with the air con so not a fan problem. if my engine should overheat which is prbably unlikely. if I turn on the heaters will that help to take some of the heat out of the engine,Or turn on the aircon to get the fans working. Would like to know just incase I have aproblem.

zev

you could turn the aircon on and tell the car to blow hot air out of the blowers to maximize heat dissapation i guess, its probably fine though. Not the same as a focus i know but the fans barely ever turned on when I had my mk4 fiesta and the temp guage never went above half way, even on a long journey. i suspect its fine :)

if your worried about it though i would keep an eye on the guage and next time you do a long intensive jouney up the motorway, have a look under the bonnet when you pull up n see if they are running (thats pretty much the only time mine would come on and it never seemed to overheat)

you could turn the aircon on and tell the car to blow hot air out of the blowers to maximize heat dissapation i guess, its probably fine though. Not the same as a focus i know but the fans barely ever turned on when I had my mk4 fiesta and the temp guage never went above half way, even on a long journey. i suspect its fine :)

if your worried about it though i would keep an eye on the guage and next time you do a long intensive jouney up the motorway, have a look under the bonnet when you pull up n see if they are running (thats pretty much the only time mine would come on and it never seemed to overheat)

ok thanks lol

zev

the gauge does actually move from 0 -to half way in about 10 minutes

That's quite a long time. Is it a diesel?

These days gauges are driven by the engine control computer so you can't rely on them showing the true temperature. Basically as long as the computer detects the temperature is in the acceptable range it sets the needle at about half-scale. Then when the engine overheats it immediately sets it to full-scale, so you don't get any warning that things are going wrong. They might just as well go back to the old warning light for all the good it is.

That's quite a long time. Is it a diesel?

These days gauges are driven by the engine control computer so you can't rely on them showing the true temperature. Basically as long as the computer detects the temperature is in the acceptable range it sets the needle at about half-scale. Then when the engine overheats it immediately sets it to full-scale, so you don't get any warning that things are going wrong. They might just as well go back to the old warning light for all the good it is.

no I have a petrol, but I'm told that the temp gets quite high before the fan kicks.

zev

If it really takes that long to get to half-way then it could indicate the thermostat is stuck open. That might also explain why the fan didn't cut in when you left it for half-an-hour as it would have taken a longer time to get up to temperature. Even without the fan running there will be a degree of cooling from the radiator and hoses, especially if you have the bonnet open (you didn't say whether you had).

If it really takes that long to get to half-way then it could indicate the thermostat is stuck open. That might also explain why the fan didn't cut in when you left it for half-an-hour as it would have taken a longer time to get up to temperature. Even without the fan running there will be a degree of cooling from the radiator and hoses, especially if you have the bonnet open (you didn't say whether you had).

The temp needle gets to half way within 10 mins less if driving. I had the engine on for half hour the needle didint move any higher neither did the fan kick in. Yes the bonnet was open ,and both hoses heated up.Now as you mention it praps if I had had the bonnet closed it may of heated up quicker.

zev

"If it really takes that long to get to half-way then it could indicate the thermostat is stuck open."

I personally think 10 mins for the engine to heat up to its operating temp is about right, i wouldn't say it was a particularly long time

"If it really takes that long to get to half-way then it could indicate the thermostat is stuck open."

I personally think 10 mins for the engine to heat up to its operating temp is about right, i wouldn't say it was a particularly long time

half an hour without the fan kicking in would indicate a fault the rad cant cool that effectively to be honest so ide have it checked out mate even with the bonnet open half an hour is just ridiculous both tye hoses at that time should be roasting hotwhen im driving from cold it takes about 3 minutes to get to the warm mark 5 to get to halfway

Hi,

I think the themostat must be working, I think with the weather being so warm and I was out and about for a couple hours this morning the fan finally kicked in even though the needel didin't move past half way. So now back to square one I've no idea why the needels jump up to half way when engine is off. But I will get it looked at when I'm off work next.

zev

"If it really takes that long to get to half-way then it could indicate the thermostat is stuck open."

I personally think 10 mins for the engine to heat up to its operating temp is about right, i wouldn't say it was a particularly long time

I've had the battery tested and it registered as good charge.

zev

your car should get to temp more quickly than you say, they are right in saying the themostat is sticking open, it a cheap and easy job to change it for a new one, when you have a temp problem the frist thing that you look at is the themostat. (the themostat should come with a large o-ring that fits around the themostat don't use the old one as it will more than likely leak)..

Alz