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Q: Temperature gauge maxed out

asked by on November 19, 2016

Hello, so I had the check engine light came on and I had the codes checked out and it was a thermostat replacement, so I did that, replaced the thermostat, reset the computer and the check engine light has yet to come back on, the problem I'm having now is the temp gauge is maxed out on hot, but after running the car for a while, the car doesn't seem to be over heating but that gauge is killing me, heard something about a temperature sensor switch under the thermostat housing and was wondering if that was the problem, I know you can test it with a currency meter but I have not done this yet, any ideas?

My car has 145000 miles.
My car has a manual transmission.

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If the temperature gauge is pegged all the time, the problem is electrical. While the issue could be with the gauge or wiring, the most likely cause is a failed temperature sending unit. The sending unit is located to the side of the thermostat housing on the driver’s side of the engine. It’s possible that the sensor or connector got damaged or disturbed during the thermostat replacement. If you decide to have a professional diagnose and repair your temperature gauge, the team at YourMechanic would be happy to help.

Ford
gauges
Temperature
1998
L4-2.0L
Escort
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