Q: Temperature gauge keeps spiking and then going back down to normal is that an electrical fan issue or a thermostat issue

Hi There, It sounds like you may have a faulty thermostat or potentially a cooling fan that may not be cycling on and off properly. As you know, the thermostat regulates the flow of the coolant in your car’s engine and controls when the coolant flows in and out of the motor from the radiator by opening and closing at specific temperatures. When your thermostat is not working properly or is stuck closed, this will not allow the coolant to properly circulate through the engine, which may cause the engine temperature to fluctuate erratically or in some cases just remain hot. When the thermostat is stuck open it can cause the coolant to circulate constantly resulting in the motor never reaching the correct operating temperature. I would suggest having an expert from Your Mechanic come to your home to diagnose your cooling system.