Why does my temp gauge rise to red during initial acceleration?
Asked by cmatt168 Oct 08, 2015 at 03:59 PM about the 2003 Toyota Camry SE
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
When I first accelerate to highway speed from my car being off all day/overnight, my car's temp gauge rises into the red but then quickly goes back down to normal and remains so for the duration of my drive. Any ideas?
5 Answers
If you've done any work on it lately, like new radiator or water pump, then air might be your issue. If not, I would check fluid levels and if good, I would then replace thermostat. If original, it would be a good idea. Post back with results..........
migration_Lastchance... answered 8 years ago
I agree with Reelin68. The engine thermostat is a likely cause of this issue. It may be a little lazy opening at the specified temperature...then...finally opens and operates properly. You should not neglect this issue for to much longer. If that thermostat fails to OPEN and remains Closed......you will have a mega malfunction which can result in an overheated engine...blown head gasket......warped head...cracks etc.........big $$$$$$$$ repairs.
Turned out I had a coolant leak around the water pump. The morning after I posted I checked my reservoir and it was empty. I nursed it over to a shop and got the pump replaced, gasket, and thermostat replaced along with a system flush. So far so good. The thing I don't know is where the coolant actually went. It wasn't on the garage floor. Anyway, thanks for the help!
Glad you caught it before it really over heated! Good eye!
