The Temperature Gauge

Some cars have temperature gauges, and some have indicator lights. The purpose of these temperature viewing devices is one of extreme importance to you while operating your vehicle, because you need to monitor the temperature of your coolant at all times. The temperature gauge, or indicator light, is installed on the dash or control panel of your car. If this light comes on, it indicates that something has gone terribly wrong in your engine. A temperature gauge gives you more of a complete picture. It gradually moves from "Cold", when you start your engine, up toward the "Hot" indicator. Usually this type of gauge will have some type of marking (like RED) to show you when you are approaching the danger zone. When your engine is happy, it will usually move up to (and stay put) somewhere in the middle. If it advances into the "red" zone, STOP and let it cool down. Give the engine a rest for half an hour with the hood up. DON'T REMOVE THE RADIATOR CAP UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLS OFF. Don't pour water over the engine, this can crack the block. When the engine has cooled off, check the water level, start the engine, then fill it up with water or antifreeze. When you get to a service station, have the problem fixed as soon as possible. Temperature increase can sometimes indicate problems not directly involved with the cooling system. Some vehicles have indicator lights instead of gauges. These are more difficult to monitor, since nothing much happens until there is a problem. Indicator lights are located in the control panel or dashboard. Some cars have a "Cold" indicator light. This will go on when you start the car, and go out when normal operating temperature has been reached. The "Hot" light goes on when the car is overheating. This light is designed to light up at 5 to 10 degrees F below the coolant's boiling point. This light tells you to STOP before the engine is damaged, let it cool down, and have the problem discovered and fixed. Indicator lights have one other feature, called "prove-out." This means that when you turn the key in the ignition switch, the lights should go on for just a moment to "prove" that they are functioning, and that the bulbs haven't burned out. It is very important for you glance at them each time you start your car to make sure that they are in working order. Suppose your "Hot" indicator light bulb has burned out. If your engine is overheating, it won't be able to tell you. As a result, you'll go driving on your merry way to engine damage city without a clue. Your first clue will be a "knocking" or "pinging" sound during acceleration, and at that point, it's usually too late to prevent serious damage.