Hey guys,
I recently got my radiator replaced due to the common issue of radiator crack, luckily i had an extended warranty. But my question is, were does your temp gauges sit at?
Normally for mine it will sit around the 1/2 and possibly up to 9/16 mark in town with a/c on and given it is hot outside, but when i am driving on the highway it will get up to around 5/8?!
Any suggestions or ideas on what could be wrong or is this common?

Thanks

 

I sit just a hair over half when hot and I'm in Florida. Depending on what others say is normal, maybe a thermostat issue?

 

Check your coolant level. City driving on a hot day, you are reading normal. On the highway, should be the same or less. Take a garden hose and spray condenser/radiator area, flush it out good.... Other than that, your fan clutch may be getting worn. GL

 

I have never seen any fluctuation,after warmup, in two h3 I have driver in cold and hot stop and go driving,none.

the thermostat sets the temp. once warm it will not go down. if it goes up,its an abnormal condition. the therm will just open and keep it the same constant temp.
my two h3 never quite made half way up.
I think I read 195 on a scan tool. it would change a few degrees but not enuf to see on the gage.

if it changes,the therm is letting it by malfunction.

 

My alpha runs between 1/2 and 3/4 in the 90*+ humid summers in South Carolina. I understand that GM replaced the cluster with a dummied down gauge that doesn't dance quite as much. Apparently having a gauge that shows fluctuations upset people.

 

Yes, there are several of us who's gauge is between the 1/2 and 3/4 mark. The only way to really tell what your temp is is to get a reading on the temperature to see what it actually is. Even though our gauge might be at 3/4 the actual temperature is within normal operating range. Don't go changing anything until you see what the temp actually is.

 

thanks for the comments.
ya, i just find it strange that it is fluctuating like this. But when i drive on the highway at night, its perfectly fine!
It is my first summer owning this vehicle and I live in iowa, and iowa has some dreadful summers, its been over 100* with heat index these last couple weeks (cooling down a bit now)
I should just call the mechanic that did my radiator replacement and see what he thinks

 

Honesty you would flip if you saw how much variation there actually was. OEMs use dummy gauges. Real mechanical gauges are another world.

 

Mine sits at the 1/2 mark for normal driving unless it is really hot here in Alabama - on those occasions it may go slightly above.

As for towing, I tow my boat on the weekends (about 3,000 lbs) with my H3 (2007 I5). Going up steep hills while towing will push it up to the 3/4 mark, but it has never gone beyond that. It goes back down closer to the 1/2 mark on straightaways and downhill.

 

The temp gauge in the dash of the H3 is just an idiot light with a needle. If it is not in the red, the truck is not overheating, that is basically its function.

Wherever else the needle may point from one H3 to another is nothing more than an approximation. This has been the topic of many discussions.