So the highway was closed today and I got stuck in stop and go traffic for about 20 minutes. After maybe 10 minutes of this I noticed my temperature was 202!
I have a scangauge and my typical operating temperature is btwn 168-172, with normal being 165-175. I drive my car for mileage, so I don't bear down on the gas or overload the engine, so maybe that's why I havn't seen it go higher? I still think a 30 degree is highly excessive. I have never seen it reach 180 before. It was fluctuating between 195-207 for the remainder of the time I sat in traffic, even after I turned on the heat full blast. The engine hot light never came on though.

When I finally got off the highway my temp returned to normal, but went up to 180+ again pulling away from a red light. I took a back road home so I could pull over if I needed to. I watched it all the way home and once I got moving it did not rise above 172 again.

Should I be concerned? I plan on checking my coolant level in a bit, and I might call my service department tomorrow and see what they have to say. Anyone have similar experiences? Unfortunately, you have to have a scangauge to know what the temp is.

Fyi, outside temperature was about 70, but obviously the highway is unshaded. I had the windows open and was not running A/C.

 

Pretty normal. I've seen mine up to 205 degrees - that was when doing some datalogging . . . full throttle and part throttle acceleration runs up to 55 or so, with idling a minute or two between each one.

 

tho i have never seen temps that high i have noticed in stop and go it does run a bit hot... my theory (note this a completely un educated guess) is that when not moving there is less air flowing over the the motor so heat builds up... i wouldnt worry about 200 degrees tho, but check the coolant...

 

I assumed that's what was happening because the temp normalized once I started [and stayed] moving. However, if it gets up that high in a matter of minutes, in 70 degree weather, what's going to happen when I'm stuck in traffic for an hour, and it's 90?

 

No ScanGauge here but your car should be fine stuck in traffic at 90 degF. That's pretty much the regular temperature here and an overheating GD is a very rare occurrence where I live.

Apparently the engine really does run hot on our cars...the hood is just deceptively cool because of the insulation underneath. The fenders don't though and they're a better indicator of how hot the engine bay really is.

 

ive seen mine get to 215 before

 

if it turns on the red dummy light, stop the car. otherwise dont worry

 

that doesnt turn on till like 260 something

 

the green "cold temp" light also turns OFF way too early

 

that turns off at 125. it should be more like 150

EDIT: it's a blue light

 

**** it. its a dummy light, i dont ****in look hahahahahaha

 

also: reppppped!

 

hahaha i dont look either. i just notice a light turns off in the dash..

 

if the motor is too hot or its overheating an H will appear in red

 

normal is anywhere between 165-215..... the cooling system is pressurized so even if you were running straight water it could handle temps up to about 230 before the steam would boil out..


mine stays right around 172 but i have een it as high as 217

 

Normal.

Try re-programming your engine computer to kick in the fans at 186* F. You'll hate traffic even more then. Although the engine and A/C work a lot better when cooler.

 

mine runs at 182F went too 205 at long traffid toll booth 82f out,
went back quickly at speed.

 

I've noticed it go to about 200-204 with the higher outside temperatures.

I'm more around 180

Not the heater, the a/c. Something I learned from my old Chev Venture. Turn the a/c on to cool the engine ;-). It turns the fans on and the engine cools nicely. (Assuming nothing else is wrong) My Fit fan turns on about 204 with no a/c. The service manual says 199 but maybe 204 is close enough.

 

That's useful information. Is that in the manual somewhere?

 

When the car is moving the "ram air" is usually enough to cool the engine. When the A/C is on the radiator and A/C fans operate with the compressor to cool the condenser coil, which also cools the radiator. When you are not moving (with the A/C off) this cooling air flow is eliminated and you rely on the radiator fan to cool the engine. This fan does not come on until the coolant reaches 210*F and cycles off at 200*F. So sitting still temperatures above 200*F are normal. I have never seen mine above 215*F