# What is a normal coolant temperature?



## raleigharner (Dec 8, 2015)

While driving today my P3 Cars Gauge read 220F. Is that normal?


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## [email protected] (Jun 11, 2014)

raleigharner said:


> While driving today my P3 Cars Gauge read 220F. Is that normal?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


That is perfectly normal. The standard coolant temp gauge in the dash stops at 190 unless the temperature goes significantly above that, then it will move.
They average it out to 190 so that people don't freak out that their temperature is lower than "normal" one day, but higher than "normal" on another.


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## raleigharner (Dec 8, 2015)

[email protected] said:


> That is perfectly normal. The standard coolant temp gauge in the dash stops at 190 unless the temperature goes significantly above that, then it will move.
> They average it out to 190 so that people don't freak out that their temperature is lower than "normal" one day, but higher than "normal" on another.


Ok great thanks! Yeah I noticed on the VW gauge it goes red at 260F so obviously I'm no where near that. It was about 92 degrees outside too. What temperature should I watch out for? Like 240's?


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## The1Bill (Dec 8, 2009)

raleigharner said:


> Ok great thanks! Yeah I noticed on the VW gauge it goes red at 260F so obviously I'm no where near that. It was about 92 degrees outside too. What temperature should I watch out for? Like 240's?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


I normally see 95C - 98C. That's 203F - 208F. When I autocross, I can see 104C - 105C, which works out to 219F - 221F, if it's hot out and the course is on the long side. If I saw much more than that, I'd work on cooling it off.


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## raleigharner (Dec 8, 2015)

The1Bill said:


> I normally see 95C - 98C. That's 203F - 208F. When I autocross, I can see 104C - 105C, which works out to 219F - 221F, if it's hot out and the course is on the long side. If I saw much more than that, I'd work on cooling it off.


Yeah when I'm driving normally I see 210 at most but when I drive it hard and it's hot outside it'll go up to 214-216. I'll just make sure to keep an eye on it. Thanks


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## suspicionofignorance (Jun 13, 2017)

Interesting......Idiot gauge....lies to us unless "it" feels like showing the actual temps..? Then we're the idiots...My guage never moves above the 190 mark...and today was 95 deg and I was in traffic...crawling..


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## The1Bill (Dec 8, 2009)

suspicionofignorance said:


> Interesting......Idiot gauge....lies to us unless "it" feels like showing the actual temps..? Then we're the idiots...My guage never moves above the 190 mark...and today was 95 deg and I was in traffic...crawling..


Most people would be worried if the needle went further than halfway, supposedly. That logic didn't apply to the tach, speedometer, or fuel gauge, fortunately, but it means you need something else (like the P3 or the Polar FIS) to get the real coolant temperature.


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## suspicionofignorance (Jun 13, 2017)

The1Bill said:


> Most people would be worried if the needle went further than halfway, supposedly. That logic didn't apply to the tach, speedometer, or fuel gauge, fortunately, but it means you need something else (like the P3 or the Polar FIS) to get the real coolant temperature.


 "Most " people --should be "All" people should be worried if their temps was rising, Probably oil pressure dropping lower too...[oh gosh, no gauge]....Only owned this car 3 days...was impressed, but now less so...False information , planned that way....sounds like VW's same attitude on diesel emissions , trick the readouts to pass inspections....Whoops, that costs them $ billions..


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## WILLCCU (Oct 26, 2015)

I have a P3 in my 2015 CC and normally, it will be 203* and that’s year round. I did see it creep up to 210* the other day but geez...it was 118* outside temp! 
Jeff in Phoenix, Arizona


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## suspicionofignorance (Jun 13, 2017)

Well....my CC is older, more miles, and prior owners...Just thinking it would be nice to know real coolant temp, and oil pres....Back in the 60's we called these "Idiot Light" dashboards...Has anyone ever tried to
add a mechanical temp and oil pres gauge to these [where and how to tap in]......Maybe mount it out of the way...like in the small drivers compartment under dash...?


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## The1Bill (Dec 8, 2009)

suspicionofignorance said:


> Well....my CC is older, more miles, and prior owners...Just thinking it would be nice to know real coolant temp, and oil pres....Back in the 60's we called these "Idiot Light" dashboards...Has anyone ever tried to
> add a mechanical temp and oil pres gauge to these [where and how to tap in]......Maybe mount it out of the way...like in the small drivers compartment under dash...?


I'm not wild about the failure modes of mechanical oil and coolant gauges - more so on oil gauges. I have the Polar FIS, which does a good job of giving me an actual coolant temperature. As for oil pressure, I could take a look at the available parameters, but I have not tried to put Oil Pressure up on the screen yet.


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## jddaigle (May 30, 2003)

suspicionofignorance said:


> "Most " people --should be "All" people should be worried if their temps was rising, Probably oil pressure dropping lower too...[oh gosh, no gauge]....Only owned this car 3 days...was impressed, but now less so...False information , planned that way....sounds like VW's same attitude on diesel emissions , trick the readouts to pass inspections....Whoops, that costs them $ billions..


Every single car manufacturer does it this way. Some just have lights that go on when the car is cold or hot. Some have nothing at all except for a message that pops up if it overheats. Temp gauges have been this way for _decades._


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