Mondeo Temperature Guage?

Question

Driving down the motorway on Friday night and the temperature guage shot straight up to the red.

Car doesn't lose coolant, no water/oil mixing, radiator fan comes on and off as normal, have stood there with the engine running and the bonnet up, the cars engine doesn't seem to be overheating and certainly doesn't feel any hotter than normal.

When I went out to the car yesterday, turned on the ignition, the temperature guage shot straight into the red (before the engine was even started), I drove a 300 mile round trip yesterday, car drove as it normally would, temperature guage at red the whole time but didn't seem to be overheating.

Basically the same when I drove the car this morning.

Checked the oil, coolant and everything else this morning, everything is as it should be.

Anyone have any idea on what could be wrong here?

Car is a 1994 Ford Mondeo 1.8 LX Estate with the 16v Zetec engine and always kept well serviced.

Answer 1

the temp guage gets it's info from a "sender".

This is a small probe screwed into the engine block, which in your case seems to have broken.

It is fairly cheap and easy to replace yourself, if you have the Haynes manual or similar.

Answer 2

its a faulty temp sender,or the wire has come off touching earth..

Answer 3

Fault will prob be the temp gauge sensor (screwed into the thermostat housing) disconnect the plug and turn ignition on,if gauge is at minimum then most likely cause,double check by connecting wire to plug to a good earth then if with ignition on gauge goes all the way up then it is the sensor!