I have a 1997 Saturn SL-2, but I got it used and don''''t have the owner''''s manual. For the first year I had it the normal position on the temp gauge seemed to be at about one-third of the way up, or between 10-11 o''clock (if the gauge were a whole circle instead of a half-circle). This was consistent with my experience in every previous car I''''ve owned.

But a while back, even before we got warm weather, it started getting up to the top of the gauge (12 o''''clock), which I assumed was too hot. However, I haven''''t ever had it boil over or SMELL hot. Naturally I''''ve been checking the coolant and oil levels frequently and both are always fine.

So today I called my Saturn dealership to discuss the problem and the consultant informed me that a 12 o''clock reading on the gauge was well within the normal operating temperature and that it can even go well beyond that without indicating a problem. So I didn''''t schedule a repair visit.

But this is still bothering me. In every other car I''''ve ever owned (mostly GM cars, but no previous Saturns) a 12 o''clock reading is too hot and indicates a problem. Are Saturns different, or is the repair consultant mistaken? If there''''s a problem, obviously I want to have it fixed but I also don''''t want to pay for an unnecessary visit. Thanks!

Edited by: FeMerican

It''''s fine within the realm of reality for the S Cars.

Have you ever had the coolant flushed?
You said the levels are fine but does coolant ever disappear?

Also has ECTS ever been changed? IF it is the original it most certainly has cracked and is giving incorrect temp readings to the PCM and the gauge.

DerfEdited by: derf

I''ve only had the car for a year so I don''t know. How can I tell whether it''s been changed?

How many miles on it?

Did the previous owner give you maintenance records for the car? If it was maintained at a Saturn dealership, the records can be pulled and printed for you simply by asking.

If the service history is unclear flush the cooling system and replace the ECTS and connector. When you pull it, if the tip is resin (plastic), it''''s the original and requires replacing. If it is brass, it is the 2nd generation design and should be ok. The exception is if the owner before you was too lazy/cheap to replace the connector when they replaced the etcs, and coolant from when the original failed had gotten into the connector and continued corroding the terminals that connect to the sensor.

Are you losing any coolant as a function of time?Edited by: derf

I have the exact same car and mine is running at the 1/4 mark all the time (if you call 12 o clock the 1/2 mark) which should be the normal range. When mine started running higher than the 1/4 getting up to the 1/2 mark i actually had a bad water pump. So the 1/2 is definetly not normal.

I would suggest either a coolant flush or replacing the sensor. Since it seems you havent had any loss issues or overheating id start with the sensor. Also because its the cheaper thing to do first.

Many thanks to you both for the replies. Now that I know my temp gauge really IS registering too high, I''m going to take it in to the Saturn dealership for at least a diagnosis and go from there.

Thanks for educating me a bit and steering me in the right direction!

My 95 SL2 usually hovers between 1/4 and 1/3 and idling it kicks it up to
3/4. Normal for me. Btw this is Alabama weather... Hot as hell.

There sure is a wide variety of "normal" temps on our Saturns, isn''t there? I took the car in question to the dealership and they told me everything checks out fine.

They said that midpoint on the gauge (needle pointing straight up) is the normal position and that it can even go substantially further to the right in very hot weather, going uphill, etc. and still be okay.

So I guess all my worrying was for nothing. Thanks so much for all the input!