Is my cluster bad? fuel gauge and temperature gauge are not working?

before doing anything else check the coolant level in the radiator to be sure you have enough coolant.

With the ighition off check to see if the guage goes to zero. then turn the ign. switch on (but do not start the engine) to see if the guage moves at all (if so guage is working).

check for 5 volts at the coolant temperature sensor (located just below where the top radiator hose connects to the thermostat housing) it has an orange/black wire going to it. Unplug it to see it 5 volts are present. if so, momentarily (split second) ground the wire while a partner watches the guage to see if it "jumps" if so the guage is working. Next suspect the sensor as being bad.

The fuel gauge and temperature gauge are not working; needles are below zero. Will it correct the problem if I change the cluster assembly and will it worth replacing it? Thanks so much.

This is typical when the cluster goes out. When this happens in the shop we remove the cluster and send it to be rebuilt. Here is a video that shows the job being done on a similar car:

https://youtu.be/_HEC44xENxw

Please let us know what happens.

Cheers, Ken

just bought van with knowledge of the thermostat needing replaced... bought from the 2nd owner since 80,000 miles... now has 253700... my issues are is that i replaced thermostat drove fine with barely hot heat for about 300 miles... now temp gauge jumps hot to cold, also have had it flushed and a new coolant sensor..drove fine for 50-60 miles and now temp gauge is either extremly high or really low...mild warm heat,,, drives awesome still... getting frustrated...

Get the radiator cleaned by a radiator repair shop.

would that cause my temp gauge to bounce around? im not losing any antifreeze as in intake or a head gasket problem.... would a water pump have any effects???

radiators will cause temp gauges to pendulum.

thanks i am replacing thermostat again tomorrow and continue to bleed the system aswell as checking into getting radiator cleaned

o replaced thermostat and have heat in front but not back is there a bleeder valve for the back heat system

temperature gauge on dash always reads cold never moves. tested thermostat thermostat is good replaced temp sender. Flushed coolant system. Still no reading. What do I do from here? Thank you.

still giving me same problem would intake gasket do it?

I would suspect the gauge itself in the instrument cluster. If the vehicle never got up to operating temperature then this would trigger the service engine soon warning light to come on. So I don't think the issue is the engine's cooling system. Does the gauges cycle when you turn the ignition switch from off to on (engine not running)?

All gauges respond except temp. Also read about a ground test (touch green wire contact on temp sensor connector to ground key on engine off) and gauge did not respond.

It should of moved. There are some businesses that will repair these instrument clusters or replacement is required to fix this issue. Depending on what you want to do, you could wire in a new aftermarket temperature gauge.

Engine Cooling problem
1999 Chevy Venture 6 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

changed thermostat,bled both bleeder screws..changed low coolant sensor,changed water pump and the coolant gauge still rises then normal,rises to red,then normal ,then low coolant light on,then off,level goes back up then down...any idea whats the problem?

I am assuming this all happens while sitting. If not post back and we can rethink it.

As a test, warm the engine for about 10 minutes (do not let it overheat of course). Set the parking brake, depress the brake pedal and if possible set a wheel block down. Next, press the gas pedal until the engine is up to no more than 1500 rpm and monitor the temp gauge for about 5 minutes. Again, do not let it overheat.

Post back with the results and we will determine the cause.

Regards,

My van has a cooling system problem. During Idle, after my van gets up to operating temperature,my temp. guage fluxuates between 3/4 to red hot with the warning light. Seems to only happen while @ idle. The temp. guage goes down to almost normal but slightly fluctuates while driving at normal speed. The fans are working and it is full of antifreeze. Not sure how to bleed the air out of the system. Replaced the thermostat before winter and it had heat. The A/C however has not worked since we bought the van a couple years ago. Not sure what I need to do next. Help?

My first thought would be that there is air in the cooling system. If this van has the 3400 V6 engine it, there is going to be a bleed valve on the upper radiator hose housing, the second one is on the passenger side of the vehicle. Its on a tube that runs around the motor. Its going to be a black metal line. You want to crack the lower one first and bleed the air out. You want only a steady stream of antifreeze. Once the air is bled out of that one, crack the one higher up. Make sure there is a steady stream there also, refill radiator and overflow tank. While running and the cap is off of the radiator, check to make sure that the antifreeze is coming back out the top, the only concern I have is with it being a 3400 V6, the odds of it needing head gaskets are likely. Hope this helps you out some, let me know if there is anything else.

The van is a 3.1 liter. What is the procedure to bleed the air out of that size engine?

The 3.1 or 3100 vs. 3.4 or 3400 are virtually the same, the bleed out procedure should be the same. Except on the 3100 the bleeder is on the passenger side, on the top of the motor. It is on a a black metal tube, next to the power steering pump. Check to make sure coolant is full, and start the vehicle. Once it gets up to normal operating temperatures, crack that bleeder open slowly. You should have a small amount of coolant coming from bleeder. Let it bleed a few seconds then close it, and wait a couple minutes. Then crack it again and repeat this process until there is no more air in the system.

Will give that a try. Thank you sir.

As titled. My temperature gauge is reading low. It used to run in the normal range. And now about %90 of the time it will show between 100 and 125. I had a bad water pump. I replaced that. And the thermostat at the same time. Took it to have the radiator flush. I know the gauge is working correctly. And not stuck. Because I have seen where it is normally at and seen it move after this low reading issue stuff started. Also did a gauge test just to rule that out. I have flow going through the radiator. Did a few test to confirm that. Such as inferred laser to track heat temperatures in different areas off the radiator. Squeezed hoses got all the normal stuff that should be happening with a unclogged radiator. So I am pretty sure that is okay. No leaks anywhere. So not losing coolant. Fans work. I have seen them come on. Without turning on the A/C. Problem is they will not come on often because the temperature is reading low. So the computer is telling the fans it is okay do not turn on. No symptoms of failing or blown head or intake gasket. No power loss. No stalling. No misfire. There is a very slight rough idle while in park or sitting at lights. But second the throttle is pushed it goes away and runs very smooth. Part of this i suspect is because there is a dirty intake I took off and cleaned the throttle body. But still the slight rough idle. I did see a ton of carbon inside the intake. So my plan was Toby new plugs and wires. Do a Seafoam intake cleaning. Then change my plugs and wires. So I know that needs cleaned. But the low reading thing has me stumped. I have tried include as much information as I could. To maybe get some insight as to pin point this issue. I have seemed to look at the coolant temperature sensor. Because I have most of the symptoms of a failing. One. So really my question is. Has anyone really heard of a failing sensor giving a low reading? My car. Only has one sensor not two. So it controls everything including the gauge. However, I am reading that they will thrown a check engine light and or cause the car to overheat. Mine has not done either. I live in Phoenix Arizona and it winter now. But it is still seventy degrees outside and I have done freeway driving. Long drives. And still no overheated. No fluid loss. If I go for a long drive. The gauge will still read low. But when I get where I am going. I will leave the van running and pop the hood and the fans will be on. And it do not smell hot or like it was even starting to get to hot or overheat. So again. I am stumped. I cannot let it go. It will be 110 or more degrees outside soon. Gauge has to work correctly. When I get paid I am going to replace the stuff I outlined in my post. Someone, anyone, help. Insight please.

No problem, hope it helps. Let me know if the problem is solved or if you have any further questions.

You are way overthinking this. You got a dud of a thermostat. It happens all the time. It is stuck open, allowing coolant to constantly flow at full speed, and keeping the engine from warming up. Replace it again and you should be good to go.

Keep us posted.

check radiator for cold spots if you feel any then the rad is bad. make sure engine and fans are off or disconnected.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. However. I am pretty sure that is not my issue. Due to the fact that when I replaced the thermostat the first time. It was fine. I took it out tested it. And it opened and closed when it should have. I replaced it anyways. But these issues started when the old working thermostat was still in it. Also, even if there is a bad thermostat. Those most of the time will not affect a low reading temperature gauge. And if they do. They will go to hot. If it was stuck closed. If it was open. Once the van got to temperature the coolant passing the coolant temperature sensor would still give me a reading as to the temperature. Not read 100. Not sure about that. It is reading low. That is my issue.

I gotcha. I am out right now but will check all data again when I get home and see if there is something we are missing. Usually the simplest answer is the right one so that is why I was thinking thermostat. And if the thermostat is opening too early or sticking open, the car will never get to any measurable temperature on the gauge, especially not in the winter. In the middle of summer it would, eventually.

Well I reread your question and do think that your coolant temperature sensor has to be the problem. I would ask though, how is the heat in your van? Is it blazing hot? Lukewarm? Or non-existent? Hot heat indicates a working thermostat, and tells us that the problem likely electrical (sensor, wiring, or gauge). Non-existent heat indicates a thermostat that is stuck open (or possibly an unrelated HVAC problem, but we will assume that that system works fine for our purposes). Lukewarm heat likely indicates that the thermostat is opening too early, but is opening and shutting in a decent manner.

A coolant temperature sensor is a thermistor. Basically, as it warms up, it conducts electricity with lower resistance. The PCM supplies a base voltage, and then judges coolant temperature based on the amount of resistance in the sensor (as measured by the lower signal voltage being returned to the PCM by the sensor). So, using a multi-meter and removing the sensor, you can heat it up and then measure the resistance in it to see if it is accurate. I am attaching a list of resistances as they translate to coolant temperatures.

Just bought a really nice used 1997 Venture, and noticed the temperature gauge will not read at all. Needle is slightly below the cool side, and does not budge although the vehicle has plenty of time to warm up. Am I looking at replacing a gauge, sensor, fuse, or something worse?

Hi fubarbun and TY for the donation

Inspect and test the coolant temperature sensor and its wiring if okay could be the gauge itself is out of calibration

[quote:346ecfb840="rasmataz"]Hi fubarbun and TY for the donation

Inspect and test the coolant temperature sensor and its wiring if okay could be the gauge itself is out of calibration[/quote:346ecfb840]

Thank you for your prompt reply! Please forgive me being new to this forum, but how do I go about checking the calibration of the gauge? Is this something I can do myself, or do I need to request the services of a shop with a computer? I would assume that if I just outright replaced the sensor, it would be a "no brainer" as far as removing that part of the equation. I have a friend who is a certified mechanic, however he has nothing to read computer/sensor related problems, and we have just replaced these things in the past to bypass the need since ususally they are cheaper than the headache of guessing.

I am not experienced with this particular make of Mini Van, but as far as early '90s Plymouth Voyagers are concerned, I almost feel qualified to answer most things about them...lol

Thanks again, and please let me know if I am asking for things that are considered out of forum etiquette!

Kelly :)

Lets get that mechanic friend to check and test the CTS for a start. If okay replace the gauge after the wiring to it checked out to and from the guage

My coolant temperature gauge on my 1997 Chevy Venture indicates a very high temperature ( in the red zone) when the car is idling or when I am stopped at a traffic light....the car starts to hesitate like it was going to stall. When I am driving the car, the coolant temperature gauge indicates a normal temp. My Venture has about 90.5k miles and it is a 3.4 liter 6 valve engine. Any idea what it could be? Thanks

Thanks for the quick response, I figured it out myself.

you figured it out?? what was it?? I have the same issue and have replaced so much and still does it??? Help.......