Temp Gauge at about 60% but Steady???

I bought my 2001 Tacoma 18 months ago and have put 15,000 miles on it. During this time the temp gauge has always stayed above the typical ~40% mark (seen on most cars and all the toyotas I've ever had) at about 60% but has never moved...not even in 95F+ weather with two motorcycles in the back doing 80MPH for extended periods of time.

I'm at 98,000 now and just had the timing belt, water pump, and thermostat changed out a couple thousand ago. The tech who worked on my truck said the truck was staying at the right temp (195 to 205 if I remember correctly) but thought my radiator was on its way out (HOT at the top, cold at the bottom).

Anyway, where does everyone else's temp gauge sit? I never worried about it because it never moved. Should I get the actual temp checked once summer roles around to see if it is in fact running hot (but steady)? Other thoughts?

Thanks!

 

That's about where my temp gauge sits.

 

Don't really recall, I'm thinking about the half way mark, but heat kills. Have a new radiator installed and then have a mech put a gauge on it and find the truth. Investing all that money in the engine will prove fruitless if it only get cooked by a faulty rad.

 

thats where mine is

 

I never would have guessed that. Did it strike you as odd when you got the truck? I've had other toyota trucks and other brands too, they all sat around 40%

I'm going to flush it out really well and see how it performs (I can check it easily by hand). The tech indicated (once the manager had left) that I could probably extend the life significantly by flushing it out and keeping an eye on it. And again, the tech said it was within spec and the thing has never moved.

That's about where mine is too. Thanks for the post.

 

I don't see it as strange, that's where it's been since the day I drove it off the $tealer's lot. IIRC, that's how it is on my wife's Honda Pilot as well.

 

Looks normal/same as the photos show,mine also,and yes it did seem a little odd at first.

 

Even the Japanese Toyota tech thought it was high. I'll just flush the rad cause it needs it anyway and stop wondering about it.

Thanks everyone.

 

Mine sits right where yours is. Now I just wish I could get mine running again.

 

My 99' V6 has sat consistently warm at around the 55-60% range for as long as I've had the truck.

 

Thats where my gauge runs all of the time. Always ran there since new, no matter if I am towing enclosed race car trailer or 9000 lb bobcat. 2003 tacoma 3.4L V-6

 

Yeah, mine has always been at the 55-60% range.

 

I'm officially not worried about it anymore...haha.

 

agree with pic. I thought it was a little odd when I first got my truck. I am used to temp gauges riding at the halfway point or slightly below.

 

I seem to be the only one here who's taco's temperature sits on the lower part of 50%. It stays there steady and never moves either even when I am towing a trailer or hauling stuff.


~Brian

 

My temp gauge just quit on me today. Any one know where the sensor is? I`m sure it`s just a pulled wire. Had some swamp grass stuck up under there and may not have been careful enough when I pulled it out. When it was working it did sit a bit above half. Under all conditions.

 

my 02 taco 2.7 sits at 40%.60% does seem high? need a thermostat?maybe

 

my temp gauge sits there too... a little above halfway. I think the 2.7L gauge's run lower than the 3.4L gauges. my buddy's does and I just read the post from the guy with the 2.7 saying that his sits about 40%. I bet the actually temperature is about the same I bet though. I just think that the gauges are calibrated different or just setup different. just my opinion, but just to ease some people's minds, my truck has NEVER had a heating problem.... and the gauge has sat there ever since I bought the truck.

 

It's just a gauge! If you took 50 gauges from 50 cars no two would be exactly the same. The only way to determine if something is wrong is to have the dealership check the actual temp of the coolant to see if it's within specs. You did that and it's fine. Flush it out, can't do anything but improve.

 

I used water wetter every coolant flush and mine sits at about 45% always