2002 SL2 Temp Gauge Failure

Yesterday night I was driving my 2002 SL2 (35K miles, just out of
warranty) home and noticed the temp gauge pegged in the red. Yikes!!!
The fan was running and the engine was running smoothly, so I figured
thermostat, I was almost home anyway...

I let it cool off overnight, in the morning the coolant level was right
where it should be, no sign of leaks or overflow, and plenty of coolant
in the lower hose.

Started the motor, and cold it immediately jumped to 3/4 temp, then as the
motor warmed up it crept into the red.

Called the oh-so-helpful Saturn dealer (who had already replaced the BCM
and engine coolant temperature sensor this year) - they couldn't look at
it for several days, so I took it to a local shop.

Local shop thought it was a sensor associated with the gauge, they ordered
one. Went to pick it up this afternoon, they said all the sensors were
fine, that the temp was right around 190, the BCM was sending 190, but the
gauge refused to read the right temp. As the instrument cluster is a
single board, their diagnosis was that the gauge was bad on the cluster.
And that only the dealer could provide a new cluster, probably for about
$1.2K. Yikes!!! The rest of the instrument panel was tested and is fine.

Needless to say I was not happy, even less happy was my wife (who drives a
just-out-of-warranty 2001 LW300 when it's not in the shop).

Called the dealer, no help there, they said that they'd never seen a gauge
fail, but they'd be glad to rediagnose it for another $100 or so before
replacing the cluster for $500 plus labor plus tax. No help offered,
despite the low mileage.

So I'm weighing my options. Even if I liked the dealer, they wouldn't be
getting a grand from me for a gauge!

Used clusters seem to be not much, at least from what I see on eBay, so
next stop may be my local junkyard. Failing that, perhaps a stand-alone
gauge?

OD

 

You might want to give Saturn Customer Service a call (the number should be
in your owner's manual or you should be able to get it from the dealership).
If you're a regular customer of the dealer's service department, as, the
manager or service rep to put in a good word for you with Saturn Customer
Service.

 

I got sick of waiting for the computer to turn on the fan on
my '94 sc2. It waits too long. I got a thermostat
switch from jc whitney that is adjustable and clamps on the
radiator. I set it to turn on the fan at a little over halfway
on the temp gauge. Now the engine is much happier, and I have
backup!

Fred

 

Let me know how that works for you.
You still have the original spec thermostat, right? Don't want the engine to
run too cool as the coolant temperature sensor will enrich the fuel mixture
and disable some of the functions that are off during warm-up like EGR.

My son just installed an electric fan on a '67 mustang and used the same
switch. Nice operation but I recommend putting a sleeve over the skinny
sensing line to protect it from abrasion. Also put some RTV or caulk around
the sensing bulb that is stuffed into the radiator fin. Will keep it from
vibrating and wearing a hole in the core tube.