Temperature gauge not working

[LgndKller20073]

My temperature gauge stopped working the other day. Read a few places that it's probably the sending unit. Bought a new sending unit, and even replaced the pigtail and it still doesn't work. When I take the fuse out and put it back in, all the gauges move and do their self check. The temp gauge moves about a quarter of the way, then goes back to cold. Does anybody have any ideas? Could I just have gotten a faulty sending unit? It's also the v6, not v8.

[cammed goat]

Either a faulty sending unit or maybe your thermostat is stuck open?

[LgndKller20073]

The car heats fine though, so I don't think it's the thermostat that's stuck open. It could be that something came loose behind the cluster? Is there anyway to test voltage to see if I have a loose wire or bad connection somewhere?

[cammed goat]

You could try ohming the contacts behind the cluster and see if there you have a short. You could have a bad cluster as well.

[LgndKller20073]

So I went out last night and it just started working again. I still have no idea why it stopped.

[2002ssslp]

sounds like a resistor in the PCB. If you have the specs for the surface mounted devices and you know how to use an ohm meter then have at it. I would locate a used cluster and try that first. If it is not the cluster then just put it back on Ebay or Craigslist.

[Smittro]

My 01 Camaro used to do the same thing then it would work again without issue..

I never fixed it proir to getting rid of the car.

I could never seem to track it beyond the cluster as I did the same as you did and replaced everything I could except the cluster and harness.

Another problem I was starting to have was both cooling fans would "stick" on sometimes when the temp guage would be bottomed out.

Same as you it never over heated, and I even tried disconnecting the battery without luck or change.

I was down to only concluding that there may have been and issue in the cluster and or the harness somewhere.

I searched @ length for this and never was able to draw any full proof conclusions so as it stands it's still a mystery..

[LgndKller20073]

My 01 Camaro used to do the same thing then it would work again without issue..

I never fixed it proir to getting rid of the car.

I could never seem to track it beyond the cluster as I did the same as you did and replaced everything I could except the cluster and harness.

Another problem I was starting to have was both cooling fans would "stick" on sometimes when the temp guage would be bottomed out.

Same as you it never over heated, and I even tried disconnecting the battery without luck or change.

I was down to only concluding that there may have been and issue in the cluster and or the harness somewhere.

I searched @ length for this and never was able to draw any full proof conclusions so as it stands it's still a mystery..

That's exactly what mine is doing too. The fans were constantly running while the gauge was bottomed out. It has to be in the cluster then. How often would yours work, then stop, then work again?

[Smittro]

That's exactly what mine is doing too. The fans were constantly running while the gauge was bottomed out. It has to be in the cluster then. How often would yours work, then stop, then work again?

It would pick times lol usually when the wife had it out..haha

But really only maybe once every 2-3 months never lasting more than a few hours each time.

I tried everything, fan relays, temp sensors, tracing wires as best I could, cleaning contacts, etc.

Aside from a new cluster, that was the last thing I had'nt tried, searched the internet for hours never finding any real solutions, so I just let it be since @ that point I was looking for a major vehicle upgrade..

[Smittro]

I will add though, it never once acted up till after I changed the alternator.

I cleaned every ground in the engine bay still having no luck.

It would just quit and work normal again as quick as it started..