[MarkC]

Those of us who splash a little diesel behind our ears before going off out on the pull, are very much aware that our engines are at their happiest and most efficient when they reach 90 degrees C running temperature. Having previously owned a VW Golf with an old school 'pointy' type temperature gauge, with 90 deg C prominently marked, the digital gauge in my minor-mid-life-crisis-coupe is something of a novelty.

I have noticed in the two months of ownership that the highest temperature registered on the digital gauge is the bar just below the 90 deg C mark. This is after long motorway runs over 50 miles each way at 70-80mph, idling in heavy traffic for ages and so on. Any other members with similar space age temperature gauges experiencing similar bar loss, or is it normal for the display to register just below 90 all the time?








Any wisdom gratefully received!! 

[AlanHo]

Perfectly normal - both my GD i30 diesels were the same.

Don't worry about it - enjoy a super car.

[asathorny]

Based upon very little knowedge but still having strong opinions I would venture to suggest that the gauges and dials are qualitative rather than quantitative.

In other words, if the cars running OK and there are no problems, I wouldn't worry too much.

OK now I shall get my tin hat on and await the air raid sirens   

[MarkC]

Many thanks for the information lads, I think I've got an old bottle of Tippex knocking around somewhere.....that will sort the missing bar out

[Shambles]

I'm also a "5 bar man", though in my younger days that meant something unrelated to the temperature scale

[asathorny]

I'm also a "5 bar man", though in my younger days that meant something unrelated to the temperature scale

A sniff at the barmaids apron and two wine gums and that'd be Steve flat out.....   FIVE BARS indeed 

[MarkC]

  

Badam, tssh!!

[Phil №❶]

Bar loss is only a problem if it continues and becomes dysfunctional. 

That display is normal and indicates a healthy cooling system. I don't have that type of display, but depending on weather, load, speed etc, there can be the appearance or disappearance of a bar due to cooling fan operation and natural airflow through the radiator.

Enjoy your car.

[Doggie 1]

Unless I'm mistaken, I only have bars and no numbers on mine. 
I'll have to check later when I'm in it.

[Phil №❶]

Unless I'm mistaken, I only have bars and no numbers on mine. 
I'll have to check later when I'm in it.

Er, You don't have numbers. 

Current Economy

[Doggie 1]

Unless I'm mistaken, I only have bars and no numbers on mine. 
I'll have to check later when I'm in it.

Er, You don't have numbers. 

Current Economy

See?
I was right.   

[Shambles]

I have the numbers..

[asathorny]

So you do......   

[tohis]

I have never seen mine to show more than 5 bars either. I have a cheap OBD reader which I used once to check what I can see, and it showed water temp rising up to 88 degrees.

My previous car (Nissan Almera) had an analog temp gauge which always rose to the very same position. However, I suspect that it was programmed to point that same position between 80 - 92 degrees or something, so the user would not worry about slight temperature variations.

[Phil №❶]

Perhaps it only has 5 bars, so no overheat, ever. 

[TheReaper]

Mines always had the same amount of bars

[tohis]

Today I put the OBD reader in again and watched from my laptop how the temperature rose. The first bar appeared exactly at 50 degrees, but then the fifth bar already appeared at about 73 degrees. After a moment the real temperature eventually rose to about 88 degrees. When I overtook a slower truck and accelerated hard for that, the temperature jumped up to 93 degrees and about 15 seconds later settled back to 88, but still the temp gauge didn't show 6th bar. I guess it should be closer to 100 degrees to get 6th bar appearing, and after that it will rapidly show more bars when the temperature rises up to dangerous levels.

[Dazzler]

I hope someone else was driving tohis! .. 

[Lakes]

I have the numbers..

You have a much cleaner neater , area on top of your steering wheel too Steve. don't the GD have a neat card storage like the FD?