Heater issues...

[petrified.rabbit]

the sensor for the gauge is positioned where the fluid gets hot. The open thermostat would keep the fluid fron retaining heat through the external parts of the system, like the heater core, bottle, etc..

if the gauge reads hot, your actually over heating the car, if it reads cold, the car isnt running or there is no fluid.

[Daox]

Guess that means the Aveo temp gauge is no more informative than an idiot light... they could have saved a couple $/car.

The car likely was warmed up, just not fully up to temperature. Without something like a scangauge you'd never really be able to tell what your exact temperature is.

[rodo]

The car likely was warmed up, just not fully up to temperature. Without something like a scangauge you'd never really be able to tell what your exact temperature is.

Yeah, even the old cars that had their gauges calibrated in degrees were not that accurate. However, there are still a number of cars and trucks with temp gauges that show relative changes very reliably - like when when a lower temp thermostat is installed or one fails open. You can tell on these cars whether or not it is reaching the target/"normal" operating temp. Though more are probably like the Aveo and keep the gauge for the "coolness" factor even when it doesn't tell the driver much more than what an idiot light could.

I was kidding about saving $/car, even though GM probably could. I still prefer the gauge because, unlike an idiot light, it's easier to notice when it has failed. How many people do you suppose actually check for missing idiot lights before they crank their engines? But then, I also appreciate the tachs that are left on automatics even when there are no sports shifting options.

[rodo]

if the gauge reads hot, your actually over heating the car, if it reads cold, the car isnt running or there is no fluid.

Don't know about reading cold if there is no fluid. Having witnessed a few catastrophic losses of coolant, there is still enough heat transferred from the gasses or adjacent metal to peg the gauge even when the fluid level has dropped way below the temp sensor.

[gone.c]

Don't know about reading cold if there is no fluid. Having witnessed a few catastrophic losses of coolant, there is still enough heat transferred from the gasses or adjacent metal to peg the gauge even when the fluid level has dropped way below the temp sensor.

I'll second that. I lost all the coolant from my resevoir on the highway last year. It was -45C that day and the guage was pegged at hot. Just another page in the story of my car.