Coolant temp

Completely normal. Newer cars run hotter to help emissions and mileage. As long as you keep the coolant full and change it out every few years (don't believe the "lifetime" coolant crap)

I would run them a lot lower. Transmission suffers also. Thermostats are what controls engine heat. Some install aftermarket devices on fans.

Greg

with the correct grade of antifreeze, and do NOT use tapwater to dilute, only distilled.

indeed.

Possibly not, trend has been for engines to run hotter for better efficiency. That's approximately where my 1999 Jeep Cherokee runs so this isn't a new trend. If you want a real answer ask a dealership service tech but I expect that they will say not to worry unless temp starts creeping up even higher in stop and go traffic.

I haven't a clue what my newer BMW runs at as those wacky Krauts didn't see fit to fit a coolant temp gauge, but the oil temp stabilizes somewhere around 230-250 degrees (sounds scary, but it's apparently perfectly happy at those temperatures) so I would estimate coolant temp at around 210-230 based on experiences with other cars fitted with both gauges (coolant temp is usually a little less than oil temp.)

It does seem disconcerting for someone used to older vehicles which came with 170 or 180 degree thermostats, but that is decidedly old school. The bad news is that at these higher temps integrity of the cooling system is even more important than ever as a leak/depressurization will result in much faster boiling, as a typical 50/50 mix of coolant and water (depending on the type of coolant used) may have a boiling point at atmospheric pressure very close to not atypical coolant temps in a healthy engine.

nate

OE thermostat is a 195 degree. Maybe your coolant temp sensor is going bad.