Engine Temperature problem with my New Camry

Built_Well · 2007-11-11T03:36:06+00:00

This is very odd. Tonight the engine temperature gauge onmy '06 Camry LE 4-cylinder did something I've never seenit do before.I had been shopping at Walmart for 45 minutes. When I leftthe store, and started the car, everything was fine. I droveabout a block and turned off the engine to rearrange someshopping bags. The engine was off for maybe a minute or twowhile I rearranged bags.When I started the engine back up, the engine temperature gaugewent a lot higher than I've ever seen it, and I always checkit while driving.Normally, when the engine reaches operating temperature thegauge stops rising when the gauge reaches about a 45-degree angle.If the gauge were pointing straight up at a 90-degree angle,the gauge would be in the red zone, too hot.Instead of a 45-degree angle where the gauge always comes toa stop, it continued rising to about a 67-degree angle, whichis midway between the usual 45-degree angle it stops at and thedanger zone of 90 degrees.I was amazed and stunned to see this. The car is not even2 years old yet. And the oil was recently changed.I drove about a block and parked the car near a Break Time store.I waited inside the store for half-an-hour so the enginecould cool down. The engine light on the dash never came onduring any of this, which is a good thing. I have no idea if thegauge would have continued rising, though, had I not stopped tolet things cool.While waiting, I checked the coolant level in the expansionbottle/coolant reservoir. The coolant level was normal, half-waybetween full and low. The lid on the coolant reservoir wasproperly closed, as was the cap on top of the radiator.The oil level on the dipstick was normal. After 30 minutesof waiting inside Break Time, I opened the cap on top ofthe radiator to check the coolant in the radiator.Plenty of coolant inside, a little bit even spilled out.I reclosed the radiator cap.I didn't see any leaks on the ground. The fluid levelswere all normal for power steering and brake fluid. The...

Nov 11, 2007 22 Replies

Rate this thread:

philthy 18 years ago

Vote

Jason James 18 years ago

My old '95 doesnt do that,..but when you think of it, it's a bit futile. When the engine is turned off, all the circulation of hot coolant stops. This will cause a rise in engine-block and head coolant temp,..the radiator cooling fan sensor is in the bottom tank of the radiator. This means while it may come on when the car is next started, it equally may not depending on ambient temp,..whether the engine was working hard etc Cooling the radiator when the car is stopped, only cools approx 1/3 of total coolant which resides in the radiator. The hot engine coolant is still waiting to be cooled by recommenced circulation.

Jason

Vote

Ray O 18 years ago

Yup, which is why most vehicles do not run the electric cooling fan when the ignition is off.

Vote

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required