Temperature guage stays cold
Asked by Blake Jan 27, 2023 at 02:23 PM about the 1999 Dodge RAM 1500 Laramie SLT 4WD
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
Most vehicles temp guage while running stays in about the
middle. Mine stays more on the cold side. Like at the
hottest it shows 160. I know I need a new heater core.
Could that just be the problem or is it something else?
2 Answers
Sounds like you need a new thermostat. The thermostat helps the engine warm up faster and keeps the engine at normal operating temperature which is usually 195°F. Hope that helps! Jim
Yep replace the thermostat first, make sure you get the right one for the engine, a good parts store should have the right one in stock. If the heater core is leaking you should disconnect it and loop the hoses together to prevent engine damage from loss of coolant. If the core is plugged that maybe an indication of further cooling system problems. Did you just buy this rig? If so them maybe the previous owner was trying to keep engine temperature low due to a plugged radiator.