My wife drives a 2009 Dodge Journey SXT that we bought brand new. A couple of months ago, it started registering hot on the coolant temp. I checked the level in the reservoir (cold engine) and it seemed low, so I added the correct coolant/water mixture and it seems to fix the problem. Now it seems to be doing it again. Sitting in traffic, it will rise to almost the very top of the temp. range and the needle sometimes "jumps" around. When you press the accelerator and start moving, it goes down rapidly and rests in the middle of the temp. range. I took it to our mechanic (very trustworthy) and he said there were no leaks and the coolant was fine. Has anyone heard if there is a known problem with the temp. guages for the 09 Journey? How easy is it for someone to diagnose the temp. guage to see if it is working properly?
Record Breaker
Check if the Radiator fan is kicking in. or working properly. Or if the Radiator is block by plastic bags or leaves.
the fan is what cools the engine when you are sitting. When you start moving, you no longer need the fan.
Turn on the A/C, and listen for Fan operation. or just park the car after a long drive, rev the engine to 1500rpm for a minute or 2, see if you can heard the fan kick in on HI and check temp gauge.
it is best to check when you are over heating. On the Cold day, the fan might never kick in. Or sometimes they decides to work "when your mechanic is in the car."
the fan is what cools the engine when you are sitting. When you start moving, you no longer need the fan.
Turn on the A/C, and listen for Fan operation. or just park the car after a long drive, rev the engine to 1500rpm for a minute or 2, see if you can heard the fan kick in on HI and check temp gauge.
it is best to check when you are over heating. On the Cold day, the fan might never kick in. Or sometimes they decides to work "when your mechanic is in the car."
Registered User
Also you can't always find leaks without pressure on the system. I have a 2009 R/T and had to replace my radiator recently because, although didn't see much temp increase, I kept smelling hot coolant. I could never see a puddle where I was loosing it though. But replacing the radiator took away the smell and the slight temperature increases.
Problem solved. It was the thermostat actually. The two temp sensors (one to the gauge and the other to the computer) were reading the same temp and the radiator was reading considerably less. The hot liquid wasn't getting to the radiator to be cooled. New thermostat and now it works like a charm.
