The temperature gauge on My 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 4 dr pickup indicates the truck is running hot. I had a mechanic replace the thermostat, but the indicator still shows the truck is running hot. The engine is a 4.7L engine. The mechanic checked the temperature of the engine with a laser gun, and it appears that the engine is NOT running hot. What could be the problem and what do I need to do to fix it?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: I only have 20,000 miles on the engine.

 

Does the electric stay on all the time??

 

Master Tech, thank you for responding. The answer to your question is, "NO" the electric goes off when the key is turned off. Any ideas?

 

Try replacing the coolant sensor, it maybe giving false information to your controller.

 

When I picked my truck up from the repair shop they told me that they put another tester on it and the sensor seems to be working properly. Now they tell me that the truck IS running HOT. I drove it home (about 2 miles) and by the time I got there, the truck was running hot. The dealer replaced the thermostat, but that wasn't the problem. He said it 'might' be the water pump and the problem appears to be a circulation problem. He suggested replacing the water pump. I am a backyard mechanic and am thinking about doing this myself. Is it very hard to replace the water pump? Any tips for replacing the water pump? Thanks,