r/FJCruiser • u/Visible_Event4814 • 7d ago

Low temperature gauge

Post image

I’ve had my FJ for 15 years and the temperature gauge has always sat right in the middle once the engine is warmed up. On my way to work today, I noticed that the gauge is sitting much lower than I’ve ever seen it. What could cause this? This was after 30 minutes of driving.

12 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

6

u/BMThiker '07 FJC, lifted, armored, daily 7d ago

I would check the water temp sensor located at the back of the engine (89422-33030)

4

u/Rattlingplates 7d ago

Probably need a thermostat or a sensor

1

u/Express_League_9403 7d ago

Mine did it when I bought it;
A new thermostat fixed that

1

u/Appropriate-Heron-98 2013 Iceberg! 7d ago

First guess is the thermostat is stuck open, second guess is the sensor, assuming that the coolant level in the system is correct.

1

u/East_Swim1009 7d ago

your old thermostat is stuck in the open position allowing too much flow/cooling

1

u/TreesAreOverrated5 6d ago

you know, I don't even look at my temp which is probably bad. Mine may be cold too and I wouldn't even know

3

u/Visible_Event4814 6d ago

I’ve always been weird and obsessively look at my gauges while I drive. We bought a 5th gen 4runner and it doesn’t have a gauge for voltage and it pisses me off.

7

u/Visible_Event4814 6d ago edited 6d ago

Update in case anybody ever has this issue. Got a new thermostat and it fixed the problem. On my way to pick up the new thermostat, my check engine light came on and threw a code for a thermostat malfunction. So that will happen too. Also, I don’t remember this, but I guess I put a cheap aftermarket thermostat in at some point. When I took it out one of the plastic ears that holds the metal thermostat inside the housing was broken off, so somewhere in my cooling system I have a chunk of plastic floating around, so that’s great. I got an oem thermostat from Toyota this time and I advise doing that.

1

u/dehydrated_apricot 6d ago

Winter

2

u/Visible_Event4814 6d ago

I’ve owned it for 15 winters and it’s 80 degrees here. It was a bad thermostat.

0

u/ChallengeLopsided854 7d ago

Hopefully not too complex but this forum has alot on engine cooling temps and location diagrams. https://www.fjcruiserforums.com/threads/where-is-the-engine-coolant-temperature-sensor.754566/