Temp gauge shows bars right at startup.

[wclife]

So a week ago I was stuck in a pretty big traffic jam and the temp gauge shot up and the light went on for coolant temp. It was about 85 degrees out. Shut the car off immediately when the light came on and waited for it to cool down. Took it to the shop and had the cooling system looked over and everything came back as working normally. The weird thing is it’s about 55 degrees today and after driving home I went to get in my car two hours later and I started it and the temp gauge was already showing two bars. Could this just be a faulty sensor? I’m at a loss as the shop couldn’t find anything wrong or replicate it over heating.

 

[Capri to ST]

The second thing you reported seems very normal to me. When I cold start the car on a hot summer day, it's reading four bars within just a minute or two, so the car does show that it heats up quickly. I also find if I start up again later, it's still registering some bars on the gauge, even on a cooler day.
The first thing you reported, the gauge shooting up and the coolant light coming on, is obviously not normal. You may have a bad sensor, I don't know, I just wanted you to know that my temperature gauge works in a similar manner to the way yours was working on the 55 degree day.

 

[wclife]

The second thing you reported seems very normal to me. When I cold start the car on a hot summer day, it's reading four bars within just a minute or two, so the car does show that it heats up quickly. I also find if I start up again later, it's still registering some bars on the gauge, even on a cooler day.
The first thing you reported, the gauge shooting up and the coolant light coming on, is obviously not normal. You may have a bad sensor, I don't know, I just wanted you to know that my temperature gauge works in a similar manner to the way yours was working on the 55 degree day.

The second thing you reported seems very normal to me. When I cold start the car on a hot summer day, it's reading four bars within just a minute or two, so the car does show that it heats up quickly. I also find if I start up again later, it's still registering some bars on the gauge, even on a cooler day.
The first thing you reported, the gauge shooting up and the coolant light coming on, is obviously not normal. You may have a bad sensor, I don't know, I just wanted you to know that my temperature gauge works in a similar manner to the way yours was working on the 55 degree day.

That’s good to know on the temperature gauge. Maybe I just didn’t notice but I guess I’ll just wait and see if the temperature rises above normal at all I’d never had it show more than four bars in the 73,000 miles I had it. Thanks for the input.

 

[the duke]

What year do you have? If it's a 14-15 (maybe includes 16) there is a recall for a cooling system update.

 

[wclife]

What year do you have? If it's a 14-15 (maybe includes 16) there is a recall for a cooling system update.

15 I’ve checked my vin and it doesn’t seem to be under the recall