Good afternoon, experts! I'm back to the forum after an absence (so long I couldn't remember my user name..Ha!), as my beloved SXT is aging, and I'd like to hold on the old girl for as long as I can, she is my baby.
I'm running pretty good at about 145,000 miles, but I've noticed a few odds and ends that might need attention.
In the last month or so, I've had a couple of times that the temp gauge has read a couple of notches above the middle of the range. The first time, I was in a drive thru, and I was in gear, with my foot on the brake rather than in park, and I noticed the temp rise, but the fan came on and cooled it back down to the middle of the gauge. Once a week or so since then, I see the temp rise slightly above the center of the gauge, and then come back down again, hovering right in the middle. Never has the temp light come on though, and the gauge has been returning to the center position.
I blew a radiator hose in August, and when they replaced those, the mechanic told me that I will also be needed the water pump replaced soon (at a cost of $600plus), but later, he backed down saying it was okay. That time, the temp shot way up suddenly, and my temp light came on.
My question for you all is, being the novice that I am, and not wanting to get taken advantage of at the repair shop....Is this a problem, and should I have it checked out? I'm not sure what's normal on my car with this many miles on it, and I want to be proactive, but I also don't want to be a worry-wort.
Any advice/guidance/assistance you all can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
~Red
I'm running pretty good at about 145,000 miles, but I've noticed a few odds and ends that might need attention.
In the last month or so, I've had a couple of times that the temp gauge has read a couple of notches above the middle of the range. The first time, I was in a drive thru, and I was in gear, with my foot on the brake rather than in park, and I noticed the temp rise, but the fan came on and cooled it back down to the middle of the gauge. Once a week or so since then, I see the temp rise slightly above the center of the gauge, and then come back down again, hovering right in the middle. Never has the temp light come on though, and the gauge has been returning to the center position.
I blew a radiator hose in August, and when they replaced those, the mechanic told me that I will also be needed the water pump replaced soon (at a cost of $600plus), but later, he backed down saying it was okay. That time, the temp shot way up suddenly, and my temp light came on.
My question for you all is, being the novice that I am, and not wanting to get taken advantage of at the repair shop....Is this a problem, and should I have it checked out? I'm not sure what's normal on my car with this many miles on it, and I want to be proactive, but I also don't want to be a worry-wort.
Any advice/guidance/assistance you all can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks so much!
~Red
