Car trying to overheat

[VegasSpark 12]

I hope this is okay in this forum, it didn't seem to fit climate control.

So today it was 115, and my internal temperature gage reached 130 after a bit of driving, and only dropped to 118 after being on the freeway for a few minutes. Im keeping my a/c on setting 1 for fear of actually over heating the car. And yes, it was parked in the shade before hand.

Any idea on how to stop it from trying to overheat and die in the sun? (That doesn't involve giving me heatstroke by having th windows down and the heat on)

[Ray Dockrey 97]

Are you talking the temperature reading on the radio? That is external temp and has nothing to do with the car. The Spark does not have an engine temperature gauge. The engine runs in the 220 degree range and is not overheating. If it was a red light would come on that resembles a thermometer warning you of a overheating issue.

[VegasSpark 12]

Yes i am. It just seems a little suspect to me that it climbs to 130, then drops steadily once i get going at a good rate of speed.

[Ray Dockrey 97]

That temperature sensor isn't real accurate. It could be that it is cooling off in the air flow once you get going. i have noticed on my a difference of 5 or 6 degrees at times. I have also noticed it is very slow to respond on a startup. When I get in in the afternoons to go home, it will show in the mid 70's, which was the temp when I parked it. It may take several miles before it finally reports the right temp of upper 90's. Anyway, it is in no way tied to the engine temp so there are no worries.

[VegasSpark 12]

Okay. Thank you, you've alleivated some of my worries on this one.

I was thinking because of where the temperature gage is placed, that it was picking up some radiant excess heat from the engine.