Temperature gauge reading low

[Scorpion8]

So, riddle me this. I drive the car around today, and the gauge reads low. Then it rises, and then it goes back down to below L. Then it goes back up, and then back down. And then settles right in the NORMAL range. Faulty sender?

 

[Tony2005]

So, riddle me this. I drive the car around today, and the gauge reads low. Then it rises, and then it goes back down to below L. Then it goes back up, and then back down. And then settles right in the NORMAL range. Faulty sender?

..or connector.

 

[Scorpion8]

I cleaned the connectors with electrical contact cleaner, and then added some dielectric grease to keep moisture out.

 

[greengasguzzler]

As far as your gauge not registering correctly, i Had the excact same issue (gauge showing low & Eventually jumping around). I also changed my thermostat just to be safe. (96 2.0) the CORRECT sensor is the one furthest down on the thermostat housing. its barely visible because its obstructed by the large radiator hose. the Sensor on top of the housing is the coolant temp sensor which tells the computer the engine temp. The "temp sender" at autozone is listed as temperature switch? It has a small threaded portion and is cylindrical, NOT cone shaped on the threaded end. I pulled off the top radiator hose and used I believe a 21mm socket and half inch drive ratchet and was just able to get it off/on because the weird angle and large ratchet i had. PROBLEM SOLVED. my gauge registers in the middle and the fan comes on at the begining of the M in normal. (i dont know how the other guy thinks its supposed to come on at the L in normal?) My high fan comes a little further into M. As far as your fans not coming on i dont know how it hasnt over heated yet. My fan is going on and off all the time during my second job delivering pizza. NOTE: if i start my car and jump right on the highway ive driven 10+ miles and the gauge reads near O and wont settle into the middle till i stop at a light or something. I attribute this to the sensor being threaded into a thermostat housing that protrudes out of the actual block where as the same sensor may be threaded directly into the head on other cars which inturn gives a more consistent reading. Good luck if you havent already fixed it by now. If I remember correctly in the haynes repair manual the fans are also controlled by some master relay module you can look into that if you have a haynes manual (I borrowed one from my public library), and my fan alternates between low and high with the A/C on depending on how long im stationary and how hot it is outside.