Engine Temp Gauge?

[LennyR]

Can either the 3i or the 3s dashboard display engine coolant temp? That used to be a standard item, even on low-end cars, and is really desirable, IMHO. I know you can use something like a ScanGauge II plugged into the car's OBD-II computer port but would prefer not to, if possible.

 

[Poco Askew]

No - just the usual idiot lights. It would have been easy to include in the cluster display, but it's not.

 

[MIMazda]

My 1st gen Mazda6 does not have a functionally useful temp gauge, and this is not unique to Mazda. It has three positions the needle points to: cold, correct operating, overheating. Mazda decided to free up the dash space and change it to a multi-color idiot light that shows the exact same information but in a visually different way.

Are detailed temps useful? Yes, but to a small fraction of car owners. Could they have integrated it into the info display or even show it on the larger touch screen system for the cars that have them? Yup. Whether they will or not is another question.

 

[KuroHouou]

Would have been really cool if they would have had a series of gauges available on the nav screen, like water temp, oil temp, voltage.. just basic but sometimes useful things. really not sure why they don't do this more often on cars..

 

[Deftmetal]

I'll probably get an android tablet and Bluetooth OBDII reader to display any more guages I want. Unless someone makes a guage pod. Actual guages are preferred IMO

 

[strongbad]

Manufacturers that include temperature "gauges" often cheat the gauges. First, there are no temperature markings on the gauge. Next, car designers know that drivers want a car engine that warms up quickly, so they make the gauge extremely non-linear. The needle pops up to the middle of the gauge quickly with just a little heat and then stays in the middle of the gauge over a wide increase in temp. The needle doesn't move toward hot until the engine is seriously overheating so as not to worry the driver.

 

[iMaple]

Sorry for the dumb question, but whats the advantage of having a temp gauge ? The 2014 Mazda3 has a 3 way light - cold/normal/overheating. What advantage would a finely graduated temp gauge provide ?

 

[Ki||ian]

It provides more precise feedback for performance driving and can also give a little better warning sign if something isn't working right rather than cold-normal-too friggin hot.

Hell, my 2000 BMW 3 series had a "gauge" but it wasn't gradual even though it looked like it should be. The needle would just pop over to overheating if it got too hot. It's not really needed for normal daily drivers and even mild auto cross driving. If it was turbo charged then it would be different.