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1989 Honda Accord Temp Gauge reading high always

Tiny
JBERT
  • MEMBER
  • 1989 HONDA ACCORD
  • 249,000 MILES
My 89 Accord lxi temp gauge jumps to 1/2 as soon as the key is turned and soon rises to hot as the car warms up. It never overheats, but it want to know what the engine temp really is as my daughter will be taking the car off to college.
Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 4:29 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
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I would use a manual guage to check or verify the actual temp of the motor.

It may be a bad sender unit or dash unit.

Roy
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 5:01 PM
Tiny
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When I disconnect the wire from the temp sending unit, it goes up to 1/2 just as if it is plugged in. It doesn't rise anymore afterwards if the wire is not connected though.
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 5:10 PM
Tiny
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I would start by replacing the sender unit.

Roy
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 5:30 PM
Tiny
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I actually have replaced the sender unit. The problem seems to be in the wiring between the sender unit and the gauge, Then gauge show 1/2 way to hot even when the wire to the sender unit is unplugged and even when I put the unit plugged in into ice water. Te gauge seems to be miscalibrated, but no one talks about that as a solution. Even when the motor is cold, it just goes to 1/2. I tested the gauge by grounding the sender unit wire and it went right to hot like it was supposed to.
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 6:36 PM
Tiny
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There is no calibration of the gauge unit. If you replaced the sender, then most likely you have a failed dash unit. Make sure the connector at the back of the instrument cluster is good.

Roy
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 6:42 PM
Tiny
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I didn't think so. How would one go about getting to the instrument cluster. Pull the dash? If so, how would I do that?
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 7:00 PM
Tiny
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You dont think so? Did you check this already?
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 7:07 PM
Tiny
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No, I meant I didn't think you could calibrate the gauge. I am trying to get to the gauge now.
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 7:40 PM
Tiny
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Most likely the dash unit is bad.

Roy
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 7:43 PM
Tiny
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So, how do I test the temp gauge? I am getting a little tired of buying parts that aren't solving my problem. Thanks.
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Wednesday, August 7th, 2013 AT 10:00 PM

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