Things you didn't know your VE could do?

[livewildcard]

I was going through some posts today :1peek: and found a few things about the VE's I didn't know you could do regarding displaying default track title, turning off the the Service Reminder thing. Obviously you can search for what you want but thought maybe a thread with things you can do that other people might not know you can do might be good. If yes add something. If no then leave this alone and it will slowly die. :spew: Cheers.

I guess I'll start with one from the audio thread "Then using the 'Display' button on the unit (far right button), press it to choose between, album name, artist name, song name and a combination of each etc.The way to keep what you want coming up as default when you get into your car each time is to simply hold down the 'display button' for about 5 seconds when you have it looking the way you want it to be displayed. It doesnt make any beeps or anything but it somehow saves it as the new default".

[NRD80Y]

Turn stability control off and on all by itself at random times :(

[steve_t]

Found out from this place about accessing Engineering Mode:goodjob:

[livewildcard]

What sort of things can you accomplish in engineering mode?

[DioXidE]

What sort of things can you accomplish in engineering mode?

I use it to see how many litres of fuel I have left in the tank :)

[Boganspeed]

Does anyone know how to turn off that ****ing annoying beeping shit they do when the car goes through it's self check program on start up?
Sometimes I'd like to stab it with a screwdriver !

And why are the indicators so loud ? A Volume control for them would be good.

[macca_779]

I use it to see how many litres of fuel I have left in the tank :)

Wow so that's not in the normal menus. He'll it is in my VT

[bsbozzy]

Wow so that's not in the normal menus. He'll it is in my VT
3 window display? Single window display you have to hold down the up and mode button to get into that....

[macca_779]

3 window display? Single window display you have to hold down the up and mode button to get into that....

3 window of course

[livewildcard]

Yes indeed if someone knows how to turn off that beeping, without having to put your seatbelt in first, let me know.

And whats this 3 window display option? Pressing up and mode what can you do once this has been done?

[Smitty]

.........
And why are the indicators so loud ? A Volume control for them would be good.

yeah
my boss wants one in his SV6..to turn the sound level ...UP

me?
I want to turn mine down in the SSV:vpo:

[livewildcard]

Anyone after engineering mode threads below

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=67755&highlight=Engineering+Mode

Yes the indicators do click at a ridicously loud level compared to my VY.

[Podge]

a couple of things i didnt know or just realised... if you turn your intermittent wipers on for around 8 seconds, your parkers will come on

if you start the car with the air set to go on windscreen (or feet and windscreen), the air con will turn on with the car

+1 for turning beeps off!

[GEN4LS2]

if you start the car with the air set to go on windscreen (or feet and windscreen), the air con will turn on with the car

!

yer i noticed that too!

[Podge]

yer i noticed that too!

the guy at holden told me that by law they need to program the air con to run at least once per week.. they figured people would demist their windscreen once per week

i have no idea how much truth there is to that!

[livewildcard]

In the manual states that if its on demist then the air con will stay on all the time. Only when its not on demist can you turn it on and off.

[steve_t]

the guy at holden told me that by law they need to program the air con to run at least once per week.. they figured people would demist their windscreen once per week

i have no idea how much truth there is to that!

Haha... it's the law :rofl:
I think the guy was just feeding you a bullsh1t line to try and emphasise the importance of running the A/C every 1-2 weeks to keep the seals lubricated. Otherwise they'd have to set it to turn on randomly once a week. I hardly use the demister at all

Oh, I didn't know there was a "Pollution mode" til reading it here or in the manual... I can't remember which one

[livewildcard]

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=114064&highlight=Pollution+mode

Its in the manual and on here Item #16 and 17 of that thread to go into pollution mode.

[CalaisRider]

Does anyone know how to turn off that ****ing annoying beeping shit they do when the car goes through it's self check program on start up?
Sometimes I'd like to stab it with a screwdriver !

And why are the indicators so loud ? A Volume control for them would be good.

Hook up your seatbelt mate -all that annyance goes away.

[fishla]

Question about the VE Sunroof....To me, the full tilt doesn't seem to be as high (or open) as it seemed to be on previous models. Am i just seeing things? as I feel mine could tilt a bit more on full tilt. Tried a reset (adjusts up and down) and comes to rest as per normal. Car is VE SS 9.5 and a few months old. Appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers,
Fish

[COSMOS]

Question about the VE Sunroof....To me, the full tilt doesn't seem to be as high (or open) as it seemed to be on previous models. Am i just seeing things? as I feel mine could tilt a bit more on full tilt. Tried a reset (adjusts up and down) and comes to rest as per normal. Car is VE SS 9.5 and a few months old. Appreciate your thoughts.

Cheers,
Fish

this is my third car with a sunroof and i noticed the same thing - the tilt is minimal and I would like it higher. Dunno why - maybe to stop people sticking fingers out or other stuff in?

t

[CV8IIM6]

Yes indeed if someone knows how to turn off that beeping, without having to put your seatbelt in first, let me know.


For legal reasons I suggest you don't do this :teach: But...

If you locate the white 2 pin connector under the driver's seat base toward the rear of the seat and simply disconnect it (no need to even bridge it) this will get rid of the annoying audible seat belt warning.

Don't forget to connect it back up before you sell the car.;)

[GJ227]

i found the one where you push both buttons above the headlight swith (so the dash dimmer and brighter buttons) together, you end up witn stealth night mode dash board, so all the lights and guages go off except the speedo and trip window in the middle, aircon and radio still work but no lights in the cabin at all, bar thye speedo.

GJ227

[livewildcard]

:goodjob: I'm going to try that one when i leave work tonight sounds like a good one.

[macca_779]

For legal reasons I suggest you don't do this :teach: But...

If you locate the white 2 pin connector under the driver's seat base toward the rear of the seat and simply disconnect it (no need to even bridge it) this will get rid of the annoying audible seat belt warning.

Don't forget to connect it back up before you sell the car.;)

Been doing that on work cars for years.

[smaky]

Might want to link the SSV (and similar spec'd models) sound system bass increase mod. Can't be bothered looking for the thread, but basically on the models with the better sound system installed it's possible to make an adjustment to a device (amp?) of some sort in the battery compartment resulting in more bass output. Very easy mod and well worth it.

[livewildcard]

Thanks Smaky. I think this is the one you are reffering too

http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=72185&highlight=turn+up+bass+battery

[CV8IIM6]

Been doing that on work cars for years.

before VE you could do it via Tech 2.

[CSP]

learnt how to change the clock from 12hr to 24hr time thanks to Wonky on this forum! :D

[smoov GTS]

I posted this some time ago, here it is again for those that are interested.
I'm sure it keeps things legal as well.

"So I was bored today and decided to see what could be done about that infuriatingly loud "dinger" sound every time I forget to buckle up before turning the key. To those that don't own a ve or e series, this may sound picky, but believe me it is annoying. Anyhoo, the fix is easy, just remove the speedo/tacho binicale, at the rear of which you will see a round vented looking moulding. Behind this is the piezo speaker that produces the offending dings (it also gives you the blinker clicks). Simply place a 50mm square piece of shield over the grille. I used a couple of strips of 1 inch sticky backed velcro tape. Once done, the sound is softer and so much more bareable. Another bonus is that the blinker clicks are softer too and have a more quality sound to them."

[Marco]

Haha... it's the law :rofl:
I think the guy was just feeding you a bullsh1t line to try and emphasise the importance of running the A/C every 1-2 weeks to keep the seals lubricated. Otherwise they'd have to set it to turn on randomly once a week. I hardly use the demister at all

A mate used to have an N13 Pulsar that had a novel solution to this - the air con would come on every time you put it in reverse. Seeing as you'd use reverse at least once a day, sounded like a good idea to me.

[vessloveit]

With regards disconnecting wires under the drivers seat, I may be wrong (probably am) but I think this is also wired into the Air Bag System so in the event of a hard prang one of the best safety features in your car may not operate correctly.

[boyley]

can someone tell me how to programme the lego 3 gauge thingy to show other more crucial things than battery voltage :confused:

It would be cool if you could cycle all the engineering mode data thorugh these three digital gauges

[CV8IIM6]

With regards disconnecting wires under the drivers seat, I may be wrong (probably am) but I think this is also wired into the Air Bag System so in the event of a hard prang one of the best safety features in your car may not operate correctly.

Good point, hence why i specified the white connector. Pre-tensioner and airbag connectors are normally yellow and/or orange. Disconnecting one of these will cause an SRS warning to be displayed in the cluster on the first ignition cycle so you'll know you've done the wrong thing anyway.:teach: If i find some spare time over the weekend i might post a photo for those who are apprehensive.

cheers

[fishla]

With regards disconnecting wires under the drivers seat, I may be wrong (probably am) but I think this is also wired into the Air Bag System so in the event of a hard prang one of the best safety features in your car may not operate correctly.

I wouldn't think so. That means the airbag(s) wouldn't deploy if you didn't have your seatbelt on!? And that seems wrong.

I for one wouldn't be disconnecting it. It's a good reminder for yourself and passengers. Even when you're moving a short distance and it's constantly chiming... the whole time, you know 'I don't have my seat belt on' :)

[Brandonsdad]

I wouldn't think so. That means the airbag(s) wouldn't deploy if you didn't have your seatbelt on!? And that seems wrong.

I for one wouldn't be disconnecting it. It's a good reminder for yourself and passengers. Even when you're moving a short distance and it's constantly chiming... the whole time, you know 'I don't have my seat belt on' :)

I dont know that you would want all 6 airbags, or however many, deploying in a small accident with only you in the car. Seems a bit of overkill, as the others would be of no use to you. It would also be very expensive for insurance, or yourself if you dont have insurance. The best insurance is to always have your seatbelt on, no excuse to not have it on. To me that doesnt seem wrong.
Dont the airbags only deploy if someone is sitting in the seat, or do they all inflate in a prang. I dont want to find out the hard way, eventhough I never drive without my seatbelt on. Anyone know.

[VYSHSV8]

the guy at holden told me that by law they need to program the air con to run at least once per week.. they figured people would demist their windscreen once per week

i have no idea how much truth there is to that!


Would be alot better if they just wired it into the reverse light switch like the jap cars, that way they would be guaranteed to get the seals lubricated:)


A mate used to have an N13 Pulsar that had a novel solution to this - the air con would come on every time you put it in reverse. Seeing as you'd use reverse at least once a day, sounded like a good idea to me.


yep so did my mums I also got the old mans Volvo wired in to do the same and alas no more aircon probs

[Brandonsdad]

Good point, hence why i specified the white connector. Pre-tensioner and airbag connectors are normally yellow and/or orange. Disconnecting one of these will cause an SRS warning to be displayed in the cluster on the first ignition cycle so you'll know you've done the wrong thing anyway.:teach: If i find some spare time over the weekend i might post a photo for those who are apprehensive.

cheers

Hows that photo going CV8?

Im going to try it tomorrow all by myself.

[zeeute]

can someone tell me how to programme the lego 3 gauge thingy to show other more crucial things than battery voltage :confused:

It would be cool if you could cycle all the engineering mode data thorugh these three digital gauges

Can this be done in an SS, I have a standard SS Ute. Any help would be great!

[MORFTUP]

can someone tell me how to programme the lego 3 gauge thingy to show other more crucial things than battery voltage :confused:

It would be cool if you could cycle all the engineering mode data thorugh these three digital gauges

Easy, just buy the HSV gauge binnacle and install it, did it to my SSV ute a month ago and it looks grouse and gets rid of that cheap looking atari gauges

[CV8IIM6]

Hows that photo going CV8?

Im going to try it tomorrow all by myself.

Sorry i forgot all about it, just took this photo.
You really can't go wrong. Raise the rear of the driver's seat base and locate the white connector held by the yellow tape as seen here with the Black and Red wires.


http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq213/CV8IIM6/seatbeltwarning.jpg

[nang3]

I like the way i can turn off the lights while in auto-lights guide me home thing just by flicking the light dial to the left for a nanosecond then it clicks back to the same state/position.. my F6 you have to click the lights out of auto - it doesnt flick back automatically..

I also noticed you cant enable sportshift while the low fuel warning is displayed hahaha..

[Brandonsdad]

Sorry i forgot all about it, just took this photo.
You really can't go wrong. Raise the rear of the driver's seat base and locate the white connector held by the yellow tape as seen here with the Black and Red wires.


http://i449.photobucket.com/albums/qq213/CV8IIM6/seatbeltwarning.jpg

I did this before we went away for the weekend and it is the best thing Ive ever done to my car.
Do we know if the airbag will still work for the driver? Im not really looking forward to the day when it explodes in my face, but I guess it could be a good thing.

[yiddo]

Great thread guys :) Just picked up mine a few weeks ago and have enjoyed driving it too much to even look on here!

[Brandonsdad]

Great thread guys :) Just picked up mine a few weeks ago and have enjoyed driving it too much to even look on here!

Dis-connect the seat belt chime, dis-connect the seat belt chime!:)

[`redoctober]

I like the way i can turn off the lights while in auto-lights guide me home thing just by flicking the light dial to the left for a nanosecond then it clicks back to the same state/position.. my F6 you have to click the lights out of auto - it doesnt flick back automatically..

I also noticed you cant enable sportshift while the low fuel warning is displayed hahaha..

Haha! You can, you just need to press "trip" to remove the low fuel warning on the dash, then you can resume using the steering wheel controls and sports shift :)

[Wonky]

Haha! You can, you just need to press "trip" to remove the low fuel warning on the dash, then you can resume using the steering wheel controls and sports shift :)

+ 1 :goodjob:

[zeeute]

Haha! You can, you just need to press "trip" to remove the low fuel warning on the dash, then you can resume using the steering wheel controls and sports shift :)

Does that mean it will show you how many KM's till empty? Cause mine just says low fuel and thats it.

[dgp]

I realised today that you can set the wiper dwell. This is a good thing as the wipers were starting to get on my nerves as they were repeating the sweep too fast.

[CV8IIM6]

I did this before we went away for the weekend and it is the best thing Ive ever done to my car.
Do we know if the airbag will still work for the driver? Im not really looking forward to the day when it explodes in my face, but I guess it could be a good thing.

For reasons of legal liability etc. you'll struggle to find any official documentation which will guarantee the correct operation of the SIR system whilst the seat belt switch is disconnected. I'm certainly in no position to guarantee it either.

Having said that, I strongly discourage anyone i know from purchasing a vehicle which does not at least have dual air bags and would not have disconnected the switch in my car if i thought it might disable the SIR system in any way.

I have searched through all the relevant Holden Service/Diagnostic Information and wiring diagrams and am convinced the switch is only for the seat belt safety warning.

Taken from Holden Service Information:
Seat Belt System Description and Operation
....The system also includes a seat belt switch in the drivers seat buckle which controls a warning indicator lamp and a tone alarm.

I also don't think any vehicle manufacturer would allow the SIR system to be disabled by a potentially faulty seat belt switch, especially without activating the SIR warning indicator in the cluster.
For example if you disconnect any pretensioner or air bag connector and turn the ignition on the SIR warning lamp will be illuminated. These systems are set up with a specified resistance so if open or short circuited it falls outside of this specified range and a fault is detected which activates the warning lamp. i suspect the seat belt switch would be set up in a similar way if it was critical to the system.

I suggest anyone considering this mod to do your own research and if you choose to do it, do it AT YOUR OWN RISK for off road use only and never ever drive the car again...ever :teach:

cheers

[nang3]

Haha! You can, you just need to press "trip" to remove the low fuel warning on the dash, then you can resume using the steering wheel controls and sports shift :)

ahh yes, i just got back from a 700km trip and used the old Trip button to get rid of that stupid 'Rest Break' alert that pops up over 200kms or however long..

[Wonky]

ahh yes, i just got back from a 700km trip and used the old Trip button to get rid of that stupid 'Rest Break' alert that pops up over 200kms or however long..

On the Typhoon or on a VE? I've never had it come up as you can turn it off in the options.

[Marco]

I realised today that you can set the wiper dwell. This is a good thing as the wipers were starting to get on my nerves as they were repeating the sweep too fast.

How do you do that?

[ivanov]

A mate used to have an N13 Pulsar that had a novel solution to this - the air con would come on every time you put it in reverse. Seeing as you'd use reverse at least once a day, sounded like a good idea to me.

If I see an N13 Pulsar screaming past me in reverse next summer, I'll now know why... :rofl:

Personally, I prefer to have my air-conditioning on when I'm travelling forwards, which I do most times I get in the car.

[`redoctober]

Does that mean it will show you how many KM's till empty? Cause mine just says low fuel and thats it.

Haha no, but it removes it from the main display (in the 3 window clusters, not too sure about the 1 window clusters)

[Brandonsdad]

For reasons of legal liability etc. you'll struggle to find any official documentation which will guarantee the correct operation of the SIR system whilst the seat belt switch is disconnected. I'm certainly in no position to guarantee it either.

Having said that, I strongly discourage anyone i know from purchasing a vehicle which does not at least have dual air bags and would not have disconnected the switch in my car if i thought it might disable the SIR system in any way.

I have searched through all the relevant Holden Service/Diagnostic Information and wiring diagrams and am convinced the switch is only for the seat belt safety warning.

Taken from Holden Service Information:
Seat Belt System Description and Operation
....The system also includes a seat belt switch in the drivers seat buckle which controls a warning indicator lamp and a tone alarm.

I also don't think any vehicle manufacturer would allow the SIR system to be disabled by a potentially faulty seat belt switch, especially without activating the SIR warning indicator in the cluster.
For example if you disconnect any pretensioner or air bag connector and turn the ignition on the SIR warning lamp will be illuminated. These systems are set up with a specified resistance so if open or short circuited it falls outside of this specified range and a fault is detected which activates the warning lamp. i suspect the seat belt switch would be set up in a similar way if it was critical to the system.

I suggest anyone considering this mod to do your own research and if you choose to do it, do it AT YOUR OWN RISK for off road use only and never ever drive the car again...ever :teach:

cheers

Well, there have been no warnings coming up on my dash in regards to my airbag not working, so my chime will stay unplugged until I sell it, as long as I remember to plug it back in.:)
That annoying 6 beeps has to have a long term affect on your life span, surely.


How do you do that?

Just click the outer sleeve over the stick upwards.

OR

Read your manual.

[nang3]

On the Typhoon or on a VE? I've never had it come up as you can turn it off in the options.

on the VE.. i havent looked through the options for the cluster as yet - the mrs drives it 90% of the time

[townsville_sv6]

Sorry i forgot all about it, just took this photo.
You really can't go wrong. Raise the rear of the driver's seat base and locate the white connector held by the yellow tape as seen here with the Black and Red wires.



i did this about a week ago and i have to say its the best thing i have ever done, that beeping sound on start up is just so irritating. i was really nervous about messing with anything that could affect my airbags as i was told its 150 bucks at holden to get the air bags reset but, i just disconnected the wire in the pic and no more noise.

cheers

[mentallydull]

i have a ve ss however is it not the ssv model. does anyone know if and how you can get an oil pressure reading like the ssv's can?

---------- Post added at 11:29 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:51 AM ----------

how about fuel pressure??

[dgp]

How do you do that?

You can rotate a section of the wiper stalk to set the dwell.

[255-LS1]

3 window of course

macca, i have 3 window display (VU Maloo R8) dont think i can get litres remaining... haven't had a good look thou. i usually just leave it on the one with instantaneuos fuel consumption.

[Clubb'N]

Cam Hold MODE AND SHIFT is it erh cant remember to enter engineering mode, here you can get a digital speedo etc and you will have how many litres are left in your tank. Maybe its up and down, erh try both

Hold them put key in car turn to acc etc ...

[255-LS1]

ah yer ive been into that once before. wasn't a fan.

cheers

---------- Post added at 10:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:40 AM ----------


Haha... it's the law :rofl:
I think the guy was just feeding you a bullsh1t line to try and emphasise the importance of running the A/C every 1-2 weeks to keep the seals lubricated. Otherwise they'd have to set it to turn on randomly once a week. I hardly use the demister at all

Oh, I didn't know there was a "Pollution mode" til reading it here or in the manual... I can't remember which one

yep this is correct - to keep seals and things in good order. Some manufactures set AC to run when reverse is engage or similar. as that happens usually every day and onlt for a short period of time.

[mentallydull]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone had an answer to this question.

I've just installed a powerbond 25% udp on my VE SS Ute so have been using the engineering mode a fair bit to keep an eye on things like battery voltage, charge and coolant temp.

I've noticed that the analogue temp gauge starts at 60 degrees (when compared against the digital) and each small division represents 5 degrees. When im driving along the thermostat keeps the coolant at 90 degrees which agrees on the analogue gauge.

When I sit stationary in peak hour traffic the digital temp goes up to 105 degrees then the fan turns on and the temp drops. When this temp goes up to 105 degrees the analogue sits in the same position it does at 90 degrees.

Does this mean my analogue gauge isn't working as it should? And how am I meant to know if my car is overheating if the analogue gauge won't go above the 90 degree position?

Any feedback or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

[HEXEM]

I think it may have already been covered.

For those worried about disconnecting any SRS airbag device when unpluging the "WHITE" connector under the drivers seat to stop the annoying chime. All airbag connectors are colour coded "Yellow".

I have it on good advice that the drivers seatbelt chime "Can" be deactivated using TECH-2. It is not practiced by dealers due to potential issues should the car be involved in an accident etc etc..

Cheers

[davemw]

Is it possible to show instant fuel consumption on a VE SS? I can only display AVG fuel.

[6_litre_man]

Is it possible to show instant fuel consumption on a VE SS? I can only display AVG fuel.

yes you can but you have to go into engineering mode to do it, before you turn the car on press and hold the left scroll wheel on the steering wheel then start the car, you will enter engineering mode which contains your instant fuel and a fair few other things.

Cheers
Matt

[goose202]

macca, i have 3 window display (VU Maloo R8) dont think i can get litres remaining... haven't had a good look thou. i usually just leave it on the one with instantaneuos fuel consumption.

This mode can be turned off in the options (ie mode + up, then ignition on). Perhaps yours is turned off.

If it's turned on, trip B display and trip time remaining/trip distance remaining/fuel remaining display can be toggled between by holding down the mode button when on this display.

[davemw]

yes you can but you have to go into engineering mode to do it, before you turn the car on press and hold the left scroll wheel on the steering wheel then start the car, you will enter engineering mode which contains your instant fuel and a fair few other things.

Cheers
Matt

Thanks, worked a treat.

[jono0309]

This is random, but surveillance mode (cop mode) can be used at night, have all the lights on, headlights and interior lights as usual, but if you hold down the + and - buttons at the same time for the light dimmer, then it turns off most of the interior lights and have the headlights on only, I believe cops use this as they wait for traffic offenders, so they can flick on their lights and go shooting off with the engine on waiting for people to drive past...giving the allusion that its a parked car, but really the motor is on and the lights can be flicked on in a second.

[Vulture]

This is random, but surveillance mode (cop mode) can be used at night, have all the lights on, headlights and interior lights as usual, but if you hold down the + and - buttons at the same time for the light dimmer, then it turns off most of the interior lights and have the headlights on only, I believe cops use this as they wait for traffic offenders, so they can flick on their lights and go shooting off with the engine on waiting for people to drive past...giving the allusion that its a parked car, but really the motor is on and the lights can be flicked on in a second.

It's got nothing to do with 'cop mode', it is to avoid eye strain/improve visibility when driving in very dark conditions. Only the essential gauges light up.

[jono0309]

I've seen it happen, works good as cop mode, but also works good for those 'special' people :)

[lyle]

yes you can but you have to go into engineering mode to do it, before you turn the car on press and hold the left scroll wheel on the steering wheel then start the car, you will enter engineering mode which contains your instant fuel and a fair few other things.

Cheers
Matt

what about VZ SS?? same Q as i can only get the avg fuel since trip reset

[BOOGER]

This is random, but surveillance mode (cop mode) can be used at night, have all the lights on, headlights and interior lights as usual, but if you hold down the + and - buttons at the same time for the light dimmer, then it turns off most of the interior lights and have the headlights on only, I believe cops use this as they wait for traffic offenders, so they can flick on their lights and go shooting off with the engine on waiting for people to drive past...giving the allusion that its a parked car, but really the motor is on and the lights can be flicked on in a second.

Police pack Commodores actually have a button on the roof near the sunglass holder that does the exact same thing.

[BECAUZ]

Trip B on SSV's? Anyone know if its possible?

[simon.w]

Hey guys I was wondering if anyone had an answer to this question.

I've just installed a powerbond 25% udp on my VE SS Ute so have been using the engineering mode a fair bit to keep an eye on things like battery voltage, charge and coolant temp.

I've noticed that the analogue temp gauge starts at 60 degrees (when compared against the digital) and each small division represents 5 degrees. When im driving along the thermostat keeps the coolant at 90 degrees which agrees on the analogue gauge.

When I sit stationary in peak hour traffic the digital temp goes up to 105 degrees then the fan turns on and the temp drops. When this temp goes up to 105 degrees the analogue sits in the same position it does at 90 degrees.

Does this mean my analogue gauge isn't working as it should? And how am I meant to know if my car is overheating if the analogue gauge won't go above the 90 degree position?

Any feedback or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

Temp guages on newer cars are only an indication as to whether the car is a) cold b) "normal" running temp or c) overheating. They are not indiciative of actual temps because the auto industry views the majority of drivers as being incapable of identifying what temp the car should be running at.

Basically they are calibrated to be within particular tolerances that are considered acceptable by the manufactuer.

The idea is that customers are happier if the guage is in the middle.

This is one of the reasons why when a new car jumps so quickly from cold to normal ... and then if it does overheat, it jumps from the middle of the guage to hot so quickly.

Lets face it ... what's "normal" on a 15 degrees winters day is a lot different from what is "normal" in 35 degree heat going up a hill. People panic if the guage heads towards the 3/4 mark even if the car is perfectly fine.

The fail-safe is the fact that if the car does get hot, it will go into self-preservation mode anyway to reduce the chances of damage.