03 Highlander, gauge was always a little below midpoint facing cool at "normal operating temperature"
08 Camry, gauge stays at midpoint at normal operating temperature

I'd say you'd have three good options:

• Download the Torque App, buy a bluetooth OBD2 adaptor, read what the engine coolant temperature says and compare it to spec
• Go back to the dealer and make use of your warranty
• Wait for someone to answer here

 

Slightly left of center
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Slightly left of center, sometimes right at center. I've never seen it go past center.

 

2019 XLE , left of center. Check coolant reservoir when cold, should be between max and min.Should not be past half way driving on the freeway, maybe in traffic on a very hot day but then you would hear the fans working overtime. Take it to the dealer and get it checked out.

 

2019. Runs slightly left of center. So did my 2017. Yours is not normal.

 

Agreed. It's under warranty, have it looked at by the dealer and have it made right regardless the cause.

 

What's the coolant level in the radiator overflow reservoir? Our '16 gauge runs about halfway.

 

- America: slightly UNDER half
- Canada: slightly OVER half


..generally speaking







.

 

Thanks for the replies. The coolant level in the overflow reservoir is filled all the way to the max. Tomorrow I’m calling the dealer to have them look at it and I’ll post an update after. Disappointing for this to happen on a new car.

 

Make a video of the gauge reading before dropping the vehicle off at the dealer. Also video record (via cell phone in your shirt pocket) what the service manager says before and after you drop the vehicle off.

That way if the manager ultimately says: "there's no problem" you have video proof of his incompetence that you can share with corporate Toyota and the public if you wish (via Youtube).

 

Mine reads just a bit to the right of center as well.

 

I took it to the dealer today and they thought it looked normal. They tested the coolant temperature and measured it at 201 degrees, which is in the normal range. No error codes have been triggered. I'm not sure if 201 degrees is slightly higher than average, or if my gauge is calibrated a little higher than average. I talked to my usual mechanic and he thinks that temperature is in a normal range, so I'm just planning to keep an eye on it going forward.

Thank you for your responses.

 

'19 Highlander, slightly to the right of center. I've had it a little over a month with around 500 miles. Coolant level is near max in the reservoir when cold.

 

I took a picture to show you guys. It seems to run fine and does not go further to the right.

 

I note the outside temperature is 90 degrees. If you have been having consistently hot weather that might be causing the slightly high gauge readings I suppose. 201 degrees is well within the normal range though, so the thermostat is doing its job.

Robert N.

 

According to the Scan Gauge I had in my 2012 Highlander, it was a consistent 180 degrees no matter what. I'm not sure of the difference in the 2 models, and haven't installed another Scan gauge in my 2019, but it is my understanding that temps below 220 is O K.

 

Dash gauges are useless and psychological. Everyone knows that around that 1/2-way or little less if fine. And, dash gauges are usually non-linear to get into that narrow dead band movement dash gauge reading over a wide temperature range. Its just a feel good gauge.

I would be worried if it was more than 1/2 way. So, invest in a phone app and wireless OBD scanner and gather your own data.

Maybe someone with the gauge to the left of center can provide some equivalent comparison readings from a scanner and compare to dash gauge location, including warm up times to 200F on a typical provided cold start temp day.

Either forget about it or troubleshoot iffy components:
Is the dash gauge defective?
Is the engine temp sensor/sender defective?
Is the thermostat defective?
Besides the overflow/recovery bottle, are you sure that your cold engine radiator coolant level is full?
Are the radiator fans triggering at the correct temps?
Is it just overly hot outside with the A/C on?
Is your vehicle overloaded with cargo?

Get to another dealer. Leave your Highlander home. Have someone drive you there. Take a few Highlanders for a test ride. And, see if they respond to your driving style the same way, take a cell phone picture of the gauge if less than 1/2, and then tell the salesman that you're not interested and prefer another.

 

i had same issues here,I had 100+ mile on it,but temperatures gauge is alway slightly right after car warm up. Just bought this car 5 day ago.

 

I have 2018 Highlander xle; it reads just like my Tacoma. A little on the cool side of halfway/the middle.

 

My 2019 gage never ever quite reaches half way. Not even when it’s 90 out. Neither did my 2017. Either some cars are running a tad hotter, or the gage calibration is a bit off.

 

Dummy gauge, people.

 

engine temp gauge high

i had a toyota tacoma brand new and the temp was always high . took back to the dealer and the usual answer thats normal coolant level was fine coolant good . my buddy who was teacher for automotive repair checked it and found the timing was set wrong from the factory .he reset the timing the temp gauge went below the center ran much cooler.

 

Maybe someone with the gauge to the left of center can provide some equivalent comparison readings from a scanner and compare to dash gauge location, including warm up times to 200F on a typical provided cold start temp day.

Ask and ye shall receive.....I have a 2018 XLE and a Kiwi OBD data reader. Hooked it up for a 20 mile out and back trip this morning and the following is what I observed for coolant temperatures (weather was 75F and low humidity): Coolant temp at 75F at start, warmed to 144F in first 2 miles of in town driving. Coolant temp gauge in car read about 1/4 range at 144F. Temp seemed to fluctuate around 144F for another 2 miles, so I think this is where the thermostat began to open. Slow climb to 174F over the next 2 miles, at which point the car coolant temp gauge read just below the 1/2 point where it normally sits. Temp continued to climb slowly for another mile or so to 195F, at which point I entered the interstate highway. Speed now up to 75 mph and the coolant temperature initially dropped to 185F and then increased slowly up to 203F, back down to 190F, back up to 201F over about 10 miles. Exited interstate and stop and go traffic for 3 miles saw temps fluctuate between 186F and 205F, with the highest temp at a traffic light. During the entire trip the car coolant temp gauge did not move from just below half scale over a temperature range of 175-205F, indicating they have electronically buffered the gauge to read half scale over a large "normal" range of temperature. Temperatures ranged from 186-203F during the return trip. In the 19 months I've owned the HL I don't recall the temp gauge ever going over the halfway point of the scale.

 

Mine is a 2019 T Highlander XLE AWD. Only 2557 miles and the Temp gauge never goes any further from this.
Here the image::: http://prntscr.com/o15mmi

 

I took a 25 mile freeway trip in Phoenix, AZ yesterday averaging 65 mph. The outside temperature was 112 deg! I had my scan gauge installed. Water temperature was usually 195 deg, but got up to 205 when I got off the highway and hit a stoplight. The temp gauge always stayed just left of center once the water temp reached about 180 deg.

 

So far my temp guage stays in same position like others. Makes me wonder what higher temp would cause guage to start moving past normal position? Maybe n/a to know, just curious. Yeah, I think its a dummy pre set guage cause once coolant warmed up it doesn't move/fluctuate like water temp guages used long ago. I assume this guage will start moving at some higher preset temp which would indicate coolant overheating. :dunno:

 

I wanted to see if my Highlander with a temperature gauge sitting to the right of middle runs hotter than Highlanders with gauges sitting to the left of middle (thanks for your numbers Hedgehog11 and edge3333), so I bought an OBD2 scanner to measure my coolant temperature.
My commute is about 20 miles with freeway and some surface streets, no AC, around 50 degrees out. Once it got up into the 170s the temperature gauge moved to the right of middle, as always, and never moved from there. Coolant temperatures were mostly between 190-198 and averaged 195. The highest it reached was 203 for a few seconds, but for the most part it never went above 199.
I attached a picture of my temperature gauge below. It looks like my actual temperatures are right in line with other Highlanders, but my gauge for whatever reason just sits farther to the right.