Mine takes about the same amount of time from a cold start.


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Mine never quite reaches the middle. Is this normal?

 

Check your coolant level in the reservoir and at the pressure cap when engine is cold.

How long it takes all depends on ambient temperature, and if you let it idle or drive off right away, and at which rate of speed, etc. It will warm up faster if you leave the heater fan on low.

 

It shouldn't reach the middle exactly, but right below middle in 5 minutes or less.

 

If it takes too long to warm up you'll get a CHECK ENGINE light and a P0128 trouble code, and this is almost always due to a stuck open thermostat.

If you're not getting that then there's no reason to worry about the engine running too cool.

 

^^^ yup, my thermostat was stuck open, but I rarely got the P0128 code.

 

What do you mean by "rarely?"

 

I mean that the CEL would only come on maybe once a month if that? My commute is 30 minutes each way, so I'd think it would be long enough for it to trigger. It would come on and clear itself, even though the thermostat was obviously stuck open (temperature gauge never moved lol)

 

Mine takes about 5-7 minutes and it doesn't quite reach the middle point. It's slightly below the middle.

 

At 10+ years it's time for a new thermostat. They're not expensive. Change the radiator cap while you're at it.
Back in the day I used to change the thermostat (and radiator cap!) every other coolant change - 4 years.
Working the old one by hand vs the new one I could feel the beginnings of stickiness.
Now with long life coolant I still plan to change the 'stat every other coolant change.