[Pricerice]

Got my car (19 Corolla) just around when it came out; a year and a half ago.
My coolant temperature gauge have never moved before, always staying in the same position as when I start my car until yesterday. It has never moved until I realized that it moved to the 50% mark while I was driving on the highway yesterday night. Today I turned it on and while sitting in my driveway it steadily moved around 1/4 then within 10 minutes of driving its moved to the halfway point again.
Is this normal. I took it to get a full service 2 weeks ago but this didnt start till today

 

[igzy]

It all depends on where you like (cold vs warm region) and duration of the trips. If you like in the cold belt and your trips are only a few miles then it is very likely that the engine will not have the time to warm up. For example, this morning was well below zero where I am (about 15F), and it took about 15 minutes of driving on the hwy before the needle reached middle of the range on mine...

 

[Pricerice]

Got my car (19 Corolla) just around when it came out; a year and a half ago.
My coolant temperature gauge have never moved before, always staying in the same position as when I start my car until yesterday. It has never moved until I realized that it moved to the 50% mark while I was driving on the highway yesterday night. Today I turned it on and while sitting in my driveway it steadily moved around 1/4 then within 10 minutes of driving its moved to the halfway point again.
Is this normal. I took it to get a full service 2 weeks ago but this didnt start till today View attachment 289800

It all depends on where you like (cold vs warm region) and duration of the trips. If you like in the cold belt and your trips are only a few miles then it is very likely that the engine will not have the time to warm up. For example, this morning was well below zero where I am (about 15F), and it took about 15 minutes of driving on the hwy before the needle reached middle of the range on mine...

I live in Florida so the weather been constantly in 60s or higher today it is 76 degrees but a few weeks ago it was in the 60s but the gauges never moved then

 

[jolly]

It has never moved until I realized that it moved to the 50% mark while I was driving on the highway yesterday night.

It's normal for the engine temperature to start as "cold" and gradually rise toward "normal hot" (around middle position). It's the fact that your needle never moved before (or you didn't notice) that doesn't sound normal.

 

[Vangm25]

Either you have not been driving far and the vehicle has never been at operating temperature or you never noticed it. I sure hope your vehicle has warmed up properly even if you are in a warmer environment than the rest of us. A vehicle that is almost never at operating temperature is unlikely to compare to a vehicle running on the hwy all its life.

I drove a Mitsubishi Lancer when I was down in Florida, I got it to normal operating temperature. West Palm Beach Airport to Jensen Beach to around Jensen Beach when I was in Jensen Beach.

 

[Pricerice]

It all depends on where you like (cold vs warm region) and duration of the trips. If you like in the cold belt and your trips are only a few miles then it is very likely that the engine will not have the time to warm up. For example, this morning was well below zero where I am (about 15F), and it took about 15 minutes of driving on the hwy before the needle reached middle of the range on mine...

Either you have not been driving far and the vehicle has never been at operating temperature or you never noticed it. I sure hope your vehicle has warmed up properly even if you are in a warmer environment than the rest of us. A vehicle that is almost never at operating temperature is unlikely to compare to a vehicle running on the hwy all its life.

I drove a Mitsubishi Lancer when I was down in Florida, I got it to normal operating temperature. West Palm Beach Airport to Jensen Beach to around Jensen Beach when I was in Jensen Beach.

That might be the case, the longest I've driven my car is 3 hours straight once every month. But I recently drove it for 8 hour stright when going to Alabama. Could that be what jump started the movement?

 

[jolly]

3 hours straight once every month

That's already more than enough. Even in the coldest Canadian temperature, mine take 15-20 minutes at most. Plus the needle doesn't jump there, it rises gradually.

 

[Vangm25]

The coolant needle should gradually rise, if not gradually, it should rise gradually faster depending on how far you drive. Just watch it more and compare how far you are driving.

 

[Hamltnblue]

For ease of mind do a couple of things.
1. make sure the coolant cap is on tight and that the coolant level is correct in the overflow bottle.
2. check the front of the radiator to make sure nothing got sucked in and is blocking it.

 

[corolapete]

Don't worry about the guage too much. They are not accurate. It only gives you a warning of either hot or cold. I never trust this guages and by the time it gets close to hot it seems to be too late. Get a well known aftermarket guage such as autometer or scanguage. I want a temp guage for my car but my dilemma is where to put them without messing with the dash.

 

[Vangm25]

Don't worry about the guage too much. They are not accurate. It only gives you a warning of either hot or cold. I never trust this guages and by the time it gets close to hot it seems to be too late. Get a well known aftermarket guage such as autometer or scanguage. I want a temp guage for my car but my dilemma is where to put them without messing with the dash.

The gauge is overall accurate, my gauge at mid is always 189 F on my OBDLINK and my scanner which is normal operating temperature.

 

[corolapete]

The gauge is overall accurate, my gauge at mid is always 189 F on my OBDLINK and my scanner which is normal operating temperature.

Our experience with this guages is very disappointing. Replaced my brothers 3rd gen 4runner tstat with off brand and then read the temp via obd2 port scanner 215 deg and then replaced it with oem tstat 180deg. Check the needle it did not move. scary.
I am happy that it works for you.