its normal
Who ever told you that was an idiot.
Gauges should always fluctuate.
The fan normally does not go on because you get enough air through the radiator just by driving.
But the fan does come on sometimes.
Generally when you are stopped.
That is because no air is flowing through the radiator, because you are not moving.
So then of course the temperature rises until the fan goes on.
So then how could the gauge not also rise?
It would make no sense at all for the fan to go on and off, and not see anything on the gauge.
Normal enough. That is a very small variation and with it happening at idle I don't see anything bad happening, like radiator blockage.
I have had my 2004 Dodge Stratus with 81,000 miles on it for about a month now. I just want to know if what my temperature gauge is doing is normal. The gauge needle sits at the second line below the middle line while driving, but then when I slow down or idle it slowly goes up to the first line below the middle line. It does not go up to the middle line. I had it idling for 30 minutes after fully warmed up in the drive way to see if it would go past that, and it did not. In fact, there seems to be a pattern going on. When I am idling and it goes up to the first line below the middle line, fans will come on, it will go back down to the second line below middle, fans shut off, and it rises again to the first line below the middle line. Does nor do above that first line below the middle line, just stays between those two lines. I am concerned because on my 1997 Kia, the gauge stayed put, and you never saw it fluctuate unless there was a problem. Please note, I took the Stratus to a mechanic a couple days ago and he supposedly found nothing wrong, but I am worries because I was told by people that gauges should never ever fluctuate. So, is this a problem ? Anyone hears of this before and it just being normal ?
