When temperature gauge reads hot during traffic it means that there is something wrong with the fan. This particular problem suggests that there is something wrong with the fan. You see the main purpose of the fan is to keep the engine cool when the vehicle either moving slowly or stop such as in prolonged slow traffic.
The reason why temperature gauge reads hot during the traffic
(1) Faulty fan motor.(2) Faulty fan switch.
(3) Faulty fan sensor.
If the car is equipped with an electric fan, the problem could be a faulty fan motor, sensor, or switch.
As was mentioned, the main purpose of the fan is to cool the engine when the car is either moving at low speeds or stopped (such as in "prolonged, slow traffic). If the car is equipped with an auxiliary fan, one of the following components of the auxiliary fan unit is most likely faulty.
Possible faulty components of the auxiliary fan
Fan Motor - If the motor is bad, obviously the fan can't cool the engine.
Coolant Sensor - This device measures coolant temperature and triggers the fan to go on when the coolant is too hot. If the sensor is bad, it will never trigger the fan to come on.
Fan Switch - This turns on the fan. If it's bad, the fan will never come on. Of the above three possibilities, the fan switch is generally the one which fails most often.
What to do?
Take the car to a reputable car repair shop and ask the mechanic to have him inspect the radiator fan or auxiliary fan unit. Explain to the mechanic exactly what your diagnosis is.
If the car is not equipped with an electric fan, it means that the car is equipped with a conventional fan or a belt drive fan. The possible problem could be a slipping fan belt or a faulty fan clutch.
As was mentioned, the main purpose of the fan is to cool the engine when the vehicle is either moving at low speeds or stopped (such as in "prolonged, slow traffic"). Since this vehicle is equipped with a belt-driven fan, one of the following is most likely the problem here...
Slipping Fan Belt - If the fan belt is slipping, the fan will not turn as fast as it should. Consequently, the engine will get too hot.
Faulty Fan Clutch - This is a mechanical device that causes the fan to engage only when the engine is getting too hot. At any other time, it's disengaged. If it is faulty (specifically, in a permanently disengaged state), the fan will never spin. Consequently, the engine will get too hot.
What to do?
With the engine off, open the hood of the car and check the fan belt for looseness. A simple way to do this is the following - using your finger, press down on the middle of the belt (between the two pulleys). If the belt is tight, it won't go down more than 1/2". Otherwise, it's loose, another way is to turn the belt 90 degrees if the belt won't turn 90 degrees then the belt is too tight (see video below). In the latter case, you can either tighten the belt yourself (if you feel so inclined) or have a mechanic do it for you.
How to Check Belt Tension
On the other hand, if the belt seemed pretty tight, the problem most likely lies with the fan clutch. In this case, find a reputable garage to confirm that the problem is true with the fan clutch and, to replace it if necessary. Please explain to the mechanic exactly what have you read.
Related topic:
Temperature Reads Hot After Engine Start
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