Transmission Oil Temp Gauge Not Working?

[swish77]

Wondering if anyone else has had this problem ...

The transmission oil temperature gauge doesn't seem to be working on my new 2018 GT350 (1,100 miles). The needle just stays on 100, the lowest reading, when I have the gauge displayed on my dash, no matter how hard I push the car while driving. (All other gauges seem to be working fine.)

It's been cold in CT where I live, and I don't drive the car every day, but when I do drive, the needle should move upward no matter how cold it is outside, correct?

I assume I just got unlucky and need to have the AD look at it, but if anyone else has had this issue, please chime in.

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[Hack]

Wondering if anyone else has had this problem ...

The transmission oil temperature gauge is not working on my new 2018 GT350 (1,100 miles). The needle just stays on 100, the lowest reading, when I have the gauge displayed on my dash, no matter how hard I push the car while driving. (All other gauges seem to be working fine.)

It's been cold in CT where I live, and I don't drive the car every day, but when I do drive, the needle should move upward no matter how cold it is outside, correct?

I assume I just got unlucky and need to have the AD look at it, but if anyone else has had this issue, please chime in.

I usually view transmission temperature digitally, and it typically reads about 20-30 degrees F higher than ambient (I forget which, but it's fairly consistent) if the car is moving and has good airflow. The transmission temperature won't reach 100F if it's below 50F unless the car isn't moving.

I don't think you have a problem unless I'm misreading your post.

 

[JAJ]

Like Hack says, read it out in digital mode. The gearbox has constant cooling flow, so in cold weather it may not get to 100 degrees.

 

[swish77]

To clarify, here's what I've been looking at for several weeks when I drive the car. That needle literally doesn't budge, staying at 100 degrees. I've had some spirited drives and longer highway drives in temperatures in the 40s, and the needle still doesn't move. Now, I understand that it wouldn't increase much because of the cold weather and the fact that I'm not driving the car hard at the track. However, it surprises me that there is absolutely no movement, not even half a tick.

Can other drivers verify that this is the case, that only certain conditions (high outdoor temps and/or hard driving) cause the transmission oil temperature to increase? I just want to make sure I don't have a faulty gauge.

 

[TDC]

As other suggested you need to change the readout to show the numerical value and ditch the virtual gauge. Navigate using the arrow keys on the steering wheel to get the numerical readouts for temps. It will be a list including oil, diff, cyclinder head temp amongst others.

 

[Hack]

To clarify, here's what I've been looking at for several weeks when I drive the car. That needle literally doesn't budge, staying at 100 degrees. I've had some spirited drives and longer highway drives in temperatures in the 40s, and the needle still doesn't move. Now, I understand that it wouldn't increase much because of the cold weather and the fact that I'm not driving the car hard at the track. However, it surprises me that there is absolutely no movement, not even half a tick.

Can other drivers verify that this is the case, that only certain conditions (high outdoor temps and/or hard driving) cause the transmission oil temperature to increase? I just want to make sure I don't have a faulty gauge.

Very clear post. Thanks. Yup - your transmission won't get up to 100F internally when it's in the 40s ambient temperatures - at least not driving on the street. It does warm up as you drive the car, but the transmission won't get hot enough to budge the needle off the bottom of the digital gage you are showing.

The engine oil doesn't get very warm in those conditions either.

 

[SVTinAR]

Neither my transmission or my differential temperature register on the analog gage after an 11 mile commute to work. They don't get anywhere close to 100 deg necessary to register.

 

[swish77]

Very clear post. Thanks. Yup - your transmission won't get up to 100F internally when it's in the 40s ambient temperatures - at least not driving on the street. It does warm up as you drive the car, but the transmission won't get hot enough to budge the needle off the bottom of the digital gage you are showing.

The engine oil doesn't get very warm in those conditions either.

Well, that's the answer, thanks. Evidently, there's nothing wrong with the gauge! Doh!

I just went on a very spirited 40-minute test drive through some backcountry roads with a lot of hills and twisties, pushing the car as hard as I could without it being (too) dangerous. Revs often above 7K and speed as high as 75mph. Outside temperature was in the low 50s. Then I let the car sit for a couple of minutes with the engine on. These were the readings. Trans temp was barely above 100 and still not enough to move the needle on the gauge. One question I'd ask Ford: Why start the trans oil temp gauge at 100 degrees? Why not at 0, like most gauges?

 

[fpa1974]

Well, that's the answer, thanks. Evidently, there's nothing wrong with the gauge! Doh!

I just went on a very spirited 40-minute test drive through some backcountry roads with a lot of hills and twisties, pushing the car as hard as I could without it being (too) dangerous. Revs often above 7K and speed as high as 75mph. Outside temperature was in the low 50s. Then I let the car sit for a couple of minutes with the engine on. These were the readings. Trans temp was barely above 100 and still not enough to move the needle on the gauge. One question I'd ask Ford: Why start the trans oil temp gauge at 100 degrees? Why not at 0, like most gauges?

LOL, that would imply they do proper UX testing for what is worth.

On the same line of thought today I went to a Chase branch and they ask you to use this number keypad to put in personal information instead of giving it to the teller (which is nice) except is inverted (starting at 9 and going down as opposed to starting at 1 and going up) from what normal keyboards have (phone or computer). When I mentioned that to the teller she went on and on about how many people have issues with it.

 

[Hack]

Well, that's the answer, thanks. Evidently, there's nothing wrong with the gauge! Doh!

I just went on a very spirited 40-minute test drive through some backcountry roads with a lot of hills and twisties, pushing the car as hard as I could without it being (too) dangerous. Revs often above 7K and speed as high as 75mph. Outside temperature was in the low 50s. Then I let the car sit for a couple of minutes with the engine on. These were the readings. Trans temp was barely above 100 and still not enough to move the needle on the gauge. One question I'd ask Ford: Why start the trans oil temp gauge at 100 degrees? Why not at 0, like most gauges?

I'm sure it's a money thing, but IMO they really should have thermostatic control over fluid circulation in all the radiators on the car. Especially the engine oil runs too cold in my opinion.

 

[GT_Dave]

One question I'd ask Ford: Why start the trans oil temp gauge at 100 degrees? Why not at 0, like most gauges?

Your try to compare a temperature gauge to a pressure gauge, starting at 100 degrees has nothing to do with cost, it is more about accuracy. If you added another 100 degrees to the gauge, the resolution for reading the gauge would less accurate for the size allowed in the dash. On top of that, there is no logical reason to report trans fluid temperatures under 100 degrees.

 

[swish77]

Your try to compare a temperature gauge to a pressure gauge, starting at 100 degrees has nothing to do with cost, it is more about accuracy. If you added another 100 degrees to the gauge, the resolution for reading the gauge would less accurate for the size allowed in the dash. On top of that, there is no logical reason to report trans fluid temperatures under 100 degrees.

Fair point, although there are other gauges that tell us temperatures under 100 degrees.

I would assume the trans oil gauge is all about being on the track, not street driving. So Ford geared it toward that, ignoring the lower temps.

 

[MrCincinnati]

I'm sure it's a money thing, but IMO they really should have thermostatic control over fluid circulation in all the radiators on the car. Especially the engine oil runs too cold in my opinion.

I haven't completely thrown out the idea of trying to add temp actuated cooler doors in the grill. If only I had the time after work

 

[TDC]

Fair point, although there are other gauges that tell us temperatures under 100 degrees.

I would assume the trans oil gauge is all about being on the track, not street driving. So Ford geared it toward that, ignoring the lower temps.

The gauge does show less than 100 degrees. See pic from my car.

 

[SVTinAR]

I would agree that it would be nice to have thermostatic control on these coolers since about 1/3 of the year the fluids don't ever get up to temp. But I'm sure that would add some cost and more device(s) to act on a certain percentage of cars.

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