is it normal for a Saturn to run kind of hot?????

I've got a 95 SC2 with 98K. It operates from one half to three quarters of the temp gauge--I don't, of course, know what the actual temperature is.
The fan comes on (I didn't think it was working) when the needle hits the 3/4 mark and stays on until it drops just below the 1/2 mark.
Is this normal?
There is no coolant leakage, it is full, the water pump is OK, and we just replaced the thermostat just in case.
Could the gauge be off or something wrong with the sensor???
Ran the codes, got nothing.
Thanks for your help!

check thermostats. most likely the problem. they need to be replaced every once in a while, every couple of years or so.

changed it the day after I brought the car home. it was new but replaced it anyway. still runs hotter than I think it should.

it's normal on all s series to run at 1/2 to 3/4. temp. at the coolant jug it will be @ 218 degs.

a ha! thanks! I've been wondering this whole time if it was OK. I feel much better now!!

My SC1 has 130,000 miles on it...i've put about 60,000 of those and it almost always stayed around 1/4 on the guage...just here recently, it's shot up to 1/2 and in traffic, it will overheat if I don't run the heater on full blast. I changed my thermostat and flushed the radiator....fan comes on okay, and the water pump is fine...it should not be this hot. Could it be a sensor? I don't think your car should be running that hot either....my a/c has to work really hard and it's still not that cool.

I don't think it's right either, actually. I discovered that I can't drive over 80 for any length of time or the gauge gets into the red, also if I run my AC which really sucks now that it's summer!
There are two sensors--one is engine coolant temp sensor (operates electric fan) and one is the coolant temp sending unit (operates gauge). They're cheap and pretty easy to replace so I'm thinking about replacing them both just for the heck of it. Even tho I don't think that's the problem . . . I'll see what happens.

I don't think it's right either, actually. I discovered that I can't drive over 80 for any length of time or the gauge gets into the red, also if I run my AC which really sucks now that it's summer!
There are two sensors--one is engine coolant temp sensor (operates electric fan) and one is the coolant temp sending unit (operates gauge). They're cheap and pretty easy to replace so I'm thinking about replacing them both just for the heck of it. Even tho I don't think that's the problem . . . I'll see what happens.
cars equipped with electric cooling fans usually run hot in slow moving/stopped traffic because the fan switch is set at a high temp. unlike a car equipped with an engine belt driven fan which always runs & releases on the freeway through the silicone engaged fan clutch. when your moving at high speed ram air cooling takes over & the fan switch/fan unit itself becomes unimportant. as a matter of fact, if you drove your car non-stop always, you could discard the whole fan assembly as it would'nt be needed. it could be something stupid like an obstruction in front of the radiator, or a internal blockage/restriction. i have a 2001 saturn sc2 & my gauge never went past 1/2. ya know what, i see a lot of these cars with the front spoiler removed. this would cause a major reduction of ram air cooling air at high speed because it is needed to funnel the air up into the radiator area. the opening on the front of the car alone is just too small & needs help from the spoiler/opening underneath.. these things are not on the car just for looks. if you removed your spoiler, re-install it a.s.a.p. hope this helps.......

You know what worked? This car had been owned by some kid who hit a deer with it. Apparently they removed the air dam when they fixed it, so the only air the car was getting was whatever hot air it could suck up from the ground. I simply cut out a strip on the front spoiler (there was no grill or opening whatsoever on this car) and filled the gap with a honeycomb. Not only does it look great but cool air can now go right through the radiator and the temp very rarely goes above 1/2. The car runs much better now!

thats accually very common, a shop will take it off, ripping it off on a curb, some people don't like the look, then it will overheat like crazy because it can't get any air. mine was just loose on one side and i noticed the difference in temp quickly

it's normal on all s series to run at 1/2 to 3/4. temp. at the coolant jug it will be @ 218 degs.

its common, but not normal. if the temp is steadly between 1/2 and 3/4, you need a new ECT sensor. the temp should be just a hair below 1/2

so is the 218 degrees still accurate? that seems damn high to me? i was thinking 170-190?

about 190 or 195 is ideal. i don't know in reality what they run at. but a bad ECT will clause over heating.

I've got a 95 SC2 with 98K. It operates from one half to three quarters of the temp gauge--I don't, of course, know what the actual temperature is.
The fan comes on (I didn't think it was working) when the needle hits the 3/4 mark and stays on until it drops just below the 1/2 mark.
Is this normal?
There is no coolant leakage, it is full, the water pump is OK, and we just replaced the thermostat just in case.
Could the gauge be off or something wrong with the sensor???
Ran the codes, got nothing.
Thanks for your help!

Seems to be the way they designed them.

If it bugs you, try turning the AC on for a few seconds with the blower on also.
Then turn it off.
The cooling fan will stay on until the temp comes down to 195 or so.

I bought a 95 SC2 relatively cheap, mostly due to the fact that the kid had rear-ended someone causing a crack up of the front bumper along w/ the drivers fender. It wasn't until recently, about 2 months after driving it, that it started to over heat. The first time I noticed it over heating was on a 75 degree day when I was idling in the parking lot, the temperature gauge was just below redlining. The car never actually over heated, but this worried me. So my brother being a mechanic, checked the thermostat, radiator, and a few others, and found nothing. Me and him are both wonderin if this problem is caused because the air dam is no longer lined up because of the bumper. When traveling down the highway the temp does fine, but in traffic at low speeds and at idle, it will over heat if I don't crank the heat, which sucks in hot weather. I was just wondering if anyone could help me out on this issue. Thanks, I appreciate it alot!

the air dam may be at fault, i have noticed on my 94 even one side attached and the other side hanging will have a negitive affect on temp.

I agree with sierrap,

But Also, too easy but check your oil,