Temperature Gauge

Hi

I have Dodge Neon 1998. I have a problem with temperature guage. The needle does not move even after engine start.

Can anyone please help me with this problem ?

Thank you
Naveed Zaki

The most common problem with the gauges seems to be bad solder joints where the connectors behind the instrument cluster mount to the circuit board. This is a problem often seen, and not too hard to fix; if you have a phillips screwdriver, a set of the lilttle torx style wrenches, and own or are willing to buy a small soldering iron. On mine the fuel gauge and the speedometer worked when they felt like it - about half the time. The link below has the details:

http://www.myneonspeed.com/howto/how...clusterfix.htm (http://www.myneonspeed.com/howto/howto_1stgen_clusterfix.htm)

This fixed the gauges on our Neon. If you damage the cluster, any cluster from a 96 to 99 Neon from a junkyard should work, after soldering Its connectors. They have prices (here in Texas) varying from $20 to $75 for a used instrument cluster. And they are easy to remove from the car.
Also available on ebay.com now and then; but you still will need to solder the connectors!

Let us know if this doesnt fix the problem.

^^^That isnt necessarily for the temp gauge though.

For the temp gauge problem, you need to look at your cooling system. Are the fans kicking on when they are supposed to?

Two possibilities:
1. a thermostat that is failed in the wide open position.

2. A faulty coolant temperature sensor ( in cylinder head on SOHC, or next the thermostat housing on the DOHC).

Two possibilities:
( in cylinder head on SOHC, or next the thermostat housing on the DOHC).On a SOHC, its not in the head, persay, it's next to the camshaft position sensor.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e66/das2123/Neon%20Sensor%20Locations/CoolantTempSensorSOHC.jpg