[Tone the Bone]

Might not be a new topic, but does anyone mind the absence of a water coolant temperature gauge?

I used to like to check the temperature from time to time. Now assume the engine is cold until a few miles have passed.

Tony

 

[pekem]

Might not be a new topic, but does anyone mind the absence of a water coolant temperature gauge?

I used to like to check the temperature from time to time. Now assume the engine is cold until a few miles have passed.

Tony

If you had not mentioned it now I wonder if I would have ever noticed that the car doesn't have one
However, I suspect that in the event of adverse increase in temperature a message will be displayed to that effect.

 

[XFCAT]

Yep I miss a temp guage. I also miss a fuel 'guage' - not too keen on the the fuel 'bar' - but these, for me, are only minor irritations.

 

[tonys xf]

yep missing temp and oil pressure guage, especially on long journeys to see how engine is performing. one other little niggle, you cant just have the radio on and use of the auxillarys without the ignition on.

 

[Neilson111]

Might not be a new topic, but does anyone mind the absence of a water coolant temperature gauge?

I used to like to check the temperature from time to time. Now assume the engine is cold until a few miles have passed.

Tony

Not one of the best ideas not to have a visable temp gauge.
But when coolant level is low or temperature is too high a message appears on the display

 

[SN08 TOM]

. one other little niggle, you cant just have the radio on and use of the auxillarys without the ignition on.

Hi tony, to switch the audio system on without the ignition on, just press the volume button on the dash. To switch off press it again.

 

[SN08 TOM]

tone the bone r u a butcher

 

[craig]

I dont miss the temperature guage at all and I prefer the fuel bar.

 

[Roma]

I miss the coolant temperature gauge. BMW had a very neat way of indirectly showing the coolant temperature. They have a variable dial on the tachometer that shows a graduated red shaded area near the rev limit. This dial slides automatically depending on the coolant temperature. When the engine is cold the rev limit (red shaded area) will be much lower on the rev range. It slides higher as the engine warms up.

Just bear in mind that the coolant temperature, even if we had it shown in the XF, isn't necessarily indicative of the engine/oil temperature (which is the real measure of when you can drive in a 'spirited manner'. From a cold start the coolant temperature reaches normal levels some time before the engine and oil are at their normal temperature.

 

[Slickfingers]

Been driving my XF since June when temperatures were a bit warmer (not much though). Starting to miss my temp gauge - starting to notice that car is not quite as responsive due to colder starts. Unfortunately, to go anywhere where I live is only 500 yards from the motorway - so its time to be careful and not over work the engine until its warmed up enough before I leave everyone in my cloud dust.

 

[Jules]

Living where the temp is constantly over 40 degrees between June and Sept, I do miss not having a temp gauge. That being said, all cars here have a "Gulf Spec", which apparently means they have uprated cooling systems and filter systems. I have no idea what that actually means because under the bonnet everything looks normal. However, given the extreme heat here, you never see any cars on the hard shoulder with bonnet up and water all over the road!. If mine can survive in these extremes, everyone in the UK need not worry.

 

[rpgazder]

Engine Temperature Gauge & Engine Oil Temperature - not on instrument cluster

All cars I've owned previously have this gauge on the main instrument cluster, but my XF doesn't have it. Even my 2009 Jaguar X-Type has it. So how do I know when the engine is dangerously close to overheating for any reason whatsoever?

 

[59xf]

Even a simple light like Toyota have in the Yaris/ Urban Cruiser etc which is blue when the engine is not yet up to temperature would be an improvement. I imagine you'll get some kind of warning if it was overheating, but for those who like to use the paddles at least the Toyota style light would let you know when you could start using more of the rev range.

 

[pekem]

Hasn't the 2012 models got a gauge incorporated :?:

 

[MAPS]

Well, and doesn't anyone miss the litle pole to measure the oil level in the engine?

 

[jagular]

The missing dipstick is a nuisance only because I do not trust my dealer not to overfill my engine (only one out of the four oil changes so far was done "correctly" and only because they left the sump a bit low!). Most drivers in North America anyway never check their oil at all. The US government is trying to move to what i call the "welded hood" mode which seems to assume drivers are completely ignorant and cannot be trusted with any car maintenance responsibilities whatsoever. With the ominous inclusion of black boxes in all new cars and legislation already in place (in my jurisdiction, not yet in force but law enforcement already accesses this info) to permit the State to use black box information I predict it won;t be long before driving disappears to be replaced with tightly controlled mass transit in individual pods (as in modern traffic jams already).

The missing temperature gauge is a nuisance in winter here because one should not flog the engine until it is warmed up, however, the climate control indicates this when you start getting heat so I don't worry about this now. An oil temperature gauge would be more useful for this purpose anyway.

Modern engines just will not overheat unless something mechanical or electrical goes wrong. As I understand it the hazard warning system on the XF will inform the driver the minute the engine approaches too hot just as it tells you before you run out of fuel or if the tire pressure is low. In that sense a temperature gauge is rightly deemed a superfluous distraction.

 

[MWD]

I don't miss the temperature gauge, but like others do treat my car with kid gloves until warmed up (old habit that was instilled in to me by my Grandfather). Friend of mine has just bought a Focus RS with oil pressure and temp gauges and it is interesting to see just how long it takes for the oil to heat up and the pressure drop accordingly, despite the coolant temp showing 'normal' after a relatively short period of driving.

Maybe Perussell can comment given his background in the oil and fuel business, but I have been told that modern lubricants now mean that engines are not as susceptible to cold start damage and hard use when cold. Not that I will ever take any risks with my pride and joy!

 

[jagular]

Another point is that temperature gauges often aren't. "Overheating" has been a common customer complaint, especially on turbo engines, so some manufacturers inserted an algorithm between the sender and the gauge to ensure that temperatures throughout the "normal" range displayed as "normal". Only as the engine approached the danger zone did the gauge show "overheating". An idiot light performs the same function and at least is honest.

Synthetic oils flow so well when cold that we are back to coolant temperature as the guide to when the engine is ready to be stretched. Modern engines run tight clearances for fuel efficiency and thin viscosity oils for similar reasons, tight clearances also need low viscosity oils. Bottom line is the engine is ready for full power as soon as the thermostat opens, which is right about the point the cabin heater starts delivering the engine's surplus heat into the cabin (although in the depths of winter the thermostat hardly opens at all on a short drive).

In our extreme climate (winter temps as low as minus 40C and summer temps as high as plus 40C) synthetic oils are the only answer. I run the same viscosity oil year round and change the oil once per year or every 16,000 km (10,000 miles) using fully synthetic. I refrain from high engine loads and high rpm until the engine is capable of delivering cabin heat.

 

[Ash]

Indeed, the first thing I noticed when I had an XF as a loan car 6 months ago was the missing temp gauge. I like to know when the engine is warmed and drive gently until it is. I also always let it idle until the choke / fast idle has gone before moving off.

 

[TheGerman]

Asked the above question I immediately would have said: yes, I would miss the temp gauge...... but then I thought about it.
There is one in my current car (ML), but only if called up in the central display unit. Thinking about how often i flicked throught to have a look at it I realised I never did. So I think I will not miss it on the XF either.

Sorry, just a happy user :lol: