jsehoule

Now the dealer says all is fine. And it has been looked at 2 times. Pressure tested and so on. Last March I had a temp gauge issue. Got a new Thermostate. Then 8 months later. I was loosen coolant. And the dealer says they were not sure. Because there were no signs. But after they changes the head gaskets. All was good. I stopped loosen coolant. But I am still having one issue. The van can run for a while. The temp can be at the 1/2 mark. I can go in a store for 2 minutes. And the temp will be at the 1/4 mark. Or at the 3/8 mark. The gauge does move a little. And most of the time is just under the 1/2 mark. Before I got the new Thermo. The van was always at 1/2. My issue is that I see the temp go from 1/2 to either around the 3/8 mark or 1/4 mark often. My dealer says all is fine and don't worry about it. Well I have 4 months left on my bumper to bumper. And I don't want to see a big repair bill in 8 months. I bought this van with 17k on it and now it has 57k on it. And I have only owned it for 4 years. In March it got a new thermostat and when they changed the gaskets it got another one. All pressure test seem to be good. And I guess they looked at a couple of other things. (don't know yet) But they are good.
Any ideas???

ice777

Obviously, you have had some extensive work done on the cooling system for a vehicle that is 5 years old and 57000kms. Still having problems is not satisfactory.

I would not know if it is faulty sensor somewhere in the cooling system, faulty temp gauge, or faulty thermostat [even though it is supposedly new] or what ever else that maybe wrong.

What bothers me with your scenario is the non caring attitude and the inability to find what is wrong by the dealership that your are working with.

Keep good notes and records of what repairs that have been done to the engine. Replacing head gaskets on an engine with low kilometers is not typical.

Be persistent and persuasive with the dealership that GM should be honoring the warranty and supporting the customer and the product. There are no excuses to have return to the dealership to have something else fixed on the cooling system. It should be fixed the first time.

Consider going to another dealership if necessary or possible. Definitely contact Customer Service in Oshawa, Ontario if you fail to get any satisfaction. Tell the dealership you are not happy and that you will be taking your complaint "upstairs."

I have an 2005 Uplander and the engine is supposed to be very reliable. I did replace a thermostat in under a 100,000km but other than that mine has been no problem.

Concentrate on getting the dealership to give you some customer satisfaction...
Good luck. Keep us posted as to how you make out.

jsehoule

Ice, Where does your temp gauge run when it is warm? Does it stay at the Half mark or does it travel around?

Papa Bear

The temp gauge in my '07 stays glued to the centre mark, does not "travel around". Thermostats can fail, it sounds like to need a new one again. Be sure they are using an original equipment stat, not a cheap generic one.
A little reading. http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums...Number=2102914

ice777

When the engine is fully warmed up it stays one needle width to the right [the hot side] of the half way mark. When I say that the engine is fully warmed up, I mean that you have driven for about 10 or 15 minutes producing some RPMs on the engine. In cold weather [-20 degrees Celsius or colder] it never really gets fully warm according to the temp gauge when idling. It is only when you drive the vehicle and produce some rpm that the gauge will move to the half way mark.

In the summer time, I find that the temp gauge will naturally move quicker and stay at the half way mark.

In the winter time with colder temps the gauge is slower to move and get to the half way mark. Of course it is about rpms [which produce heat] and what your are doing [the type of driving] with the engine.

In winter time, I do find that my temp gauge will fluctuate two or three needle widths around the half way mark depending on the type of driving you are doing. Is this due to the sensitivity of the gauge or due to the cold temp of the ambient air outside; perhaps it is both reasons.

Don't forget, the engine is only a V6 [6cylinder]and it does not quickly generate the heat like the older V8 [8 cylinder] engines. And perhaps [I am not completely certain] but I think the newer engines of this era are made from slightly different materials that dissipate the heat more quickly from the engine.

When the thermostat in my vehicle became faulty, my service engine light came on. I immediately did an OnStar diagnostic check and they said it was a problem in the cooling system. My temp gauge at the time was only about one needle width less than half, yet the engine light was on and a diagnostic check said there was a problem with the cooling system. Took it to the garage and changed the thermostat. That corrected the problem and the "vehicle computer" was "happy." No issues with the cooling system since that time and no problems with the engine.

Speaking about gauges; [perhaps this is one of the most important factors of all] all the needle gauge designs on the these dashes today are such that the needle can travel about 270 degrees around the circumference compared to the older gauges in which the needle was designed to travel shorter distances in their readings. The new gauge designs show more movement of the needle just by virtue of their design.

So, some needle movement on the gauge when the engine is running at different rpms [driving conditions] should be normal.

In conclusion, if your vehicle computer is satisfied with operating temperatures and your heater is producing sufficient hot air, and considering the factors that I mentioned, perhaps your vehicle is operating okay. However, it is for you to make the final judgment about it all.

I am sorry about the lengthy explanation, but all these things were going around in my head when you asked the question, so I tried to lay it out in an understandable sort of way.

Hope this of some assistance. Let us know what you determine.

Papa Bear

Another factor is that some manufacturers don't have an analog temp gauge. It is stepped up in increments by the computer according to the temp sensor's input. Your "half way" mark may vary quite a few degrees without the needle moving.