Temperature Gauge or warning lamp
This gauge measures the temperature of the engine coolant in degrees. When you first start the car, the gauge will read cold. If you turn the heater on when the engine is cold, it will blow cold air. When the gauge starts moving away from cold, you can then turn the heater on and get warm air.
Most temperature gauges do not show degrees like the one pictured here. Instead they will read cold, hot, and have a normal range as pictured in the dash panel at the top of this page.
It is very important to monitor the temperature gauge to be sure that your engine is not overheating. If you notice that the gauge is reading much hotter than it usually is and the outside temperature is not unusually hot, have the cooling system checked as soon as possible. Note: If the temperature gauge moves all the way to hot, or if the temperature warning light comes on, the engine is overheating! Safely pull off the road and turn the engine off and let it cool. An overheating engine can quickly cause serious engine damage!