Ford Taurus Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection at your home or office.

Our certified mobile mechanics come to you 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(1,071)

How A Diagnostic Works

Instantly book a certified mobile mechanic to come to you

Mechanic diagnoses the problem and quotes necessary repairs

Your vehicle is ready to go

Fair, upfront & transparent pricing for all services

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to you now.

Customer Ratings

(1,071)

Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection Service

How much does a Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection cost?

On average, the cost for a Ford Taurus Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection is $95 with $0 for parts and $95 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
2016 Ford TaurusL4-2.0L TurboService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$114.99Shop/Dealer Price$124.99 - $132.49
1996 Ford TaurusV8-3.4LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1998 Ford TaurusV6-3.0LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
1994 Ford TaurusV6-3.8LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$104.99 - $112.48
2014 Ford TaurusL4-2.0L TurboService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.02 - $112.55
2008 Ford TaurusV6-3.5LService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$94.99Shop/Dealer Price$105.01 - $112.52
2012 Ford TaurusV6-3.5L TurboService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$109.87 - $117.28
2017 Ford TaurusL4-2.0L TurboService typeTemperature gauge is maxed out InspectionEstimate$99.99Shop/Dealer Price$110.24 - $117.94
Show example Ford Taurus Temperature gauge is maxed out Inspection prices

Your car’s engine needs to maintain the right operating temperature. As it runs, it creates immense amounts of heat. Coolant is circulated through the engine to absorb heat, and then it goes back to the radiator, where the radiator fan helps wick away the collected heat. Once cooled, the coolant is then sent back into the engine to do it all again. This should keep your engine in the normal operating temperature range, but if your temperature gauge is maxed out, there could be something seriously wrong.

How this system works:

The temperature gauge in your dash is connected to the car’s computer and from there to a temperature sensor on the engine block. The sensor measures the temperature of your car’s coolant (it uses resistance, but the actual resistance values can vary drastically from one automaker to another, and from one model to another).

The information read by the sensor is sent to the car’s computer, which adjusts the temperature gauge and also plays a role in the cooling system. Depending on the temperature level, the radiator fan will cycle on and off. As the temperature of your coolant rises, the needle in your temperature gauge should rise, moving from cold to normal. However, it may move all the way to hot in some cases.

Common reasons for this to happen:

  • Low Coolant: The first suspected cause of your temperature gauge maxing out is low coolant. If this occurs, your engine can overheat, and serious damage can result, up to and including cracking the block. However, if the engine isn’t actually hot (the temp gauge is maxed out but there’s no abnormal levels of heat from the engine), this isn’t the problem.

  • Broken Temp Gauge: If the temperature gauge is maxed out but the engine isn’t actually hot, then the problem may be a broken temperature gauge. The needle may be stuck in the hot range (this can happen after overheating the engine), or a stepper gear in the gauge may be damaged.

  • Failed Temp Sensor: If the temperature sensor on your engine block has failed, it may not send any information to the system, or it may send an erroneous signal, causing the gauge to rise without any actual overheating. It’s also possible that the sensor is shorting.

  • Failed Thermostat: If your car’s thermostat sticks in the closed position, coolant will not fully cycle through the engine, and it will begin to overheat. Your temperature gauge will rise quickly, particularly if it is very warm outside.

  • Cooling Fan Motor Failure: If the motor for your radiator cooling fan fails, it will not cycle on. This reduces the amount of airflow over the radiator, meaning that much of the heat is retained by the coolant, and it will not be able to absorb more from the engine.

  • Bad Fan Switch: Another reason your radiator fan might not be working is a bad fan switch. This switch controls the cycling of your radiator fan(s), and if it fails, it can cause overheating.

  • Air in System after Coolant Service: If you’ve recently had your engine coolant drained and refilled, it’s possible there’s air in the system. Air bubbles can form and block coolant from cycling through the engine, causing it to overheat.

What to expect:

A professionally trained mobile mechanic will come to your home or office to inspect your car’s temperature gauge and other components. The mechanic will then provide a detailed inspection report that includes the scope and cost of the necessary repairs.

How it's done:

The mechanic will inspect the coolant level of your vehicle, as well as the temperature sensor and other components in order to determine the cause of the gauge maxing out. It may be necessary to test drive the vehicle and verify if the engine is actually overheating, or if the problem lies with the sensor or the gauge.

How important is this service?

If your car is actually overheating, it’s a very serious problem that could quickly lead to engine-killing damage. Even if the problem is just a malfunctioning sensor or gauge, the issue is still serious, as you will have no means of observing the actual temperature of your engine coolant. One of our professional mechanics can inspect and repair your system.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Ford mechanics

Real customer reviews from Ford owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(1,071)

Rating Summary
986
46
8
7
24
986
46
8
7
24

Steven

14 years of experience
425 reviews
Steven
14 years of experience
Ford Taurus V6-3.0L - Car is not starting - Sun City, Arizona
He did a great job finding the problem quickly. Good job Steven

Andrew

11 years of experience
338 reviews
Andrew
11 years of experience
Ford Taurus V6-3.0L - Car is shaking or vibrating - Elkridge, Maryland
Andrew was fast, polite, and helpful as well as informative with the inspection.

Mike

17 years of experience
7 reviews
Mike
17 years of experience
Ford Taurus V6-3.0L - Oil Change - Austin, Texas
Showed up early, was quick, courteous, and did a great job on my car at good price.

Martin

42 years of experience
90 reviews
Martin
42 years of experience
Ford Taurus V6-3.0L - Ball Joint Front Replacement (Lower Right) - Austin, Texas
He was the best friendliest, honest, and fast mechanic I've ever met. I would recommend him every time I use YourMechanic. Marty was freaking awesome! :)

Excellent Rating

(1,071)

Rating Summary
986
46
8
7
24
986
46
8
7
24
Number of Ford Taurus services completed
11781+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Ford MECHANICS
1700+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

The Best Used Cars to Buy If You’re a Realtor or Real Estate Agent
If If you make your living as a realtor or real estate agent, you may have a number of considerations when it comes to purchasing a used vehicle. The most common considerations are budget, ability to transport people, and comfort....
Suzuki Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Car Program
If If you have been shopping for a used Suzuki vehicle, you may want to check out cars under their certified pre-owned program. Many manufacturers have a certified pre-owned (CPO) program, and each one is set up differently. Read on...
What are the Types of Brake Fluid?
Dot 3, Dot 4, and Dot 5.1 brake fluids are most common in modern vehicles. They differ in wet and dry boiling points.

Truck keeps stalling

Your vehicle having an idle issue is likely due to an air leak in the intake system or a sensor. Diagnosis of this problem is difficult on your year and model of truck. Finding the issue may be quick or...

Cat monitor will not run, even though i've done the 55 mph for 5 minutes or more numerous times....

There are two O2 sensors. One before and one after the catalyst. The one before is used for fuel control for fuel injections and the one placed after the catalyst is used to measure catalyst efficiency. A scanner will be...

What does charging system failure mean?

It sounds like your alternator or voltage regulator may be failing causing the battery to not be charged properly. When this happens the drop in voltage will cause the charging system failure light to come on. As you know, the...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (844) 997-3624 · hi@yourmechanic.com