# Is 223 too hot?



## zdave83 (Jul 5, 2011)

Hello,

Is a DIC temp reading of 223 normal/acceptable ?

I have a 2012 Cruze Eco with around 146K miles. In the recent past I received a warning that the car was overheating, even though the temp gauge on the dash looked normal. The DIC reading was 240+, and at one point got high enough that it shut off the air conditioner. The dealer reported that there was air in the cooling system, which caused the sensor to be sitting in a pocket of air, which caused the false 240+ reading. The water pump and turbo cooling line were replaced. Now the DIC reads between 207 and 223. The temp gauge on the dash is the same as always. The dealer tells me that a temp reading around 220 is normal ... not to be concerned.

I decided I needed the experts to weigh in on this question ...... so I came here. Thoughts?

Thanks in advance - Dave


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

zdave83 said:


> Is a DIC temp reading of 223 normal/acceptable ?


The thermostat setting is 221°F, so seeing 223 seems within a reasonable delta. Of course, I wouldn't want to see much higher than that. 

Doug

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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Anywhere up to 227-230 is within operating range. Engine fan kicks in at 230 and the thermostat is fully open. The car will melt the wax ring on the thermostat and lower the operating temp if it needs more cooling capacity. 

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


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## zdave83 (Jul 5, 2011)

plano-doug & jblackburn,

Thanks for the responses ... sounds like we're good !

Dave


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## carbon02 (Feb 25, 2011)

With the engine off, vehicle level, radiator cap off, tank fairly full, open the white plastic air bleed valve on the radiator tank passenger side.. You don't have to fully remove it, but open until you either hear air being bled out of the vent, or see coolant. 

That bleeds the air from the top of the radiator, the rest of the system vent's pretty well back to the coolant bottle. 

After replacing my water pump, water outlet, and upper radiator hose, I finally got the coolant system tight and operating well. It seems like 217-221 is where things sit. I can tell when the thermostat opens by watching the temperature gauge. It drops from 226 to 217 fairly quickly.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

zdave83 said:


> Now the DIC reads between 207 and 223. The temp gauge on the dash is the same as always. The dealer tells me that a temp reading around 220 is normal ... not to be concerned.


Are you saying you have a digital display of the temperature? I just took my 2013 LS for a drive, but none of the displays I scrolled thru had temperature. I found tire pressure, oil life and several others, but no temp.

Are you actually reading a number? Or just interpolating values from the gauge position? 

My gauge only has H and C on it, but I know some have numbers as well.

Perhaps a digital temp display in the DIC comes with higher level package options?

Doug

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## zdave83 (Jul 5, 2011)

carbon02 said:


> With the engine off, vehicle level, radiator cap off, tank fairly full, open the white plastic air bleed valve on the radiator tank passenger side.. You don't have to fully remove it, but open until you either hear air being bled out of the vent, or see coolant.
> 
> That bleeds the air from the top of the radiator, the rest of the system vent's pretty well back to the coolant bottle.
> 
> After replacing my water pump, water outlet, and upper radiator hose, I finally got the coolant system tight and operating well. It seems like 217-221 is where things sit. I can tell when the thermostat opens by watching the temperature gauge. It drops from 226 to 217 fairly quickly.


Good DIY ! Thanks


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## zdave83 (Jul 5, 2011)

plano-doug said:


> Are you saying you have a digital display of the temperature? I just took my 2013 LS for a drive, but none of the displays I scrolled thru had temperature. I found tire pressure, oil life and several others, but no temp.
> 
> Are you actually reading a number? Or just interpolating values from the gauge position?
> 
> ...


Yes the DIC on my Eco has a temp reading.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

plano-doug said:


> Are you saying you have a digital display of the temperature? I just took my 2013 LS for a drive, but none of the displays I scrolled thru had temperature. I found tire pressure, oil life and several others, but no temp.
> 
> Are you actually reading a number? Or just interpolating values from the gauge position?
> 
> ...


It was a 2012 model year feature only; too many people must have freaked out about them running that hot and they removed it for all future years.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

jblackburn said:


> It was a 2012 model year feature only; too many people must have freaked out about them running that hot and they removed it for all future years.


My daughter was at the house today with the 2012, so I got in it and poked around. I had not been able to find any mention of the digital temp display in either of the 2 owner's manuals I've downloaded. Furthermore, there was no mention of it in the hardcopy manual in the glove box. 

But when I scrolled thru the Vehicle Information Menu, there it was. So not only was the digital temp display removed in the 2013 and later models, based on the lack of documentation, I'm wondering if it was supposed to have been in the 2012's to begin with. Could it have been one of those engineering test features that inadvertently got left turned on in the released software?

I took some screen shots and put together the pic below.

Doug










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## snowwy66 (Nov 5, 2017)

Who knows why engineers do what they do.

The autostop on the new cars. Was originally set for 41. Then they lowered it to 14. I can't imagine anyone wanting their heaters going cold at a stop light.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

plano-doug said:


> zdave83 said:
> 
> 
> > Now the DIC reads between 207 and 223. The temp gauge on the dash is the same as always. The dealer tells me that a temp reading around 220 is normal ... not to be concerned.
> ...


The LS model does not come with this feature but I believe the DIC on the LT, LTZ, and ECO have a temp gauge reading along with other features.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Maqcro1 said:


> The LS model does not come with this feature but I believe the DIC on the LT, LTZ, and ECO have a temp gauge reading along with other features.


It's on the 2012 LS, as plano-doug said above.

It's a 2012 model year feature only.


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## Maqcro1 (Apr 29, 2019)

I can promise you my 2012 does not have this feature.


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## yt400pmd (Apr 29, 2017)

I have a 2012 eco. I have this feature


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

plano-doug said:


> Are you saying you have a digital display of the temperature? I just took my 2013 LS for a drive, but none of the displays I scrolled thru had temperature. I found tire pressure, oil life and several others, but no temp.
> 
> Are you actually reading a number? Or just interpolating values from the gauge position?
> 
> ...


The 2011s and early 2012s had digital temperature displays. GM dropped this display about halfway through the 2012 model year.


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## yt400pmd (Apr 29, 2017)

you might want to try this for peace of mind

https://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-gen1-1-4l-turbo/225041-1-4-eco-thermostat-swap-221-f-176-f.html



zdave83 said:


> Hello,
> 
> Is a DIC temp reading of 223 normal/acceptable ?
> 
> ...


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## zdave83 (Jul 5, 2011)

yt400pmd said:


> you might want to try this for peace of mind
> 
> https://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/34-gen1-1-4l-turbo/225041-1-4-eco-thermostat-swap-221-f-176-f.html


Appreciate the information !


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

obermd said:


> The 2011s and early 2012s had digital temperature displays. GM dropped this display about halfway through the 2012 model year.


My daughter's car, with the digital engine temperature display, has a February 2012 born-on date, so that gibes with this.

Doug

.


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## plano-doug (Jul 1, 2015)

obermd said:


> The 2011s and early 2012s had digital temperature displays. GM dropped this display about halfway through the 2012 model year.


The one lingering question about this is, why wasn't it mentioned in the owner's manual? That makes me wonder maybe if it was an oversight to have included in the beginning.

Doug










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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

I just checked my 2012 Cruze owners manual and this display isn't in there either. You may be correct that it was an accidental hold-over from development.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

Or they never updated the owners manual from 2011.


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## Mario817 (Dec 29, 2020)

jblackburn said:


> Anywhere up to 227-230 is within operating range. Engine fan kicks in at 230 and the thermostat is fully open. The car will melt the wax ring on the thermostat and lower the operating temp if it needs more cooling capacity.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


Hello I just replaced the thermostat on my 2012 Cruze 1.4T and the readings go as high as 234 and drop down to 226. Fan kicks on at 228 is that normal ?


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