Should my temperature always reach the middle of the gauge?
Usually when driving in cold weather (40F) it will only reach about 1/10 up the gauge even after a 30 mile drive. It works fine in warm weather.

Also, I get some strange buzzing noise while driving at low RPMs (900-1100rpm usually) when the car is cold. Sounds like it's on the passenger side.

 

Change the 'stat.

 

theres a thread about fixing your cluster, theres some little thing in the back of the cluster you need to replace and resolder in. theres no way your car would not be warm after driving 30 miles unless youre driving down Mt. Everest at 400km/h

can you describe the buzzing more? does it sound like its inside the cabin or is it in the engine bay?

 

I have seen some cars with the thermostat stuck open or removed not warm up correctly. Apparently coolant flowed to quickly and never got a chance to sit and warm up correctly.

 

Check your temperature sending unit 1st. Make sure you have a good connection, or better yet, replace it to insure the gage on the dash is getting the correct signal.

Good luck.

 

The temperature gauge reaches the middle and stays there on warmer days, so I don't think that's the problem. The coolant temperature sending unit wire was repaired about a year ago.

@chrome91: It sounds like it's either inside the car or very close to the firewall. At first I thought it was something rattling inside the glove box but that turned out to be false. I'll try to catch a video of it.

 

it's not a matter of speed.. it's a matter of what percent of coolant goes thru the radiator to get cooled vs what percent of coolant just goes straight back to the water pump and/or heater core. If you let full flow go through the radiator, it's going to get really cold (relatively speaking) and keep the engine temp from getting as high as it should. the thermostat is infinitely variable, not just "open" or "closed"

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pa51hgAyq0
^ video with the sound.

 

so its just on acceleration?

 

yep, and usually only in cold weather...well cold for florida anyway.

 

thanks thats what I was trying to say but didn't know how to explain it. Some cars seems to go the other route too, no thermostat and they overheat. Guess it all depends on the design.

 

im thinking of changing my thermostat soon

 

so any idea as to what's causing the buzzing sound?