i was up at the beach all day yesterday and the car was runngin fine.... parked it and it sat for a couple hours, then when i went to head home i got about a mile and a 1/2 and them my temp gauge was all the way at the H, so i pulled over and let it cool down.... once it cooled, i got another mile and the gauge went all the way up again, so once again i let it cool, and finally made it to a gas station, where i had to have the car towed, b/c i was about 60 miles from my house, and didnt wanna take the chance.... no sign of leaks and the coolant level is good.... thermostat? water pump? im not sure, any ideas?

 

Could be the temperature sensor.

 

+1 they are known to go bad..

 

You can easily tell if its the thermostat or not. Just let the car warm up, and feel the radiator hoses. If they are not hot, then the thermostat is not opening.

Otherwise then check the sensor.

 

the top radiator hose was scolding hot, even after the car cooled down, so that means it is the temp sensor.... that sux, cuz i dont have one in stock here at work.... so i wont be able 2 fix it til 2morrow...

 

check the bottom one like he suggested... if the thermostat or water pump is bad.. it may not be pushing coolent through the engine

 

so i ordered in my temp sensor, and im just curious to know, do they not have threads? b/c the one that i got in and is listed for my car has a 4-pin wire connector, and then on the base of it, there are no threads, i havent taken the old one off the car yet... so im not sure

 

its held in by a clip not threaded like some newer cars take the old one off and compare it

 

I haven't seen any threaded even the new 2.0T are held in by the same clip

 

I was thinking in terms of other cars because he was expecting it to be threaded so I was just pointing it out and you confirmed it