Defective temperature gauge or defective temperature sensor?
Defective temperature sensor or bad gauge
Bad gauge or defective coolant temperature sensor
the three possible problems to this question are . your temperature sending unit is defective ,you could have problems in your wiring harness, or your temperature gauge is inoperative. I am a licensed mechanic and i have found your best place to start is to make sure you have input power to the sender and sensor and output to the gauge and or light in the system .If you have no output but you have input chances are your wirings fine and the sending unit or temperature sensors bad , you'll have to refer to the proper manual and check resistance.If you have output to the gauge and you have the proper voltage reference at the gauge ,chances are the gauge could be defective. The most common problem is a defective sensor though.
The temperature gauge will not work on a 1984 GMC Sierra truck if the sending unit is defective or the wiring has come loose. It is also possible for the gauge itself to fail, but this is less common.
Defective gauge, defective oil pressure sending unit, low of oil, defective oil pump.
The relay sensor is likely defective
Can be a defective temperature sending unit. If you just chance the coolant can be air trapped in the cooling system. You would need to bleed all air from the system. Can also be a defective gauge, but highly unlikely.
Ground the wire that goes to the temperature sending unit and if the gauge goes up then the sending unit is defective.
Perhaps a defective voltage regulator- not regulating voltage Perhaps a defective gauge-
You could have several problems. The thermostat could be stuck open or the temperature sending unit could be defective.
Ground the temperature sending unit and the gauge should go to hot. If it does not the the gauge is defective. The instrument cluster will have to be sent off for repair. had the same problem, check for bad fuse located in fuse box under the hood on drivers side.