Hello Ford Forum Community,

I am experiencing in my 2018 Ford F-150. I have noticed that the engine temperature gauge is frequently creeping into the red zone & I am concerned about potential damage to the engine.

My Vehicle Details= 2018 Ford F-150, 3.5L V6 engine, approximately 50,000 miles.
The engine temperature gauge occasionally rises above the normal operating range, especially during heavy acceleration or prolonged idling. The Check Engine light has come on intermittently.

Also i have checked the coolant levels and they seem to be at the correct levels; There are no visible leaks around the radiator or hoses. I replaced the thermostat, hoping it might resolve the issue, but the problem persists. I have inspected the radiator and cooling fans. The fans appear to be functioning but I am not sure if they are operating at the correct speeds.
Additional Observations:

The temperature gauge fluctuates erratically, which makes me think there could be an issue with the temperature sensor or the gauge itself.
The vehicle has had recent repairs to the water pump & I wonder if this might be related.
I am not sure if the problem is related to the cooling system components, the temperature sensor or something else entirely.

Also i have check this article/rescores ; https://www.fordforum.com/forum/ford-f-150-14/2018-ford-fpython-interview-ques-150-35%94-tires-38501/
still i am facing issue.

Thank you in advance for your help

 

You said temperature gauge is frequently creeping into the red zone, you also said the temperature gauge fluctuates erratically
Can't be both, so which one?

Most cars have 2 coolant temperature sensors, one for gauge, the other for ECU called "ECT" (engine coolant temperature) sensor. Locate and clean them using contact cleaner, wire brush them if necessary. You clean only the electrical connector, both the harness and sensor sides. Do not remove the sensors, those sensors hardly go bad and 99% of the time it's the corrosion build up on the connectors causing false reading and the bouncing needle on the gauge you mentioned above. Once you finish cleaning, plug the connectors back in, and put a little dielectric grease on the connector end where the wires inserted into.
Of course you can test the sensor voltage to confirm, you need a multimeter for that.

You also need a code reader with live data. You get the ECT reading (warm engine at operating temperature), and you also need to get the trouble codes, which can be another completely unrelated issue.

Lastly check and see if your truck is still under powertrain warranty.

 

Did the concern occur after water pump repairs? If so most likely they may not have used the proper equipment to get all the air out of the system. I use an Airlift 2 cooling system refiller. It pulls a vacuum on the system to remove most if not all of the air and then it draws only coolant in the system. Out of all the Fords I've worked on none of them have had issues with the ECT/CHT, but anything is possible especially if the concern occurred before the water pump replacement. So it depends on your situation where I would start.