[Rouskous]

My car has been running warm for the past couple of days with the temperature guage at the 3/4 mark instead of 1/2 way. The car is not indicating the need for fluids and are all at adequate levels.

Has anyone else experience a similar condition, or am I overlooking something fundamental?

[BruceK]

I would take it to a dealer to be checked out. I've had my MINI in 100F (40C) weather, in stop and go traffic with the a/c on and it still never moved past the middle mark.

[Sealevel]

I've also been running the MINI in some brutal heat lately and like BruceK's it stays in the middle, so something's amiss with yours. Could be any of several problems if the coolant level's okay--fan clutch, thermostat, water pump. Two things you can check on your own: Make sure the radiator cap/expansion tank cap is on tight as the cooling system has to be at its designed pressure to work effectively--check this on a cold engine, fiddling with the cap on a hot engine can cause an overflow that will burn your hand. (Do Coopers have a radiator cap?--can't tell with my S, the supercharger blocks the view). And especially if you've had your MINI a while and have been out killing hoards of bugs, open your hood (bonnet) and hose the mess off the front of your radiator/ac evaporator.

[Rouskous]

I am taking my car to the dealers tomorrow so they can look over it.

My suspicion is that the guage is faulty, due to the fact that even though I had not driven the car for two days the guage was showing a temperature greater then zero. In fact it was the same level above zero as it is above the half way mark when driving. I hope this is the reason, but if it is not I want a new car as this could have caused permanent damage to the engine.