My fiancée and I love her new 2010 Mazda3, but it was purchased and brought home before I realized that it has no temperature gauge. What gives with that? In cold weather I regularly glance at the temp gauge to determine when to turn the heater on without getting a blast of cold air. Also it is very useful for diagnosing thermostat problems and etc. which sometimes come on gradually. I realize that this was not an oversight on Mazda's part, but a planned phasing out of the instrument, but why? It can't cost that much to put the gauge in the car. What's the reasoning?

 

I agree; a temperature gauge should be "standard" equipment on any model car. I sympathize, I have the 2010 Mazda3 without the gauge. Bummer....

 

I guess maybe I'm "old school" or something, but I miss having it when I drive her car. My Tribute has one and I didn't realize how much I used it until it was gone. I noticed in the literature on the new Mazda2 that it doesn't claim to have one either. Is this progress?

 

No temp gauge. Added to the list of things thats wrong with 2010 mazda3 (pretty long one). Ive given this about 15min of thought to try and rationalize why any car wouldnt come with a temp guage, i couldnt come up with any reason. Anyone have one?

 

I have an 06 mazda 3. Recently the check engine light has been coming on. It was tripping a code for a problem with the engine temp. The temperature gauge always read normal. My mechanic hooked up a computer to the engine and drove it on the freeway. The computer showed that the temperature was dropping 20 degrees or so every now and then. The problem was the thermostat. Im guessing the check engine light is designed to notify you of a problem before the temp gauge will. Im with you though. I like being able to look at the gauge and know Im not overheating.

 

While I can sympathize about the lack of a temperature gauge, IIRC, I read in either the 2010 or 2011 Mazda3 manual that there is a three-state coolant temperature light that indicates as follows:

• Blue - Low temperature
• Off - Normal temperature
• Red - High temperature

Given that the temperature gauge on modern OBD-II cars is nothing but a glorified idiot light, I don't really see this three-state light as being any worse than the stupid gauges we've been getting in cars since the mid to late 1990s.

 

my question is, why change it to something people are not familiar with, not only that they could of made it more interesting to look at other than no light or something. I guess to reduce things for people to get "distracted" by while driving

 

I see a lot wrong with the three way temp light.
1. not definitive enough
2. Why doesn't the blue temp light stay lit until the engine is at normal temp(what ever the computer says that is)?
3. It just doesn't seem right to me. Take away the outside temp gauge and give me back the engine temp gauge.

virg

 

Our 2010 Mazda3 has no such light. You are simply not informed at all as to what the engine temperature is. Interesting that ambient temperature is always on display. Go figure.

 

Upon further review, the blue coolant temperature light is an addition to the 2011 and later model.