i have a 99 clk 430...the temp gauge has been normal until two days ago and i have no idea why...the temp has always stayed between 80 and the dash above it with no number...but two days ago while on the freeway i felt i needed a little extra push to pass this guy...so i chose to downshift to three...i think i was travelling at about 60mph...but i screwed up and downshifted to 2 and hit the gas...the rpm's jumped to redline...and then i backed off on the accelerator after i had passed him and shifted all the way up to D....not long after that i hit really bad traffic and the temp gauge started to go up...i didn't think much because it was 84F outside and i had the A/C on...but last night i was down at the beach where the temp was i think 68F outside...but the temp keeps staying at or near the dash right about the 80 mark...and it won't go down unless i start driving on the freeway with a lot of open air coming into the engine...in other words...even with the ambient temp at 68F...and i'm at a red light...the temp reads at the dash above the 80 mark....please help...is there anything wrong?....busted radiator?...or something else?....

At or around 80 to 88 C is just fine. You're OK. Most MBZ thermostats don't open until about 88 C.

------------------
Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE