About a week ago, while I was starting my car, the temperature gauge got stuck wide open while the engine was cranking. Any suggestions on how to remedy this?

 

Well, it if got jammed against something (like the edge of the gauge), you can open up your gauge cluster and bump the needle to free it. If the gauge is shot, you can replace it with another one (cheapest I have seen: http://www.moderndaymuscle.com/inc/sdetail/1104). The gauge just has two screws to take out and then just pops out. Hope this helps

 

Thanks...I just wasn't sure if it would damage anything by physically bumping it.

 

Nothing should break as long as its not a hard bump, just make sure the end of the needle doesn't bend very far since they are fragile

 

In my, limited, experience if it bumped up and got stuck behind the bezel it's probably shot. Freeing it up may get it to work again for a while but it's likely to get stuck again. Check the action of the needle when you free it. It should not bounce or move freely.