1st warm day. Saw the engine temp jump at first to 70%, then sat down at 50% until I got home. Was driving for an hour. Also, it normally sits at 30%. Ideas? I have been told I have a small trans axle leak. Could it be related? Should I check oil & coolant levels?

Usually cooling issues involve the water-pump, thermostat, coolant, or radiator. Worst case scenario would be a blown head-gasket, but you'd have signs such as milky oil and dirty coolant as well as white smoke from the exhaust. I'd start by checking the coolant and radiator. If that checks out move onto the thermostat, then the water-pump. That or there could be a blockage in the cooling system. Either way I'd start by checking coolant levels then replacing the thermostat since it's cheap.

axle has nothing to do with that

check the coolant level

If I were you, I would listen to box

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Yep Box pretty much covered everything it could be.

How quickly did it jump from operating temperature to hot to normal? If you're having erratic spikes, could be what box said or an air bubble in your cooling system. Maybe she can use a burp. Of course this is the easiest solution, as it requires nothing but a burp and a top off of coolant.

whens the last time the cooling parts were serviced (ie replaced)

coolant

water pump

thermostat

radiator cap

is your cooling system rusty? we need to know if its a lack of maintainence or what

are your hoses brittle

are you dripping/spraying coolant anywhere when the motor is hot


the problem with the factory gauge is that once it moves higher than the half way mark, the temp is already past boiling point and the damage has already begun, the factory gauge is ****

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The radiator cap is just as important.

To me it sounds like a bad rad cap. The cap actually controls coolant boiling point by increasing pressure on it. If the car has been running lower than 50%, there could be a cap/thermostat issue... but I'd start by replacing the cap since it's the easiest and cheapest.

also if you have a bad head gasket you will have all the signs listed above by BOX plus excess preasure in your cooling system, you can find a shop that has a sniffer they can check if you are burning coolant, its just a device they put behind your exhaust and it reads what your burning, or when the motor is cold you can take the rad cap off start it up give it some revs and if coolant sprays everywhere is is bubling then you have a bad head gasket because air is getting in, or you may have an air lock.

Yeah, forgot to mention the cap. Also another way of testing the head-gasket is with the engine cold grab onto the radiator hose and have someone start the car. If the hose firms up you have gasses escaping into the cooling system.