[MazdaSpeed]

Indeed the blue light on the Mazda2 instrument cluster is cool but I agree with the writer of the article, that we can really use a real temp gauge along with the blue light, it just makes things that much better.

Yes, I know that our 2011 Mazda 2 doesn't have a real temperature gauge, and I know that some feel the blue and red thermometer icons are a poor substitute.

But now that the mornings are getting cold I really like the blue light.

Unlike a near-motionless gauge, the bright blue lamp draws attention to the fact that the car is cold, too cold for the heater to do anything other than pump freezing air into the cabin at a time when I really, really don't want it. And it's timed to wink off when the engine's coolant is juuuust warm enough to make some real heat -- an important thing to know in a car with manual climate controls.

Would I like a gauge? Would it accomplish the same thing if I watched for the needle to lift off the peg? Sure, but that's not something I see out of the corner of my eye as easily as this. I mainly use a gauge to monitor things on the hot end of the spectrum.

Even if the Mazda 2 had a proper temperature gauge I'd want to keep this blue light, too. It's special.

 

[ECHOKnight2000]

I have the same thing in my car. Idiot lights. It works for some but for temp I would want a gauge. I have a scangauge II to monitor my car temp. Knock on wood I never had issues anyway. But you never know.

 

[ZoomZoom]

I have the same thing in my car. Idiot lights. It works for some but for temp I would want a gauge. I have a scangauge II to monitor my car temp. Knock on wood I never had issues anyway. But you never know.

Yup, we need a real gauge for something as important as the vehicle's temperature. Mazda was probably trying to be cool/different with this feature but i think it's a major flaw.

I guess they figured this would be easier for the typical driver that doesn't know anything about cars. (although reading a gauge seems fairly simple to me)

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[belkin]

so let me get this straight, the vehicle temp indicator only shows if it's hot (red) or cold (blue), no inbetween? If the indicator faded from color to color maybe i can put up with it but how are we suppose to know when the car is starting to get too hot?

I can see this becoming a problem once someone has a coolant leak and have to play guessing games on how hot the car is without really knowing. thank god im a car enthusiast and have a way around this.