Trying to help my mom with her car, we are a Camaro family. Anyways the electric fan comes on automatically when car starts when usually it doesn't come on until a certain temp. Also the temp gauge seems to be broken as it doesn't move at all.

My first thought was maybe the thermostat needed replacement, of maybe the Gauge was off causing fan to come on.

What do you guys think should be the steps I should take to troubleshoot and be least cost for my momma.

its
2002 35th anniv
3.8L
Automatic

 

The coolant temp sensor on the V6 is a dual unit,it controls the guage and tells the PCM the coolant temp.

I installed a larger rad and a cooler thermostat because I am in traffic a lot driving to Toronto or crossing the border into Buffalo.

Sometimes the PCM gets confused because the car is talking too long to warm up to the temp that the PCM thinks the car should be at and it sets a code sometimes.

Yesterday it did it again but didn't throw a code and corrected it self.

Usually when it does this I will just throw the code reader on it while I am driving and clear it.

Its a minor pain in the butt.