engine temp increase

[coolvue]

We drove our 2005 vue awd rl 500 miles round trip this past weekend. All seemed well, except that the engine ran hotter than normal. The mileage was on the highway, it was about 91 degrees, our load was light, and our speed was about 80. The temp gauge went from 10 o'clock to almost 12 o'clock. Is this normal? Could this cause long term engine problems?

[D C]

Nothing to worry about.
In higher temperatures like you drive in, especially with higher humidity like you have in FL, you'll see temperatures run up closer to the halfway point on the gauge. The fan will also run for a while after you shut the car off. Again, that's perfectly normal. They're both just signs of normal cooling capability fluctuations with outside temperature conditions.

[David Harleyson]

Nothing to worry about.
In higher temperatures like you drive in, especially with higher humidity like you have in FL, you'll see temperatures run up closer to the halfway point on the gauge. The fan will also run for a while after you shut the car off. Again, that's perfectly normal. They're both just signs of normal cooling capability fluctuations with outside temperature conditions.

DC is correct...also dont' assume the temperature gauge sender is functioning correctly. They are NOT high precision instruments and can be affected by heat and cold, high and low humidity, light and dark, solar flares and sunspots, witchcraft and poltergeists, alien invasions, bad mexican food, and just plain questionable engineering :D In all seriousness, sounds like you have nothing to worry about.
Good luck with it!
DH