Maybe someone else can chime in on this, but I vaguely remember, from doing a bunch of cluster mods that there are engines that are actually fixed.

If I recall correctly, some people's (depends on their car) tach will remain fixed, while others have that moving dash.

 

Unless someone can explain the logic behind having those dashes there and having them intentionally stay fixed, I vote something wrong. It's almost equivlent to a temp guage, it tells you when the engine is at normal operating temp. If your temp remain fixed indicating a werm engine, even at first start up, something's wrong.

 

Mine is a 2004 and it moves. Totally cold it is at about 5.5k and slowly goes down to 2 dashes above 6.5 fully warmed up.

 

Mine is about 4.5-5.5k whenever I start my car after I haven't driven it for 4+ hours. Then it moves down. Interesting to see if there are static RPM dashes but that doesn't make sense to me, especially since the non-M's don't have a temp gauge...

 

i have an 08 and havent seen them move would be cool to have though

 

We have a winner! It would help if we knew the OP's model year but at some point (LCI I think) they stopped moving. In my '04 car they moved as described a the engine warmed up. In my '08 (LCI) they are static. Why are they still there? I suppose as some warning that you are approaching the red line...

 

^The above might be correct. Which of course, what I said above would also be correct, lol.

 

Of course not, but the 2 are directly related. If the car has been cold-soaking in freezing weather overnight it's safe to assume the coolant is also cold, no? Either way, this might be a LCI change - my car is on 08 and I am sure the "movable redline" has never moved.

 

Here is what my "dashes" look like from a cold start to normal operating temp;

 

Funny, I've had my car since January of last year and this morning is the first time I've noticed the dashes disappearing as the car warmed up.

I learn something new here everyday.