I noticed this a while ago but never got around to posting. I noticed that on my engine temperature gauge there is a little orange speck right near the round base of the needle, and it looks like it is right near the middle of the needle's range of motion cold to hot. Like if you were looking at the temperature gauge, this little orange mark would be at 9:00 and very close to the base of the needle. When the car is up to temperature this little mark is covered by the needle. I am wondering does everyone have this little orange mark, or is mine 'defective' in that some of the black paint must have been chipped away somehow? It's no big deal, I've just been curious about it.

 

can you post a pic for a better idea of what it looks like? I can imagine what you are saying, but for comparison purposes, a pic would help.