i have a 1996 wrx jap import.


even when the car is off the water temp at the right hand side reads in the middle and never changes when the car is running.

Is this likly to be the instruments in the dash that are faulty or the water temperature sensor ?

 

Could be either. I'm not sure where your water temperature sender is situated, but find out and disconnect the single wire on top. The gauge should fall to zero. If it does, the sender is fekked. If it doesn't, it's the gauge.