can the coolant temperature sensor cause my AC and temperature gague not to work?

No....but a grounding issue can...take a look at the "knock-off" label on the top of your battery....it should be not yet five years old....buy a NEW battery for adequate performance...nothing likes "brown power" which is what the ECU is suffering from....what you must do is trace the end of the 1/0 black battery cable to the end...there will be a lug that attaches it to ground/fender/unibody....this one needs to be able to have 300 or more cold cranking amps pulled through there, yet still maintain a stable ground to the battery...shame that this is the only place that the computer gets it's ground but fuzzy power can create failures such as the one you are experiencing...REFRESH the ground by taking a coarse wirebrush and brushing that spot down to the metal obliterating any corrosion and the lug too...so pullin' 300 CCA is no problem...also that cable what leads to the motor block (near the alternator) needs to power up the amperage-hungry starter motor~....BAD ground is why your temperature sensor and gauge are not working...put it right by establishing a correct ground from a FRESH battery...and all will go normal~.....cross your fingers~

To cut the crap: You temperature indicator is not a gauge - it is and indicator. The indicator gets it's input from the Computer or PCM. There is no sending unit. Yes, the PCM - which also controls the AC clutch engagement can and will prevent the AC clutch operation if there is a circuit malfunction (Fail-safe or Limp In mode). Ok, that aside - Do you have a "Check Engine: light on? What exactly is the AC doing or not doing? Is the temp indicator at cold constantly? Let us know what's happening here. We'll try to help.

I don't have an answer,but my 2005 f150 has the same problem.When I start my truck my temp gauge moves a little then my pickup beeps then it says check gauges.the check engine light is on and the AC does not work,and the temp gauge does not move.Any ideas??

connect an OBD-II scanner to say what your diagnostic report says~

Have a 2004 explorer sport trac had thermostat housing changed about 1000 miles ago everything was good then today after driving about half hour temperature gauge started dropping and hovered above cold. Is the thermostat bad now?