95 lumina 3.1 cooling fan not kicking on

I have a 95 lumina with the 3.1 motor. The first time I start it in the morning it gets hot fast and cold blows out with the heater on. If I shut the car off and wait a minute, when I start it again the gauge goes back down and it operates normally until I shut it off for an extended period of time. Then I have to go through the process again. Also, if I am in slow traffic situations it gets hot. I was told that my Aux. fan was not kicking on, even when the A.C. was turned on. Any suggestions.

The Lumina has 2 fans. The one on the driver side comes on when you turn on the AC. The passenger fan turns on if a higher than normal temperature is present. Both fans have relays on the passenger side, so check them, the wiring, all connections and test the fan motors. Also, it might be the coolant temp sensor that's broken or simply the radiator cap. If you are not sure take it to a good mechanic!