Bring your car, SUV, or truck to Ideal Automotive if it is having any of the problems listed below. These problems are signs that it is time to replace the factory thermostat with a new one. This generally happens after you have clocked 100,000 miles on the odometer or the vehicle has reached 10 years of operation. The thermostat may never need to be replaced if you do not keep your automobiles that long. If you do, however, and you notice any of the following issues, it’s time for a new thermostat.
Corrosion on the Housing
One way to check the thermostat is to visually inspect it. Check the engine diagram in your owner’s manual to locate the thermostat and then take a good look at it when the engine is cold. If you see that the housing around the thermostat is rusted or corroded, you’ve got a small leak in the thermostat. It is best to replace the thermostat now than to wait for the leak to get worse. The corrosion will continue to feast on the thermostat housing until it eats it all.
Leaking Engine Coolant
This will leave you with leaking coolant all over the garage floor. If you see puddles or spots when you back out of the garage, stop the vehicle, turn it off, and grab a white paper towel. Use the paper towel to soak up some of the fluid and check to see what color it is. Next, pop the hood and compare the color to the fluid in the radiator’s overflow reservoir. If the colors match, the thermostat has a serious coolant leak now and needs to be replaced ASAP.
Odd Temperature Changes
You will also need to replace the thermostat if it malfunctions. It can start to malfunction without ever developing a leak. In this case, you will be driving along and the temperature gauge needle on the dashboard will move up and down erratically. Your engine will go from being too cold to too hot continually. The thermostat is malfunctioning and cannot determine when the engine needs coolant. As such, it’s releasing it at the wrong time.
Overheating Constantly
Finally, there may come a point when the thermostat dies completely and refuses to open the coolant valve. This keeps the coolant inside the radiator and overheats the engine. Your engine will overheat quickly and constantly in this case.
Ideal Automotive in Blaine, MN, would be happy to help, so ring us up today to set up a service visit for your automobile.
