Stop by Mike’s Auto Service & Repair if your car is doing any of the following. The four problems listed below are symptoms of a malfunctioning thermostat. Generally speaking, the thermostat will last anywhere from seven to 10 years, which is about 100,000 miles to 150,000 miles, before it needs to be replaced. Because the thermostat is responsible for releasing the coolant into the engine, it is important that you replace it at the first sign of trouble. Failing to do so can cause unintentional engine damage.
1. A Rusty Thermostat Housing
If you pop the hood and take a look at your thermostat, you may see rust on the thermostat housing. This is a sign that the thermostat needs to be replaced because coolant is seeping out of the valve that the thermostat uses to release coolant into the engine. A rusty thermostat housing is a sign of things to come in terms of a coolant leak. As the coolant continues to pool around the thermostat and eat away at the housing metal, the leak will get worse.
2. Coolant on the Garage Floor
Eventually, you will end up with coolant on the garage floor. Whether spots or a puddle, you never want coolant leaking out of your engine and onto the garage floor because this reduces the amount of coolant in the engine. If we replace the thermostat before the rust eats through the metal housing, we can avoid leaking coolant onto the garage floor.
3. Strange and Erratic Temperatures
Another sign that your thermostat needs to be replaced is strange and erratic engine temperatures. Your engine temperature will fluctuate between cold and hot erratically if the thermostat is malfunctioning and not releasing the engine coolant at the right time. It’s unhealthy for your engine to run too cold, and it’s unhealthy for your engine to run too hot. You want to see your temperature gauge registering normal at all times. If it is moving up and down constantly, head straight to our shop so we can replace the thermostat.
4. Overheating Constantly
Finally, if your automobile overheats all the time, the thermostat may be to blame. As you have learned, when the thermostat goes bad it can leak or refuse to send the coolant to the engine when it needs it. Consequently, both of these things will make the engine overheat.
Call Mike’s Auto Service & Repair in West Springfield, MA, today for an appointment so we can inspect your thermostat. We will replace it if necessary.
