You can count on Heath’s Auto Service for all of your car, truck, or utility vehicle’s maintenance and repair needs. This includes replacing the thermostat when it gets too old. Generally, the thermostat is too old after you’ve clocked 100,000 miles on the odometer or your vehicle has had its 10th birthday. If you notice any of the following problems listed below, it’s most likely time to replace the thermostat because it is malfunctioning. Do not worry. We’ve got you covered at our Flagstaff auto service shop.
A Rusty Housing
It’s a good idea to inspect the thermostat if your vehicle is older. This gives you a chance to see if there is rust on the thermostat housing. If there is, the thermostat has developed a slow coolant leak. The coolant seeps out of the coolant valve. When this happens, the coolant rest against the metal housing and starts to eat it. The corrosion cannot be fixed. You need to replace the thermostat.
Leaking Coolant
If you fail to replace the rusty thermostat, the coolant will eat its way through the metal housing until you end up with leaking coolant on the garage floor. Unfortunately, the thermostat definitely needs to be replaced at this point because it will continue to leak the coolant and reduce its level in the engine. You already know that your engine will overheat if the coolant level is too low. As such, if you see coolant on the garage floor, bring your vehicle to our shop so we can repair the leak.
Odd Temperatures
Another sign that your thermostat is going bad is if odd temperature changes are reflected on the temperature gauge on the dashboard. The thermostat reads the engine’s temperature so that it knows when to release the coolant. If the thermostat has gone bad, its ability to understand the temperature of the engine could be marred. Consequently, the thermostat will release the coolant at the wrong time or refuse to release it because it believes the engine is too cold. This will cause your temperature gauge to fluctuate between cold and hot as the thermostat continues to malfunction.
Overheating Engine
Finally, it’s a definite that you are going to end up with an overheating engine if your thermostat has gone bad. Once the thermostat dies completely, it will no longer open the valve that releases the coolant into the engine. Consequently, your engine will be coolant-starved.
Heath’s Auto Service in Flagstaff, AZ, would be happy to help if you suspect that your automobile needs a new thermostat. Give us a call today.
