Expect to get about 10 years out of your car’s thermostat. The thermostat is responsible for opening up a valve that releases the engine coolant into the engine so the water pump can circulate it. This keeps your engine cool while it is operating. An engine that has a temperature that rises above 220 degrees Fahrenheit is an engine that is overheating. JTR Repair explains that once engines reach this temperature, it’s easy to damage them if you keep driving. Here are the signs that your thermostat has gone bad and needs to be replaced.
Coolant Leaks
An older thermostat can get stuck in the closed position and this forces coolant to leak out of the thermostat and pool around the thermostat housing. Unfortunately, the coolant will corrode the housing. You can see this damage if you inspect your car’s thermostat housing on a regular basis. If you notice a sticky mess around the housing, you have leaking coolant and you need to replace the thermostat. The sooner you do this the better.
Erratic Temperatures
Your car’s thermostat may also have problems releasing the coolant at the proper times if it is malfunctioning. Consequently, you will begin to notice that your vehicle’s engine temperature is erratic. The heat gauge on your dashboard may go up and down sporadically if the thermostat is not releasing the coolant when the engine needs it. This can affect how well your engine performs. Engines perform at their best when the temperature is between 195 degrees Fahrenheit and 220 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything other than this will reduce your engine performance.
Overheating Engine
Finally, both of these things can cause your engine to overheat. If you have a coolant leak, the coolant level in your cooling system will be too low and your engine will get too hot. If the thermostat is malfunctioning and not releasing the coolant when the engine needs it, your engine will get too hot. One sure sign that your thermostat has died completely is if your engine overheats immediately after you start it. You will see your temperature gauge rise within the first 15 minutes of you driving your automobile. This definitely points to a problem with your car’s thermostat.
Call JTR Repair in Crawfordsville, IN, today if you are experiencing any of the issues listed above. We would be happy to inspect your vehicle’s cooling system and replace the thermostat if it is necessary.
