Depending on the age of your automobile, it may be time for a new thermostat. The thermostat works in the cooling system. It releases the coolant so it can circulate through the engine. It uses a valve to do this. Bird Automotive advises that the thermostat should last at least 10 years or 150,000 miles. If you notice any of the problems listed below, your thermostat needs to be replaced. Don’t worry. We can do that quickly and easily at our auto service shop.
Corroded Thermostat Metal
If the metal housing that surrounds the thermostat gets corroded, you’ve got a small leak. Older thermostats can end up with stuck valves that refuse to open. This causes the coolant to seep out of the valve and puddle around the thermostat. When this happens, the liquid coolant slowly eats away at the metal. Eventually, the combination of coolant and metal will look like gel. If you see gel puddled around the thermostat housing, bring your vehicle to our shop for a thermostat replacement.
Leaking Engine Coolant
A minor leak that remains unnoticed turns into a major leak. When this happens, you will end up with coolant all over the garage floor. Whether spots or puddles, leaking coolant is bad for your car, truck, or C/SUV’s engine. The leak reduces the coolant levels in the cooling system and causes your engine to overheat. More on that below. If you do see coolant spots on the garage floor, bring your automobile to us so we can find where the coolant is leaking from in the cooling system.
Odd Temperature Changes
Perhaps your thermostat isn’t leaking but it is releasing the coolant into the engine at the wrong times. This is a sign that the thermostat is malfunctioning and cannot read the engine’s temperature correctly. When this happens, you will see the temperature gauge needle move up and down sporadically on the dashboard. This should never happen. The gauge should steadily move toward the normal temperature range as your engine heats up as you drive your automobile.
Constant Overheating
Finally, whether a minor or major leak or problems with the coolant release, your engine is going to overheat if the thermostat is bad. Usually, it overheats quickly after you start your automobile. When this happens, it’s a sign that the engine isn’t getting any coolant at all.
Bird Automotive is the best auto service shop in Oak Grove, MO, so bring your vehicle to us today if you suspect that the thermostat is bad and needs to be replaced.
