If your car, truck, or utility vehicle is overheating all the time, this is a sign that you need a new thermostat. AutoFix will talk more about this below. The factory thermostat lasts approximately 10 years. This equates to 100,000 miles in terms of mileage. If your automobile is an older automobile and you have never replaced the thermostat, you may notice the following problems. Do not worry. We are here to help, and we can replace the factory thermostat with a new one.
The Thermostat Housing Is Rusted
We recommend that you check the thermostat to see if it is rusted if your vehicle is an older automobile. The reason why the thermostat housing will get corroded is that an older thermostat will start to leak slowly. When this happens, the coolant pools around the thermostat housing and starts to eat away at it. This corrosion is a sign that the thermostat needs to be replaced now before you end up with a larger coolant leak, which can happen if the coolant is allowed to continue to feast on the thermostat.
The Engine Coolant Is Leaking
Eventually, the coolant will eat holes through the thermostat housing and you will have coolant leaking onto the garage floor. At this point, the engine is losing precious coolant and it will start to run hotter than it normally does. Depending on the severity of the leak, your engine may also overheat when you drive your automobile because there is not enough coolant circulating through it. Unfortunately, driving your vehicle when the engine is too hot can cause unnecessary and irreparable damage.
The Engine’s Temp Is Changing
Aside from leaking, older thermostats can also start to malfunction. If this is the case in your automobile, you may notice that the engine’s temperature changes frequently. The temperature gauge needle may move up and down between cold and hot because the thermostat is releasing coolant sporadically. When this happens, your engine can fluctuate between running too cold and running too hot.
Your Car Is Overheating Constantly
Finally, as we mentioned above, a faulty thermostat will definitely cause your automobile to overheat constantly. This could be because the thermostat is leaking and reducing the coolant level in the engine. It can also overheat because the thermostat is malfunctioning and refusing to release the coolant at all. This also happens when the thermostat dies completely.
AutoFix in Franklin, TN, would be happy to help, so give us a call today to set up a service appointment for a thermostat inspection.
