Your engine thermostat ensures that it reaches operating temperature as quickly as feasible. Here’s how to detect if your thermostat needs to be replaced and how much it will cost.
The coolant flow into and out of the engine is controlled by a thermostat, and the coolant temperature sensor records the coolant temperature and displays it on the dashboard. A faulty thermostat might result in the engine not working at an ideal temperature and overheating, which can cause catastrophic engine damage.
The most typical symptoms, as well as the location and cost of a thermostat replacement of a faulty thermostat car, are covered in this article. Let’s start with a quick rundown of the warning flags to look for.
Symptoms of a Bad Thermostat
An overheating engine or an engine that never reaches operating temperature is the most prevalent indicator of a faulty thermostat. The temperature gauge may also show a fluctuating temperature.
The symptoms give you a heads-up so you can take the appropriate safeguards. Here’s a more in-depth look at the five most prevalent signs of a faulty thermostat car.
Engine Overheating
The engine’s coolant cannot reach the radiator and, as a result, cannot cool down if the thermostat remains closed. This will cause the engine to overheat, as shown by an escalating temperature indicator in the ticker on your dashboard, and you will be unable to drive for more than 10 minutes until it overheats again.
As a result, a sudden increase in temperature necessitates a visit to your local mechanic to diagnose and check the thermostat.
Temperature fluctuations
To guarantee that the engine receives the coolant at the correct temperature, the thermostat gate must be precisely timed. The engine temperature will fluctuate if the timing is incorrect, and the temperature gauge will behave oddly.
A thermostat failure can also cause this, as can an electrical failure or air in the coolant system, but you should never rule out a thermostat failure.
Heater fluctuations
The coolant raises the temperature within your vehicle. As a result, if the thermostat fails to maintain a constant temperature in the car’s engine, you may see temperature changes inside the heater.
It’s definitely time to examine the thermostat if both your temperature gauge and the heat inside the car change.
Also check: Bad car spark plug signs
Leakage and steam from engine
Because of the excessive pressure, the hot coolant in the engine coolant chamber will find a way to escape if the thermostat is not working properly. We all know that hot air rises and that when water heats up, it boils and generates steam.
When the coolant heats up and the pressure builds up to a dangerous level, it might attack the weak places and produce a leak. The coolant in the radiator tank is frequently squeezed out.
Leaks are easy to spot because they are visible and frequently appear as white steam smoke.
Full expansion tank
No coolant can escape to the radiator if the thermostat flap is closed. While the coolant inside the radiator heats up and converts to steam, the coolant inside the radiator remains unchanged.
If the temperature gauge rises and the radiator tank fills with water, the thermostat is most likely malfunctioning. An increasing coolant level could indicate that the vehicle is about to overheat.
Also check: Fix car loosing power when accelerating
Replacement cost
The cost of replacing a thermostat ranges from $70 to $450, depending on the car model and labour charges. A thermostat costs between $20 and $50, while workshop labour costs between $50 and $400.
Some cars feature a thermostat that is integrated into the entire housing, making it impossible to replace the thermostat on its own. As a result, the part could be quite costly.
On some cars, the thermostat is installed incorrectly, necessitating several hours of labour, whereas on others, it may be replaced in under 10 minutes.
Check your car’s maintenance manual to see how much labour replacing the thermostat entails. You can also buy genuine used car parts for replacement.
