How Long Will My Car’s Thermostat Last?
Generally, you can plan to get about 10 years out of your car’s thermostat. Most people don’t keep their automobiles that long so they never need to replace it. If you have an older automobile or plan to keep your automobile for at least a decade, there may come a time when you will need to replace the thermostat to prevent the problems we are going to list below. Don’t worry. Mark’s Auto Service can replace your car’s thermostat when it needs it. Let’s talk more about this.
Corrosion on the Thermostat
One of the first things that can happen to an older thermostat is it can get corroded. The thermostat has the primary responsibility of releasing coolant into the engine once it starts to get too hot. It opens and closes a valve to do this. Oftentimes, the valve can get stuck in the closed position and this will cause minor leaking out of the thermostat. Because the leak is minor, you won’t end up with spots on your garage floor. Rather, the coolant will pool around the thermostat and rust it.
Coolant Spots on the Garage Floor
If left unchecked, eventually, the leak will get to the point that you will end up with coolant spots on the garage floor. In severe cases, the coolant may also puddle on the garage floor. It’s important to have the thermostat replaced if it is leaking because the leak will cause low coolant levels in the engine. The engine needs the correct amount of coolant to prevent it from overheating. If you see coolant spots on your garage floor, bring your vehicle to our shop right away.
Erratic Engine Temperature Changes
Another thing you will notice if you need to replace your car’s thermostat is erratic temperature changes in the engine. This is an indication that the thermostat is malfunctioning. In other words, it is not reading the engine’s temperature correctly and it is not releasing the coolant at the optimal times. This can make your engine run too cold, overheat, or switch between the two while you are driving your automobile.
A Constant Overheating Engine
Finally, if the thermostat has died completely, your engine will overheat constantly. It will also overheat constantly if the valve is stuck in the closed position. It’s important that you avoid driving your automobile if the engine is overheating. Continuing to drive it can cause serious damage.Call Mark’s Auto Service in Loves Park or Loves Park, Belvidere, Roscoe, and Rockford, IL, today if you believe your car’s thermostat is going bad. We will test it and replace it if necessary.
