Your radiator isn’t the only thing that prevents your car, truck, or SUV from overheating. The thermostat is also crucial in your vehicle’s cooling system. It’s important to look for signs that the thermostat is failing because waiting to replace the part could cause engine damage. United Auto Care in Flowery Branch, GA, are thermostat experts – among other things – and we recommend you keep in the mind the following, as they could indicate a bad thermostat.
Overheating
If your vehicle overheats yet you have plenty of coolant, your thermostat might be on the fritz. The thermostat tracks your engine heat and opens when it’s time to flow coolant from the radiator through the engine’s cooling system. If the thermostat does not gauge the engine temperature properly, it won’t release the coolant and your engine will overheat.
Not Hot Enough
Unbelievably, your engine can “under-heat,” too. Sometimes, the thermostat gets stuck in the open position, which floods your engine with coolant. This keeps the engine too cool, which can cause sluggish performance or failure. Your dashboard temperature gauge should read normal within a few minutes of operation. If it doesn’t, bring your vehicle in for a diagnostic check.
Fluctuating Temperature
Your dashboard temperature gauge should stay in the same spot for the most part while you drive. Outside temperature and the type of driving you do, such as city versus highway, will cause your gauge to fluctuate some, but it if it changes drastically from cold to hot and/or back to cold, your coolant isn’t flowing properly. This is a sure sign your thermostat has issues.
Engine Performance
Finally, your engine will perform poorly if it cannot maintain a static temperature. You might notice small things first, such as poor gas mileage. Eventually, however, your engine will start to overheat or under heat, which can damage other crucial systems. If your automobile isn’t driving as it normally does, bring it in for a check. The sooner you catch the problem, the less expensive the repair.
We are United Auto Care in Flowery Branch, GA, and we know automobile thermostats. No matter what you drive, big or small, foreign or domestic, we can check your thermostat to ensure it’s in tiptop shape. If it isn’t, we can replace it. We are family-owned, and we have been in business for over 30 years. Let our expert technicians give your vehicle the once-over to make sure it’s road-ready and safe to drive. Call us today.
