We are serious. You can count on Accurate Auto Center to replace the factory thermostat in your automobile when it goes bad. This can happen once the vehicle has clocked 100,000 miles on the odometer or is 10 years old. It’s not going to happen right away, but you will need a new thermostat sooner rather than later if your automobile has reached either milestone. Do not worry. We can replace the thermostat without a problem. Here are signs that your car, truck, or SUV needs a new thermostat.
The Thermostat Housing Is Rusty
To play it safe, you can always check your thermostat to see if it is corroded. This often happens with older thermostats because they develop slow coolant leaks out of the coolant valve. Check your owner’s manual for your engine’s diagram and then pop the hood and locate the thermostat when the engine is cold. Shine a flashlight on it to see if you can see any rust or corrosion. If you do, the thermostat has a slow leak and it needs to be replaced because the corrosion will continue to eat through the thermostat housing.
The Thermostat Is Leaking Coolant
When this happens, the thermostat will start to leak coolant onto the garage floor. Unfortunately, this leak will be severe enough that you will notice an increase in your engine’s temperature when you drive your automobile. It’s important to have the thermostat changed so that the engine does not continue to lose coolant. You do not want to drive your vehicle when the engine is overheating.
The Thermostat Is Malfunctioning
An old thermostat can also start to malfunction. When this happens, the engine’s temperature changes sporadically. This is a sign that the thermostat does not know when to release the coolant because it is not reading the engine’s temperature. This is what the thermostat does. If the thermostat is misreading the temperature and releasing the coolant at the wrong times, you will end up with an engine that is either running too cold or too hot.
The Engine Is Overheating Quickly
Finally, and eventually, the thermostat will die completely and your engine will overheat when you start the motor. The overheating usually occurs within 10 to 15 minutes. This is an indication that the engine is not receiving coolant, i.e., the thermostat is not releasing it.
Call Accurate Auto Center in Tomball, TX, today to set up a service visit if you would like us to test your car’s thermostat and replace it if necessary.