Signs of a Bad Thermostat in Your Car

Car repairs and maintenance are a part of owning a vehicle. Any responsible owner and driver will pay attention to upkeep and regular service. With many issues, there are clues that something is wrong before it becomes a big problem. This is the case with the car thermostat. Rather than find yourself on the side of the road due to an overheating issue, you can identify a failing thermostat well in advance and repair it. Pay close attention to these bad thermostat signs to keep your car running smoothly. 

What’s It For? 

Before knowing the bad thermostat signs and when to replace or fix them, it’s helpful to know what this part does. The car thermostat helps to bring the vehicle to the proper operating temperature. It controls the flow of the coolant that leaves the engine. A problematic thermostat can cause severe damage to the engine and result in expensive repairs. 

Your Engine Is Overheating

Perhaps the most common sign of a bad car thermostat is an overheating car. The thermostat is supposed to open and allow the coolant to go to the radiator. This cools down the engine. If the engine overheats, however, it could mean the thermostat is closed. Like other bad thermostat signs, this one means it may not be safe to drive the vehicle. In this case, you won’t be able to drive more than a few minutes before the engine temperature starts to soar. 

Heater Problems

The coolant in your car serves an important purpose. You may not realize that it also is what heats up the interior of the vehicle. Bad thermostat signs also include fluctuations in interior temperatures. When the car thermostat is working effectively, the heater will stay at a steady temperature. If you notice that it is going from hot to cold and in between, the thermostat may be the culprit.

Leaks and Steam

Other visual clues that the car thermostat has issues can include coolant leaks and rising steam. This can occur because a closed thermostat will prevent the coolant from releasing. But the coolant will work to find a way out, resulting in leaks. These thermostat signs can also result in steam, which comes because of high pressure and boiling liquids under the hood. 

Changing Engine Temperatures

While an overheating engine is one of the bad thermostat signs, fluctuating temperatures can also be a sign. You may notice that the engine temperature rises and then suddenly falls. This can happen over and over. The cause could be that the car thermostat gate has faulty timing. This will cause the gauge to perform erratically. 

If your car thermostat is acting up, help is available. Bring your vehicle to Reed-Lallier Chevrolet in Fayetteville, NC, today to inspect for bad thermostat signs and address the issue.