The thermostat has a small coolant leak if there is rust all over it. Guaranteed Auto Air & Repair will talk more about this below. The bottom line is that you need to have the thermostat replaced as soon as possible if it is rusty. This is just one sign that the thermostat has gone bad, which can happen if your vehicle is seven to 10 years old or has clocked between 100,000 miles and 150,000 miles on the odometer. Don’t worry. It is normal for the thermostat to die in this time frame. We are here to help, and we can replace the factory thermostat with a new one.
Rust Eating Through the Housing
As we mentioned above, you will see rust on the thermostat housing because the thermostat is leaking coolant very slowly out of the coolant valve. Unfortunately, the rate of this leak allows for the coolant to puddle around the housing and corrode it. Naturally, because the housing is made of metal, the coolant is going to create rust that will eat through the housing. Consequently, you will end up with…
Coolant Leaking on the Garage Floor
When this happens, depending on the severity of the coolant leak, you may not have enough coolant left in the engine to prevent it from overheating. You do not want to drive your automobile when the engine is too hot because the heat will damage it. As such, if you see coolant puddling on the garage floor, it’s better to have your vehicle towed to our shop. This prevents you from operating the motor at a temperature above 220 degrees Fahrenheit, the maximum engine temperature.
Erratic Engine Temperature Changes
Speaking of engine temperatures, you may start to notice that your engine fluctuates between running when it is too cold to running when it is too hot. These erratic temperature changes can be caused by a faulty thermostat that is releasing the coolant at the incorrect time. This is a sign that the thermostat is no longer able to read the engine’s temperature accurately.
Constant Overheating
Unfortunately, all of these problems with the thermostat are going to make your engine overheat every time you drive your automobile. If the thermostat is no longer opening the coolant valve to release the coolant, your engine will overheat quickly after you start it.
Guaranteed Auto Air & Repair in Rockledge, FL, is here to help, so call us today to set up a thermostat inspection and replacement if necessary.
