If you are like most people, you are unbelievably busy. Getting your car to the shop or making a repair yourself can be easy to put off. While delaying maintenance for some things may not cause long-term harm, you shouldn’t ignore problems with your car’s thermostat. That’s because faulty automotive thermostats can ruin your vehicle’s performance and cost you a lot of money. Here are five signs your car’s thermostat may be bad.
1. Overheating
From leaky hoses to dirty fluid, a car’s engine can overheat for a variety of reasons. One of these reasons, however, is a bad thermostat. If your vehicle routinely reaches unsafe operating temperatures, a full inspection is probably in order. If the problem is due to a faulty thermostat, replacing it with a modern upgrade can keep your vehicle’s engine operating within normal temperature parameters.
2. Underheating
Overheating isn’t your only radiator-related concern. If your vehicle refuses to warm up on cold days, its thermostat may be to blame. Instead of freezing during your morning commute, check the thermostat to be certain is functioning properly. If it isn’t, replace it to increase your vehicle’s engine temperature.
3. Low Performance
Since all of your vehicle’s systems are connected, an issue with one can lead to a problem with others. Bad automotive thermostats can decrease both engine performance and fuel economy. Meanwhile, they can throw off the overall performance of the car’s radiator. Of course, low performance and faulty parts can lead to costly repairs. As such, if your vehicle isn’t performing like it should inspect the thermostat to see if you need to order a replacement.
4. Strange Noises
Your vehicle’s cooling system should operate relatively quietly. If you notice strange noises coming from it, you may have a serious problem. A quick look at the thermostat can help you diagnose the issue. If it no longer works like it should, swapping out the bad thermometer for a new one should likely fix the problem.
5. Fluctuating Readings
When you start your vehicle, it should warm to its operating temperature and stay there. If the temperature gauge jumps around, you should check your automotive thermostat first. By replacing your damaged or ineffective thermostat, you can likely encourage temperatures to remain steady.
Since bad automotive thermostats can cause you some serious headaches, try not to ignore them. Instead, watch for these five signs to know when you may need to replace your car’s thermostat.
