Lucas Auto Care is the best auto shop in Cypress. You can count on us for all of your Volvo’s service and repair needs. This includes the thermostat. The average lifespan of the factory thermostat is approximately 10 years. After this time, the thermostat may start to leak or malfunction. When it does, you will notice one or more of the following problems listed below. Do not worry. We can replace your Volvo’s thermostat quickly and have you back on the road with a cooler engine.
Rust-Covered Thermostat
Oftentimes, an older thermostat will develop a slow leak through the coolant valve. This is the valve that the thermostat opens to release the coolant into the engine. The coolant can seep through the valve and puddle around the thermostat. When this happens, it corrodes the thermostat and covers it with rust. As you can imagine, the rust will eat through the metal housing that protects the thermostat and cause an even larger leak.
Coolant Spots or Puddles
The larger leak is going to leave you with coolant spots or puddles on the garage floor. Consequently, this coolant loss also reduces the level of coolant that is circulating through your vehicle’s engine. As such, the engine is more likely to have a temperature above 220 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the maximum temperature an engine should reach. Consequently, the thermostat leak will cause your engine to overheat.
Erratic Temperature Changes
The thermostat can also malfunction when it gets too old. When this happens, you may see the temperature gauge needle moving up and down erratically on the dashboard. This is a sign that the thermostat is misreading the engine temperature and releasing the coolant at the wrong time. Consequently, this can cause your engine to run too hot, too cold, or both. It’s important to replace the malfunctioning thermostat to restore the engine’s normal temperature. The new thermostat will be able to read the temperature correctly.
Overheating All the Time
Finally, if your engine is overheating all the time, it’s possible that the coolant valve is stuck closed and the engine has no coolant. It is also possible that the thermostat is not reading the engine’s temperature correctly and failing to release the coolant. In addition to these two problems, any low coolant level caused by a leaking thermostat is going to cause the engine to overheat.
Call Lucas Auto Care in Cypress, TX, today to set up a service appointment for your Volvo’s thermostat.
