It can be difficult to understand when something is going bad with your vehicle. If you aren’t familiar with how to care for your vehicle, it can be easy to ignore warning signs and concerning symptoms. If you have noticed your vehicle’s temperature gauge fluctuating recently, then continue reading for some of our insight and suggestions. Whenever you are in the area and are looking for affordable auto repair in Philadelphia, PA, we recommend giving us a call or stopping by for a visit, so that we can address any questions or concerns that you may have involving your vehicle. We are always more than happy to help in any way that we can, so do not hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
A Rusty Thermostat
Recognizing that there is an issue with your vehicle can be a difficult thing to catch, especially if you are someone who is always busy. It’s important that every time you get into your vehicle that you try to make yourself aware of any inconsistencies from the day prior or unusual symptoms. When inspecting your vehicle before taking it out for a spin, we recommend taking a look at the thermostat. If you notice any bizarre issues such as corroding, then this could mean that the valve that lets coolant out into the engine could be stuck in the closed position. If this is the case, then coolant may be seeping out and puddling around your thermostat. Additionally, this liquid will eventually turn into a gel and will slowly begin to eat away at any metal within the thermostat housing. Eventually, this could lead to a larger coolant leak, which you will want to avoid at all costs!
Leaking Coolant
Continuing on off of the point stated above, if you notice coolant puddles on your garage floor then this could be another indicator of a faulty thermostat. In fact, as your vehicle’s coolant begins to eat through the metal of the thermostat housing, eventually, you will end up with a hole that will begin to leak coolant. As a result, the level of coolant in your engine will begin to diminish, which could make driving your vehicle a serious hazard. This is because low coolant levels cause the engine to begin overheating. If you drive with an overheated engine, then your vehicle can suffer severe engine damage. 
Erratic Temperatures
Going back to the original point, if you notice that your vehicle temperature gauge is beginning to fluctuate, then this is a clear indicator of a malfunctioning thermostat. Instead of working properly, your thermostat is not reading your vehicle’s engine temperature correctly and as a result, releases coolant at the wrong times. So, if you notice that your engine constantly goes back and forth between being too hot or cold, then you will definitely want to take your vehicle into a mechanic so that they can take care of the problem.
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