![]() ![]() You may also notice the heat from the vents fluctuate, going from hot to cold to hot again without touching the HVAC temperature settings. If the thermostat fails while open, it may take an unusually long time for the cabin to heat up. This is because the heater core only has access to ambient temperature coolant and has been cut off from the hot coolant in the block. This warm air then makes its way into the vehicle’s HVAC system and blows out of the vents.ĭepending on how the thermostat fails and where your heater core sits with respect to your thermostat, your heater core may go cold when your thermostat fails. As air passes over this warm core, the air is warmed up. Inside a heater core, coolant flows from one side to the other, heating up the core. The heater core is very similar to the radiator at the front of the car and works on the same principle. Heat inside your vehicle’s cabin is provided by a heater core. If your temperature gauge is stuck on the cold side or barely moves off of “C”, you may want to check your instrument cluster and coolant temperature sensor as well. This is especially true on a cold winter day, where engine heat dissipates very quickly. If your thermostat is stuck in the open position, your car may never reach operating temperature. Poor fuel economy also increases your vehicle’s emissions, which is more harmful to the environment. A car that runs rich will yield poor fuel economy and excessive carbon build up over time. If your exhaust has a strong fuel smell, your car may be running rich because the engine is cold. A better seal means the engine will make more compression, and therefore be more efficient. This fills up some of the empty space between the piston and the cylinder wall, creating a better seal inside the combustion chamber. Your engine is built with specific tolerances that are designed for running within a specific temperature range.Īs metal in the engine heats, it expands. When your engine is cold, it doesn’t run as efficiently as it does at operating temperature. ![]() See Also: How to Stop Your Car From Overheating 2) Poor Engine Performance Overheating from a stuck thermostat is caused by hot coolant that gets trapped in the block, and ambient coolant from the radiator will not be able to make it into the block to replace it. If a thermostat is stuck closed, you will almost certainly run into overheating issues. The most obvious symptom that your thermostat has gone bad is your vehicle overheating. Different engines run best at different operating temperatures. If you’re looking to buy a new thermostat, be sure to choose it according to the OEM’s specifications for your vehicle. The thermostat will be fully open when engine coolant is 15-20 degrees above 180° F. A 180° thermostat will begin to open when coolant in the engine block is within 3 degrees of 180° Fahrenheit. Thermostats come in different temperature ranges depending on the engine and application. This cycle repeats to keep the engine within a specific temperature range. This cooler coolant allows the wax to cool back down, eventually closing the thermostat again. Coolant in the radiator is roughly the same temperature as the ambient air. This expansion pushes a valve open in the thermostat, which allows coolant from the radiator to enter the engine block. Inside your thermostat, there is a wax element.Īs this wax heats up, it melts and expands. Unlike the thermostat for your house, most thermostats used in cars do not require electricity.
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