You may notice one or more of the following problems listed below if you suspect that your Mazda’s thermostat is bad. Don’t worry. Mazcare can inspect your Mazda’s thermostat to determine if it is functioning properly. If it isn’t, we can replace it. Generally, you can expect to get a decade out of your Mazda’s thermostat. After its 10-year birthday, it’s at a higher risk of malfunctioning or leaking. Let’s talk more about the signs that you need to replace your thermostat below.
Coolant Leak Around the Thermostat
The thermostat is responsible for releasing the engine coolant when the engine starts to get too hot. It controls the flow of the coolant to make sure the engine always has the right amount of coolant circulating through it. There is a valve in the thermostat that opens and closes. If this valve gets stuck in the closed position, the coolant can back out of the thermostat and pool around it. You will notice a corroded mess around your vehicle’s thermostat if it has this minor leak.
Coolant Leak on Your Garage Floor
This being said, the thermostat can also develop a leak that will result in coolant spots or puddles on your garage floor. It’s important to understand that any time your vehicle is leaking coolant, the levels are depleted and this can get dangerous for the Mazda’s engine. It’s important to have any coolant leaks addressed as soon as possible to prevent causing unnecessary and expensive damage to the engine.
Drastic Changes in Engine Temperature
Another sign that your Mazda’s thermostat is going bad is drastic changes in your engine’s temperature. If the thermostat is not releasing the coolant when the engine needs it, or if it’s releasing in spurts, your engine will heat up and cool down drastically and you will see these temperature fluctuations on the temperature gauge on the dashboard. You may also notice that the air blowing into the Mazda goes from hot to cold frequently along with the engine temperature fluctuations.
Overheating That Happens Quickly
Finally, if your Mazda overheats within 15 minutes after you start it, the thermostat is not releasing coolant into the engine. Overheating is definitely a sign of a cooling system problem, and that cooling system problem could be a malfunctioning or dead thermostat.
Call Mazcare in Marietta, GA, today if you think your Mazda’s thermostat has gone bad. Again, we’d be happy to inspect the thermostat and replace it if it needs to be replaced. If the problem isn’t the thermostat, don’t worry, we will find it.