What does it mean when your car thermostat is stuck open?
Low Engine Temperature. If your car is running unusually cool and not building up any heat in the engine, it’s likely that your thermostat is stuck open and is letting too much coolant through.
Can a stuck thermostat set off a check engine light?
So yes it is possible that the thermostat can be the root cause of your problems but they can also be completely separate. Code 1220 can be caused by the oxygen sensor itself, improper signal to the oxygen sensor from the engine control unit, a vacuum leak, or even a sticking or worn idle control valve.
Why does the thermostat need to open and close?
It does this by controlling the flow of coolant that goes through your engine and then back through the radiator. When your thermostat is working properly it opens and closes as required to either let coolant flow or stop the flow of coolant depending on what temperature your engine is currently at.
How can you tell if your car thermostat is working?
Check if the measurements are within 10° F (18° C) of each other. Look at the temperature of the engine and the upper hose after your vehicle has run for 10-15 minutes. If the temperatures are within 10° Fahrenheit (18° Celsius) of one another, then the thermostat is working properly.
What does it mean when your thermostat is stuck open?
Stuck open means too much coolant is being allocated to the engine, causing the engine to be abnormally cool. If the thermostat is stuck closed, that means not enough fluid is going into the engine and the engine will overheat.
What to do if the thermostat on your car is stuck?
Look carefully, at a distance away from the open radiator cap, to see if fluid is being allocated to the engine. Have the person who started the car also notify you of the engine’s temperature. Turn off the engine and feel the two thermostat hoses that connect the fluid tank with the engine. Check the top and bottom hoses.
Is it bad to run your car with the thermostat open?
Your car is set up to warn you if it’s running too hot and most drivers are aware of the dangers of an overheating engine. However, when your car runs to the cooled, we don’t often consider that to be a problem. In fact, it’s not healthy for your car to be running with a cold engine all the time either.
Why is the engine thermostat in the closed position?
The flow of coolant does not cycle through the radiator unless it is hot and needs to be cooled. When an engine is cold, the radiator fluid is cold, so the thermostat is in the closed position. When the engine starts up, and the coolant warms.