Thermostat stuck open? Also is goodyear a relable plece to go?

Question

I believe my thermostat is stuck open. Here is the senerio. In the morning on the way to work(upper 30's outside) the temperture gauge barley moves off of cold. If it does go a tad up it drops down to cold again when i drive the Hwy. Heat is luke warm at most. My commute home, being it warmer in tthe day, it reads a little warmer on the hwy. Maybe creeps up 1/2 way to normal. The past week the only time it got up to full normal temp reading is when I took the side streets home and even then it took longer than normal. also the heater seems to work fine. I made an appointment with goodyear simply because they are close to me and i can walk it if need be. I checked the better business bureau and they have no complaints but i want to ask you all opinion if you thin they are a fair shop???? what is the average time/cost of this repair when done at a shop. I live in kansas city. Also if your a mechanic let me know in your responce. thanks for your kindness.

Sorry for my typos. my computer keys stick.

my car is a 2001 plymouth neon about 73,000 miles on it

Answer 1

A thermostat can't be more than 1 hr work. Depending on your location could be anywhere from $50-100 for part and labor

Answer 2

Sounds like you're right but there are some other things you can check also;

1; How long since your Coolant was Changed? If more then 2 years a Change might be something you should do now? (Make sure the Coolant Mix is 50-50 Clean Water & Anti-Freeze!)

2; Have them cCheck the Hoses and Belts.

3; Goodyear is Good but also any "Good Station" can also do the job.

Answer 3

I had a problem with them some years ago, but I'm sure each one is a franchise and that may have some affect on the quality and cost of their work. I was working construction at a power house out of town and I told my wife to take it to Goodyear and let them do a "Brake Job" on it. They really took advantage of her and she knew it. She was almost crying when she showed me the bill.

As for your problem, have you checked the coolant level? If you are full of coolant, then you are correct most likely the thermostat is stuck open, which is a lot better than being stuck closed.

The part is inexpensive, and not much labor time to install.

good luck

Answer 4

Any repair facility is only as good as its technicians. Goodyear/Gemini facilities have to go through a rigorous and on-going process of review to maintain quality. Goodyear/Gemini is not the cheapest place to go for service, to be sure, but quality is never cheap. I have never needed to apologize for my pricing.

I encourage my customers to ask around, compare, and get educated on their vehicles BEFORE repairs are needed. The best way to avoid being ripped off is to be savvy.

I am not on commission. That is a blatant lie. My pay is not based on "upselling". I solve problems. I am responsible for repairing and maintaining vehicles, and keeping my store profitable. Nobody is in business to lose money.

Answer 5

I sounds like someone has installed a low temp thermostat.
Install the correct one (195 degree). As for Goodyear, they are pricey and they like to sell you more than you really need, so beware. They get paid on commission so the more they sell , the more they make. All you need is the thermo, the gasket, a little gasket sealer, and some anti-freeze.

Answer 6

yes good year is a pretty good place to go to,they are a little higher than some shops,but they do fair work,any small repair shop can install a thermostat for you,and do as good of a job with it,and probably for a lot less money also,but its up to you,they do good work,and back all their work in writing also,that means a lot right there,good luck with it.

Answer 7

If it goes up and then drops again the thermostat is most likely ok. The temperature drops when the thermostat opens up and cools the engine. If it was stuck, you would be overheating constantly.