Do I have a thermostat issue on my 04 GTP?

**rizer** · 12-20-2012

Hey guys, I'm new to the Grand Prix world, always from a grand am GT.

What I'm wondering is if my thermostat is going bad. In my grand am, within 5 minutes the car was fully warmed up with needle half way in middle.
With the GTP, it takes forever for it to start moving. I drove 30 miles this morning in 29 degree weather and t never went past the first marking ( 1/4 of the gauge ) Then there's times it takes a while to heat up but will be what I think is normal and half way up, but at stops, she'll creep up past halfway just a tad.

This seem normal for this car?

Thanks!

**HVACgtp** · 12-20-2012

It's normal to take a while for it too heat up, mine takes 10 mins maybe 15 of normal driving at 25 degree weather to heat up. And it will fluxuate a bit wen stopped, never really goes about half way

**BillBoost37** · 12-20-2012

The key is..do you have a check engine light that results in a code saying not heating up fast enough?

If no..smile and drive on.

**HVACgtp** · 12-20-2012

Didn't know there was a code for that, learn something new everyday

**loopy smurf** · 12-20-2012

My '02 GT would get an SES light. Code indicated engine was not able to get to operating temp. Only happened in the winter. Changed the thermostat out, light went out, and we're all happy.

**rizer** · 12-20-2012

Okay, I won't stress too much then. I just found it weird 30 miles of 80mph and it didnt go past a quarter way up.

**TLSheff** · 12-20-2012

If you haven't ever replaced it you may consider installing a new thermostat and flushing the coolant. Might help a bit, but probably not much.
A its cold outside
B your driving 30miles in cold weather

Agreed tho, if no light is on, smile and let her stay cool, cool is good, if she's too cold, she will let you know.

**Chadgervais** · 12-20-2012

Question: Do you start the car and immediately crank the heat? The heater core acts as a second radiator. If you let the engine warm up a bit by driving, the heat will work better.

You might also try driving in second gear for a while (stay below 40mph)

**stealthee** · 12-20-2012

A "1/4 way up" is normal on an 04+. If you start getting to the second mark, the "middle" mark, then you need to worry about it getting TOO warm.

**Chadgervais** · 12-20-2012

Stealthee: I posted a pic over in the "thermostats" thread. For a GP with a 195 stat and Ill post it up here too, the middle mark is not abnormally high. The middle mark is approximately 210-212. At idle, many GPs 04 and up go to the first line past the middle mark (221) before the fans kick on and bring it back down to 200.

For someone with a 180 stat cruising range is between the first and second line past the quarter mark

**stealthee** · 12-20-2012

I've got a 195 and mine only ever hit the "middle" mark when I was low on coolant from a leaking water pump.

**231FUN** · 12-23-2012

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

The key is..do you have a check engine light that results in a code saying not heating up fast enough?

If no..smile and drive on.

Yup, and that would be a P0128.
Just installed a new 195 in my 06 to fix this issue myself.

**rperry435** · 12-23-2012

I was getting the same code and it WAS my thermostat, I bought a high flow 180 from Zzp and it works great..now that it's fixed I can definitely see an improvement in warm up time

Sent using my Galaxy SIII on Tapatalk 2

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