Thermostat needs replacing how important is this?

[bjornbjorn]

My engine light came on a month ago so I took it to the mechanics and they used a obd reader and found out that I needed a new thermostat. The engine light used to come on and off and recently it just stays off and doesnt come back on. I know that my thermometer has a safety and it just stays open when it fails and the car runs cooler than normal but lately my car runs at normal temperature and no check engine light. Is it important to fix the thermostat? Also it seems like a pretty easy job just taking of two bolts change out the old for a new then tighten back up. How much coolant will I lose by changing the thermostat?

[MoarkatsINmuhtrailer]

you wont lose much at all. if you change it buy the superstat. dont go for the lesser stant.

[dsmuts]

It's super easy to change just those 2 bolts and you won't loose to much coolant.

[Fivefingerdeathpunch]

yes they are easy to change, but everyone forgets the last step that ends up causing problems.

You must bleed the air out of the cooling system because you had to open it up to change the thermostat.

On top of the thermostat housing is a bleed screw, open it and let the car run up to temp and wait for air bubbles to start coming out, once the air bubbles are gone and its just steady stream of coolant, then close it back up, it may take 5-10 min to rid all the air.