Early Signs of Thermostat Housing Failure in Your Jaguar
The Jaguar brand, while known for quality, has had its own issues with thermostat housing failure over the years, especially in newer models. In this article, we will take a look at the symptoms of this failure and what to be mindful of when operating your Jaguar. We will also discuss the need to have your vehicle serviced regularly, especially if any of these symptoms arise.
Purpose of a Thermostat Housing
A thermostat housing in a Jaguar, or any other water cooled car, is used to house the car’s thermostat and to allow cool water and coolant mix to enter the engine from the radiator. Once the water and coolant mix has heated up within the engine it is sent back to the radiator. After this the process starts again. This keeps your Jaguar running within the correct temperature.
- Engine Overheating: Once a thermostat housing fails it can cause overheating of the engine. In your Jaguar you will receive an alert, usually on the dash. If you see this warning do not drive. As we will explain, continuing to drive will damage your Jaguar’s motor beyond a simple repair.
- Sweet Smell: When your Jaguar has a coolant leak due to a damaged thermostat housing, you may smell the coolant prior to seeing it. Even from inside the car, you may smell a sweet pungent odor. This usually means you have engine coolant escaping at a high rate. It will continue to get worse and overheat your car if you continue to operate the vehicle.
- Coolant Leaks: If you have damage to your thermostat housing, you should see puddles of colored engine coolant under your car. During this time you may also see steam rising from under the car or around the radiator. These colors will usually be an orange, or green color, but any liquids other than air conditioner condensation should be repaired right away.
- Erratic Temp Indicator: During cooler months your car’s temperature gauge may rise in temperature measurement and drop as you drive. This is due to any cool air helping to cool through the radiator and motor. However, this will eventually cause an overheating of the engine. If you see the temperature changing while driving, stop and call for help. Towing is the best option, as you do not want to start the engine again until a repair is finalized.
- Poor Heater Performance: If the thermostat housing does not cause the thermostat to remain open at all times, instead of letting it close, you will find your heater or defroster never gets warm in the winter time. Although not as dangerous as having your engine overheat, this still needs to be repaired as soon as possible, before leading to more serious consequences.
Failure to Have Vehicle Repaired
Once your vehicle shows any signs of damage to the thermostat housing, you must stop the car in a safe place. Turn the engine off and call for service. Do not attempt to take the radiator cap off and add water at this stage, as you can become injured from the high temperature steam and water under pressure.
Continuing to drive your Jaguar if any of the symptoms mentioned are present can and will probably cause excessive damage to your Jaguars engine. Once an engine is damaged due to overheating it will seldom be salvageable.
Servicing
Waiting for your car to show a sign that it needs a repair will certainly cause you a headache in the long run. Having your car serviced regularly is often the best way to prevent any issues before they arise. Once routine service has begun, technicians will look for and track potential problems before they become an issue for you.
Thermostat Housing Failure Solution
If your Jaguar needs repair or placed on 
a routine service plan, we are here for you. At OldWick Village Garage we are your local dealership alternative to high prices. Our expert team of technicians specialize in luxury cars such as Jaguars, and other high end European models. Our decades of experience have helped customers of Tewksbury, NJ and the surrounding area, keep their vehicles running as they demand and at a price that is right for you and your family.