I recently bought a 03 focus 1.8tdci and noticed the temp gauge never went out of the cold section, heaters inside car never got hot as well. I took the car to my local garage to have new thermostat and coolent but was shocked when they came out with the old thermostat and new one, old one was just top part, thus permanently cooling engine. why would this be done and what could it be hiding? garage gave me spare car so they could run mine to check all is ok

car has done 118k and has all the service stamps from different garages but no detailed paperwork of jobs done.

my first time on a forum and hope to hear back, thanks.

Old one was probably stuck closed and caused the car to over heat. The thermostats on modern fords aren't cheap, unlike the older type you could by for a fiver without having to replace the whole housing.

I had the same thing with a Mondeo I bought from a reputable garage. New stat was £85.

Old one was probably stuck closed and caused the car to over heat. The thermostats on modern fords aren't cheap, unlike the older type you could by for a fiver without having to replace the whole housing.

I had the same thing with a Mondeo I bought from a reputable garage. New stat was £85.

Old one was probably stuck closed and caused the car to over heat. The thermostats on modern fords aren't cheap, unlike the older type you could by for a fiver without having to replace the whole housing.

I had the same thing with a Mondeo I bought from a reputable garage. New stat was £85.

can you tell i am new to this lol. garage charged £12 for thermostat but with coolant and labour came to £88.80 inc vat just cant understand why someone would do it? am worried it might be to hide a fault that was their before i got the car?

You must have an old type thermostat that isnt part of the housing then. There are a number of things that may have caused it to overheat previously, and by permanently opening the stat got around it. I am surprised though that they didnt just remove it. May be it broke while they tried to get it out.

Anyway, it may have had air lock, a colapsed rad pipe, a blocked rad, a dodgy pump, or the expansion tank cap may not have been holding pressure in the system. If the temperature is stabilising and it is working as it should, I wouldn't worry.

You must have an old type thermostat that isnt part of the housing then. There are a number of things that may have caused it to overheat previously, and by permanently opening the stat got around it. I am surprised though that they didnt just remove it. May be it broke while they tried to get it out.

Anyway, it may have had air lock, a colapsed rad pipe, a blocked rad, a dodgy pump, or the expansion tank cap may not have been holding pressure in the system. If the temperature is stabilising and it is working as it should, I wouldn't worry.

cheers, it seems to be working fine, gauge sit between 1/4 and 1/2 and my heaters are working again :-) but will be keeping an eye on it just in case. thanks