The Volvo C30 is a small car with a hatchback design, which means it has a rear door that swings upward for easy access to the trunk. It's known for being stylish and safe.
The check engine light is a warning light on your car's dashboard that tells you something is wrong with the engine. It could be a small issue or something more serious, so it's important to check it out.
A thermostat is a part in your car's engine that helps keep it at the right temperature. It opens and closes to let coolant flow and keep the engine from getting too hot or too cold.
The radiator fan helps cool down the engine by blowing air through the radiator. It turns on when the engine gets hot to keep everything from overheating.
An electric water pump helps keep the engine cool by moving coolant around. It's different from older pumps that were powered by the engine itself, making it more efficient.
Car
Volvo
Volvo is a car brand from Sweden that focuses on making safe and reliable vehicles. They are known for their sturdy build and safety features.
The starter motor is what helps start the car's engine. When you turn the key, it spins the engine to get it running. It's usually found close to the engine.
The oil filter cleans the engine oil by removing dirt and debris. Keeping it clean helps the engine run smoothly and last longer. It's important to change it regularly along with the oil.
A temperature management unit helps keep the engine at the right temperature. It controls how coolant flows to prevent the engine from overheating or running too cold.
Car
BMW
BMW is a car brand from Germany that makes luxury cars. They often use advanced technology in their vehicles to improve performance and efficiency.
Coolant flow management is how a car controls the movement of coolant to keep the engine at the right temperature. It's important for the engine to work well and not overheat.
Pawlik Automotive is a car repair shop in Vancouver, Canada. They help fix cars and do inspections to find out what's wrong.
LIVE
Hi, it's Mark. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada,
Vancouver's best auto service experience. And we're talking cars. How are you doing, Bernie?
Doing very well. So today's guest is a 2011 Volvo C30. What was going on with this vehicle?
So this vehicle had a few issues that it came to our shop to address. And one of them was
the check engine light was on. So we proceeded to do our diagnostics and testing, found there was
one trouble code stored in the vehicle, P0128, the thermostat operation problem.
So a thermostat, what does a thermostat actually do?
So what it does is it allows the engine to warm up quickly, an internal combustion engine. It's
best to operate at a warm temperature somewhere just under the boiling point of water, maybe around
190, 200 degrees Fahrenheit, 90, 95 Celsius kind of thing. That's a good operating temperature. So
the thermostat keeps the coolant flowing through the engine until it reaches that temperature,
then it opens up and then flows coolant to the radiator so the engine doesn't overheat.
So you don't want it to open too soon because otherwise the engine doesn't warm up properly
and that creates other issues. So is it involved in the operation of the fan to help the radiator fan?
It does. Ideally the radiator fan, the way cooling system works, the thermostat will open up and then
it'll flow coolant to the radiator. Then once the engine's quite warm and say the air is warm
outside, it's not winter time, summer, it'll need additional cooling. That's why there's a fan.
Most cars have electric fans these days. So once the temperature reaches a certain amount, say
205 Fahrenheit, the fan clicks on, cools down, then comes back on and off as it needs to.
And sometimes you'll hear it running after you shut the engine off. The fans are running.
Yeah, they actually put that on some cars to cool the cooling system down.
Some vehicles actually have electric water pumps that'll flow coolant to keep the coolant
flowing through the system so it doesn't get hot pockets in the system. These things are pretty
sophisticated compared to what they used to be. Yeah, I remember it was 10 bucks for a new
thermostat and 20 minutes worth of work to swap it out and you're good for another 10 years.
Yeah, not so easy nowadays. Many of them are a little complicated to remove and
it's like to say the check engine light will warn you when it's on and in the old days sometimes
you wouldn't know you needed a thermostat other than the engine would either be overheating or
maybe if it's stuck open, like it was the case with this Volvo, you just get no heat in the vehicle
in the winter time. You go, okay, there's the thermostat's probably stuck open. So here's our
vehicle, 2011. This sort of looks like a famous Volvo, doesn't it? Old style, Simon Templar,
the Saint Volvo. It's a good car. We work on quite a few of these and 2011 this now,
it's like 14, 15 years old at this point. They keep going in pretty good shape these days.
There's our view of the engine. That's the engine compartment there. The front right bottom corner,
that's the air filter housing assembly. There's an intake plenum up above it. The thermostat is
buried down underneath all this stuff here. So there's things to be removed, which you'll see in
a moment. And that's with the air filter box removed and a few other items. And the thermostat,
which I think you're going to point out, is right there. So this is an assembly you mentioned
about the $10 thermostat from the past. That was just the thermostat. Nowadays, on most cars,
when you have a thermostat, it's a plastic assembly that bolts up to the engine with
connections to hoses and sometimes it has an electrical connection on it. Sometimes that's a
sensor. There's actually electrical heaters that go to the thermostats as well. So some of them get
quite complicated, but the thermostat's inside of that. So when you have this particular issue,
you replace that whole unit. And of course, it's more money than 10 bucks.
Naturally, like most modern cars. So there's a lot more stuff to remove than there used to be, too.
There is, too. Yeah, the labor is much more intense. So again, you can see the thermostat from this
view. A couple other interesting things below that, that sort of round item. That's the starter motor.
So again, if you're doing a starter, yeah, to your right, just right below the thermostat.
Right here. Yeah, starter motor. Yeah. Again, you'd have to remove this intake system to get the
starter out. And then to the left of that, there's another round item. Yeah, that's the oil filter
housing. So that can be removed without taking the air filter box out, because obviously you have
to change the oil. You don't want to be too complicated. He said with his tongue and cheek.
Yeah. Long extensions and things to do it. We have the tools. Anyways, that's the thermostat
removed. So you can see that it's bolts up to the engine block, coolant flows in, and there's
two hoses that are sitting there without a thermostat connected. So basically the thermostat
just allows flow to go from the engine block out to different areas. And that's basically how it works.
So ultimately, after all the stuffs out of the way, a pretty simple exchange, but not an inexpensive
repair? Yeah, I don't know the dollar amounts, but it's a couple hours worth of work and the part's
more expensive than 10 bucks, as I mentioned. Some of them can be like $50. Some can be like a
couple hundred. Actually, at a BMW a while ago, they didn't even call it a thermostat anymore. It's
temperature management unit or something. It's like $800 and a lot more labor to get out. So
this Volvo is actually on the scheme of modern thermostats, not too bad.
So are they getting more complicated as they're getting newer and newer?
Some cars, they try to manage the coolant flow. I say in this BMW, it did a couple other things
than just being a simple thermostat, but proper temperature management is really critical and
it's way more important than it used to be. And you and I talked before, we turned the camera on
here about removing the thermostat when you're in Hawaii. That was a thing people used to do too,
as the summer timeout's too warm. You just take the thermostat out, it prevents the engine overheating
and back then engines were just much cruder and didn't really matter. But nowadays, everything
needs to be at a certain operating temperature and permissions, performance, the whole thing.
Longevity too. So it's all important. If you're looking for service for your Volvo,
or you've got a problem with your thermostat, the guys to see are at Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver,
BC, Canada. You can book online at pawlikautomotive.com. They'll call you, they'll get ready for your
inspection and find out exactly what's going on, fix the root of the problem, or you can call them
to book 604-327-7112. You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver,
BC, Canada. Thanks so much for watching and listening. Thanks Bernie. Thank you Mark. Thanks for watching.
About this episode
A 2011 Volvo C30 presented with a check engine light due to a thermostat issue, specifically a P0128 code indicating thermostat operation problems. The discussion delves into the function of the thermostat, its evolution from simple components to complex assemblies, and the implications of modern cooling systems. Bernie and Mark explore the diagnostic process, the challenges of replacing thermostats in contemporary vehicles, and the importance of maintaining proper engine temperature for performance and longevity. Insights into the repair process and the intricacies of modern automotive technology are shared throughout.
