Tips to Determine if a Coolant Leak Stems from the Thermostat Housing of Your Porsche

When you invest in a high-performance Porsche, you expect high-quality performance. There isn’t a lot that you need to keep an eye out for outside of standard maintenance, but there are a few common issues that owners should be aware of to prolong the lifespan of your model.

One of these issues, primarily caused by now outdated coolant tubes, is the leaking of antifreeze or coolant. From 2002 to 2006, factories built Porsches with hard plastic coolant pipes that couldn’t stand up to the heat they produced. The German company has since patched up this problem, but it’s important to learn to recognize signs of a coolant leak if you have a less than recent model.

What is coolant?

As a massive source of power in a Porsche, their engines run very hot. These temperatures can wear down or even melt an engine without the right protection. Coolant, most commonly known as antifreeze, is a liquid used to reduce or regulate the temperature of a vehicle. This protects your engine from overheating.

What is the thermostat housing?

In the engine of your vehicle in between the engine and the radiator, there is a coolant outlet known as the thermostat housing. The coolant in your car is constantly flowing, and this system houses coolant before it travels into the radiator to cool. If this piece is cracked or damaged at all, the coolant will leak out, allowing extreme heat to overrun the engine compartment.

How do you know if the coolant is leaking?

It’s advisable to routinely check your car’s coolant levels, but if your car is regularly overheating, it’s possible that the coolant is leaking out. First, you need to determine where it’s coming from and how fast it’s leaking. There are a few methods to determine if your Porsche is leaking coolant. While you can potentially find the problem on your own, it’s important to have Porsche checked by a professional to avoid irreparable damage.

• Look Under Your Car: One of the most obvious ways to check for a coolant leak is to look underneath your car below the hood. Porsche coolant is a bright pink in color, which makes it easier to differentiate between an oil spill and a coolant leak.
• Check Your Pressure Cap: If your car is overheating frequently, it could just be that you have a loose or damaged pressure cap. You have the option to buy a new safety cap or have a mechanic pressure-test your cap to see if it’s working correctly, but if the problem persists, it can be a sign of coolant leakage.
• Check Your Hoses: As a Porsche owner, you should be regularly checking all the hoses under the hood of your car, even before a specific concern. Inspect these hoses to ensure that none of them are overly soft, hard, bulging, cracked, or leaking. If any of these signs are present, the vehicle needs immediate attention to avoid serious damage while driving.
• Check Your Radiator: With your hand, feel the ground underneath the radiator for wet spots. Look around the area for rust-colored stains or white-colored deposits, as they can indicate old leaks that have already dried.

What do you do once you’ve determined that coolant is leaking?

A coolant leak can be caused by anything as simple as tightening a loose clamp or as complicated as replacing a broken water pipe. To diagnose the exact cause of the leakage, it requires the skills and expertise of a quality technician and a fully-equipped shop of tools. If something needs to be replaced, it’s important that you choose high-quality parts to put into your Porsche.

Affordable Services you can Trust

At Germany’s Best Inc., we believe that the quality of service that your Porsche receives makes a difference in the overall performance and lifespan of your vehicle. Here, we know the make and model of your car well, and our ASE certified mechanics are dedicated to giving it the best care.

Our German auto specialists can offer great yet affordable service using the latest tools and equipment. We offer the same services and repairs that are recommended by Porsche. This includes diagnosing and repairing every component of your car’s cooling system.

For over 25 years, we’ve proudly helped drivers throughout Oakland, CA, and the surrounding areas of Berkeley, Emeryville, and Piedmont. Call us today for an appointment.