While driving to work one chilly morning I could not feel any warm air coming from the heat or the windshield defroster. I had to return to home because the windows were fogging up and I had no heat. I drove another car to work that day. I later discovered the thermostat housing gasket had a slow leak and allowed most of the antifreeze to leak out. This was the reason the defroster was not working also the thermostat is no longer in contact with any fluid, only the plastic housing, and the temperature indicator never read much above cold while my engine is overheating internally due to low coolant. After replacing the thermostat housing and sensor I still smell antifreeze leaking from some where possibly the head gasket and have to top off the radiator more frequently. I believe this design, placing the temperature sensor in the thermostat housing, is a safety hazard. First off if you have a coolant leak the defroster will just stop working while your temperature reading will be normal or still cold. Secondly engine failure could occur, due to a false temperature indication, and could cause an accident while driving in traffic.

- Yorktown, VA, USA