Thermostat not working?

[Riverhouse2025]

It’s 15 below zero and I’m driving my brand new Subaru Forester around town. It won’t get to or stay at operating temperature. Especially true when just idling. Isn’t the thermostat supposed to get it to operating temperature and keep it there?

 

[bmart]

No...that's not really how thermostats operate. They don't make heat, they control keeping it in a range, but only if it gets warm enough. 15 below is frackin' cold. It is probably working as designed. You can goof around with it by turning the heat off so that you aren't wicking it off of the cooling system.

 

[Riverhouse2025]

No...that's not really how thermostats operate. They don't make heat, they control keeping it in a range, but only if it gets warm enough. 15 below is frackin' cold. It is probably working as designed. You can goof around with it by turning the heat off so that you aren't wicking it off of the cooling system.

 

[Riverhouse2025]

Right. Thanks for the input.