I have a 2003 S60 2.4T with 104K miles. At about 60K miles the engine started to take a long time to get up to normal operating temperature. While I didn't like the price of a new thermostat (about $120 as I remember) since it was the first thing to go wrong with the car I didn't mind too much. Changed the thermostat and the problem was fixed. The old thermostat checked OK in the stove top hot water test. It was closed when cold and started opening about 200 Deg. F. The only thing I could find was that there was a little rubber plug like thing in a hole (about 1/8 inch dia.) in the thermostat disk that opens when hot on the new thermostat while the old one didn't have the rubber plug (blew out into the engine?). The thermostat test didn't confirm the symptoms but what the heck the new one fixed the problem.

Now at about 103K miles I have the same symptom, it takes too long to heat up and in the winter here in Prescott sometimes it never reaches normal temperature. Now if it had the normal type of thermostat that sells for about $15 I wouldn't mind but this is really getting me angry. Has any one else had such an experience?

I found an aftermarket thermostat made by a company named FACET for about $80. Has anybody had any experience with these? Any advice or comments is welcome.

Thanks in advance,
Guy P.

 

I used a cheap one and had no problems. Thermostats can be a tricky thing..have you checked the water pump? dont know if the problems are related but its worth looking into