Q: I've been told I have 2 thermostats on my 2013 Chrysler 200 touring?

asked by on February 12, 2017

I paid $492 to change 2 thermostats and an adapter at the dealership. Sounds weird and excessive.

My car has 93500 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Change Oil and Filter $103.58 - $181.08 Get a Quote

There are two separate thermostats in your application, a primary and a secondary. The primary and secondary thermostats have different temperature profiles in terms of their opening temperature because they are located on different areas of the engine. The primary thermostat is located on the front of the water plenum in the thermostat housing/coolant inlet. The secondary thermostat is located in the cylinder head under the water plenum. The adapter that you are referring to does exist and I believe it is associated with the secondary thermostat. It is unclear why that part would have been condemned and replaced especially on a 4 year old vehicle. Thermostats are nominal in cost (typically $10 to $25 each). The labor to replace both thermostats on your car, plus the adapter, is well under three hours. If the adapter costs $60 (looking at OEM dealer on-line price) and the thermostats are $50 total for both (again, OEM dealer on-line price for genuine dealer parts), that leaves nearly $400 for labor which works out to about $150 per hour or so for labor. That labor charge is approximately double what YourMechanic charges and to be perfectly frank it is not economically rational to charge $150 per hour in labor for the indicated repair. The cost is high because at shops there is layer upon layer of overhead, profit and so forth. You can save a lot of money and get the identical service, indeed better service inasmuch as the YourMechanic’s mobile service is personalized, using a mobile network of professionals such as that dispatched by YourMechanic. I hope in the future we can help you save money with your repair or maintenance needs, for example oil and filter changes. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

How do you adjust the sound?
Your car’s radio offers a number of different functions, including the ability to adjust the sound to your tastes and preferences. Here’s how to do it: Press the audio button. It will display the various functions you can adjust, including...
How do you store just one phone number from your phone in the HandsFreeLink?
While you can import entire phonebooks (on some phones) into the HandsFreeLink® (HFL) system, you can also add specific names and numbers if you want. This is handy if you only want to store a few close friends and family...
How do I use the rear window and side view mirror defroster?
The rear window and side view mirror defroster will provide extra visibility through the rear window and the side view mirrors when they become foggy. To turn the defroster on, press the Defroster button, which is located on the middle...
Motor mount/waterpump bolt froze
When dealing with a broken off bolt there are a few different ways to fix this. One of which involves drilling out the broken off bolt and extracting it using a reverse drill bit. Another way is to drill out...
gears not shifting
Hello! Being that it would not shift gears at all it could be an issue within the shift linkages. If the transmission was just serviced and you are experiencing transmission issues so soon after, I would take it back to...
When I start my truck it's idling high and when I'm driving the rpm fluctuate up and down and the transmission doesn't want to
Hello. It sounds like you may have a vacuum leak (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/is-it-safe-to-drive-with-a-vacuum-leak). This engine is notorious for vacuum leaks from a bad intake manifold gasket (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/intake-manifold-gaskets-replacement). This is very common. It can also be from the MAP sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/manifold-absolute-pressure-sensor-map-sensor-replacement) or a...
Air not flowing out of front vents.
If the blower motor is not turning, the cause is identified during a failed heater diagnostic (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/heater-is-not-working-inspection). Blower motors failures are due to faults in the wiring, fuse, relay (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/blower-motor-relay-replacement), control switch (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/blower-motor-switch-replacement), resistor block (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/heater-blower-motor-resistor-replacement), if so equipped, and...
my 1988 cadillac deville runs hot. i dont know whats wrong with it. the car stills drive. but people are telling me its a blown he
Hello, thank you for writing in. A blown head gasket is most likely what your issue is. Check the coolant. Chances are it is low and mixing with the oil. The head gasket is the only component which would allow...
Auto transmission is not going into overdrive.
Hi there. The transmission may have burnt clutches in the overdrive clutch pack. The solenoids for this transmission would not go out without effecting more gears. Check the fluid to the transmission and see if it is dark red or...

Related articles

All About Aftermarket Parts
Have Have you ever wondered why a part varies in price from the dealership to the parts store on the street corner? Have you ever wished you could find less expensive parts to keep your vehicle maintenance costs down? Have...
A Buyer’s Guide to the 2013 Acura ILX
Honda’s Honda’s luxury division has been busy making models to meet the needs and wants of a wealthier consumer base, but now Acura is back to a more affordable segment with a decent entry into the four-door marketplace. The ILX...
How to Find Replacement Car Parts at a Junkyard
Buying used replacement parts can save you a lot of money on repair costs. Cars in junkyards are totaled but still have usable and working parts.