Q: what is optimal operating temperature supposed to be? is 215 too high?

asked by on September 14, 2016

My water temperature stays around 180-190 but sometimes spikes to 215 and within minutes cools back down to 180/190 - should I get another thermostat? will 215 degrees break something???

My car has 110000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

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Hey there. 180 is normal for your car. Although 215 shouldn’t hurt anything if it only stays there for a minute or so and cools back down, it really should not be getting this hot. There are different thermostats available on the market that will allow your car to run much cooler consistently that are very inexpensive. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your home to inspect the slight overheating and install a cooler running thermostat if needed.

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