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51K views 56 replies 36 participants last post by  bigmoe99 
#1 ·
thermostat is out in our 2003 CTS....my mechanic says it will cost $455 to replace it. Does that sound reasonable?
 
#4 ·
By the way, this question is a good example why a shop manual is helpful for many owners. Even if you are not a mechanic, you can look many items up in the shop manual to see how involved most repairs are. Over the life of the car, I believe the shop manual would pay for itself--just by identifying when someone is or is not trying to rip you off.

The CTS set also weighs about 15 lbs or so. 3 manuals that are 8.5 X 11. Also about 2.5 inches thick. They are very useful when substituted for phone books--if you are talking about the utility of such an item. (substitute for high chairs, paper weights, weights on top of car cover, etc.)
 
#7 ·
Is it more likely that the thermostat electrical sensor is broken instead of the mechanical thermostat? (the auto parts store said there are 2 pieces to do this job: a sensor and a thermostat) The local cad dealer quoted $400 to do a thermostat replacement (another non-dealer quoted $600 do to the man-hours quoted for the procedure in their book) If it is an easy fix, I was hoping to do it in my home garage. I got a few pictures (pdf file) from this board over a month or so ago for this thermostat replacement procedure but the pics were fuzzy and not as detailed as I hoped. I removed an intake on a 1998 ford taurus 6 cyl to do a sparkplug replacement and that was easy but under my '03 CTS hood, it looks like a rats nest of wires and harnesses; I'm not looking forward to doing this job. Any comments on the question above in the first sentence?
 
#8 ·
i GOT A PRICE OF $800 LABOR FOR A PART WORTH$45.00

SO YOUR PRICE SEEMS REASONABLE.

nOT SURE WHAT STATE YOU ARE IN, BUT MY ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 2 YEARS NOW, ONLY IN WINTER, LIGHT GETS RESET IN SUMMER AND STAYS OUT.

I WILL TRY A POWER COLLANT FLUSH IN SPRING, AND REFILL WITH NEW COLLANT.
 
#11 ·
My son and I replaced the thermostat in his 03 CTS TODAY.
My wife also has an 03 CTS so I was very interested.

It took us 5 hours to get it done with the GM Service Information (online) avaiable in the our shop. The SI says to remove the plenum and intake manifold but not the lower manifold on the 3.2L engine (different for the 2.8l amd the 3.6l). The lower manifold must be removed to remove the manifold on both of our 03 CTS's. With that knowledge. it is a 2.5 to 3.0 hour task. We played with the clearances between the head the rear of the timing cover and the lower manifold. After we ate lunch we removed the lower manifold and from there it was a matter of bolts.

Our wasted time came from two sourdes: 1) the lower mainfold needs to be removed; 2) it is easy to remove the lower manifold if you remove the fuel rail and injectors so that the "manifold" comes out of the "V" in the center of the engine.

Hope this helps from someone who has just done it!
 
#40 ·
how do you remove the fuel rail? i already took off the Quick Connect Fittings(the metal collar), the hose are still connected tight, don't know how to disconnect from the fuel rail. do i need to relieve the fuel system pressure first? and how? thank you guys... waiting online to get back to work..
 
#12 ·
I just had mine done under a really short warranty I got when I bought my 03. Fortunately, I got the warranty because it was a long job. I'm sure it took them more than 3 hours. Plus my thermostat housing was cracked (?) and had to be replaced.

At least I got it fixed-- it sounds like almost everybody with an 03 has thermostat problems right now.
 
#13 ·
got the same problem right now, intermittently throwing the P0128 low coolant temp code, dealer told me the tstat needs to be replaced, quoted me $500. i'm a diy'er, but not a hardcore mech, so the idea of pulling the intake manifold kind of scares me, probably just take it in the arss and have them do it.
 
#15 ·
I attached the pdf file that asoares mentioned above, but I agree with him that it doesn't do that great of a job of showing what needs to be done, be nice if someone had some actual pics.
 

Attachments

#18 ·
For those of you whose thermostat went out, at what mileage did it happen?

I have an '04 3.2L with about 19K and a little over 2 years of the CPO warranty left. I'd like to get a sense how much time I have to save up the money. I've been kicking around the idea of an extended warranty, but all of them seem to have a "you will be screwed" clause.
 
#22 ·
03 CTS, went out about 60k and was supposed to run me $800.00 but I worked out a deal. Don't let something like this go...FIX IT. And to those with Ck Engine lights on...they're there for a reason...get it looked at and fix the problem before you cause another one by procrastinating.
 
#20 ·
I had my 2003 thermostate replaced at Caddy dealer, with all the bits and pieces, gaskets , new housing etc adn 4.5 hours labor it was $850.00, as a no charge bonus dealer left a cord for Block Heater sitting on exhaust shield, so you get car back with burning rubber smell, that take over a week to burn off.

Important Note: to do the job they will remove the power brake reservoir, to get it out of way as its attatched to intake manifold.. MAKE SURE THEY EMPTY OUT OLD STEERING FLUID AND CLEAN OUT RESERVOIR, AND REPLACE NEW FLUID. MY DEALER DID NOT DO IT, AND STEERING FAILED 3 TIMES WHILE DOING A U TURN.
 
#21 ·
Hi i have the same problem with my 2003 cts ,I removed the intake and lower manifold and got the thermostat housing loose but i couldnt take it out ,i dirint have any clearances the housing woud hit the head and the back of the timing cover .can some one please help me ,what am i doing wrong? what else do i need to removed to make the housing come out . i will take pictures of the procedure so you guys can see.
 
#23 ·
Once you have the upper and lower portion of the intake removed, you have to take off the feed tube that is on the side of the engine. Remove the screw(s) that hold the oil tube on, then the fead tube pulls sideways. At that point, you will be able to remove the t-stat and housing. I lost a lot of antifreeze when I did mine so prepair for a mess under the car.
 
#24 ·
The '03 has a t-stat under the intake.
The '04 and up 3.6 engine the t-stat is on the back of the engine, "easier" to get to. (yeah right...)
Totally different setup anyway.
 
#26 ·
mine went out at 120km, only tossed the check engine light on when i use the heater...i got mine done cash deal with a cadi mechanic who i know. i asked what he wanted for it after he was done and was expecting 2-300...he only wanted $50...i gave him $120 couldnt feel right giving him less than that.. took him about 3-4hrs i think. didnt look hard but he had done the t-stat on the 3.2 probably 100x
i now someone who paid $1100 for theirs, and i was quoted $500 ish from my other mechanic... i guess it depends on the shop...the place that said 500 is usually really good with prices.
 
#27 ·
ghettomike...i wish i was close to you and i could get those prices...i may have to buy a whole new F*C*IN engine because the person doing mine took the timing cover off and pulley, and didnt tighten the pulley back up and then when he started it, it jumped timing...
 
#30 ·
Mine went out at 93k. Atleast I think its broke I get the P0128 code. Bought one for $25 and it's sitting in the garage. My question is if it only lights up in the winter and you keep driving it for 2 years because the light goes out in the summer..Are you doing damage to your engine or losing performance/mpg? I noticed I'm getting around 16 mpg combined city/highway (mostly highway)
 
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