My check engine light is on. Engine is heating up too slow. Take 10 miles to reach 165 degrees. Dealer quotes $400 to $500 to replace thermostat. Any suggestions?

Ooh. The t-stat on that engine is supposed to be really tricky. An aftermarket shop may be cheaper, but may do it wrong. DIY supposed to be a real bear. Good luck.

I don't think this is a DIY for me. Too cold in garage. One repair shop won't do it. Says that engine needs to go to dealer for any repairs. Its the 2.4 multi air engine.

Check out this video:

I haven't had the (dis)pleasure of one of these yet, so I looked it up. The labor alone, which involves taking seemingly half the car apart, is 3.8 hours. So the price you were quoted sounds pretty accurate.

Be thankful you don't have the Opel-built V6 found in some GM cars of the 2000s (Saturn L, pre-2004 Saturn Vue, e.g.) That one is almost 7 hours.

Whatever happened to the old days, when you could pull a hose off the engine, reach in with a long screwdriver, and punch a hole into the metal check valve?

Used to work at a dealer that had sold Jeep/AMC, and we still had to work on the damnable things. We had a big sign on the shop wall that said "JEEP is a four letter word" We especially hated the Grand Wagoneers. What a nightmare.

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket

We have two Jeeps. The 1980 CJ7 I can work on myself. The newer one, not as much.

Be sure to check the coolant level. If it's really low the heater wont work.