Any videos available on replacing thermostat?

Wait for a reply from someone who knows but................
The reason that you can't find anything out about the "thermostat" might be that it may not HAVE a conventional one.

The water pump is electric.......so the "thermostat" might be a sensor.

Do you live where it got REALLY cold in the past few days ?
You may have an ice block in the cooling system and maybe even a cracked block.

Good luck.

 

I'm guessing not much more than that, but I haven't done it on a Gen 4. The similar Gen 3 engine just has the stat built into the water inlet elbow; you replace the whole elbow.

While the water pump is electric, the thermostat is still the conventional wax-operated kind. The pump's job is to circulate coolant through the engine, always needed when it's running; the stat's job is to notice when the coolant is so warm it needs to go through the radiator before returning to the engine. When the stat's closed, the circulation is just through the engine and the various things on the bypass circuit.

But I'm skeptical of your reasoning from "no heat in car" to a stuck/closed stat. The heater core is part of the bypass circuit, so coolant is flowing through it even when the stat is closed. So a stuck/closed thermostat won't be an explanation of no cabin heat.

A stuck open stat could explain slow-to-warm cabin heat, but isn't very consistent with a red overheat light.

Where is your car from? I believe those sold in Europe or Japan have an extra electrically-operated "flow shutting valve" or "selector valve" on the back of the head, but North American ones do not.

 

They're made in japan, but the ones made for sale into different world markets can be different builds. The "flow shutting valve" in the models for Europe and Japan is a case in point.

That's also why Gen 3 drivers in countries that drive on the left can change their spark plugs without taking the wipers off, and we can't.

 

Yeah would be helpful if OP disclosed (roughly) where he lives.

Also: the miles on the car? If high enough, maybe pump failing?

So the car is overheating, and engine coolant pressure might be high. Without engine light coming on, no codes?

Could this possibly be related to 4th gen exhaust heat recovery issue? The coolant loss is one related symptom.

Might take a dealership diagnostic visit?

Attached is 4th gen Repair Manual engine cooling system excerpt.

 

Midwest eh... Ok, ok, I know... And this is a US'centric forum.

 

I wouldn't jump to conclusions. Refill and burp the system. Keep an eye on coolant levels over the next few days. It's more likely a leak into the exhaust gas heat exchanger. Low coolant also means no cabin heat and heat pumps don't work very well in the cold snap you just had. Besides; your due for coolant change anyways.
If you continue to loose coolant; loop out the exhaust gas heat exchanger to see if that stops the leak.

Good Luck.

 

How close to the Chicago Land South Side? Close enough for a trip to have the Car Care Nut look at it?

 

That's because your car did overheat; you mentioned it in your original post ("temp light showed up").