If the thermostat stops working in your 2001 Jeep Laredo then it must be replaced. Taking a small job to a dealer to have repairs will be expensive even though the mechanical thermostat only costs a few dollars. With a few basic hand tools you can swap out that broken thermostat in your Jeep in a short amount of time. Not only will this save you money but it will reduce the amount of down time you would have while waiting for a dealer to complete the repair.
Locate the thermostat housing by following the radiator hose from the thermostat housing to the point where it connects to the Jeep's intake manifold. The metal part that the hose connects to is called the thermostat housing. Remove the bolt that secure the housing to the intake with an adjustable wrench and then pull up on the housing to expose the hole in the intake where the thermostat is secured.
Remove the thermostat from the intake manifold by lifting up on it. Due to age, the thermostat may be hard to remove. It is not bolted into place. The only way to remove it is to firmly pull up on it. Place the the new thermostat into the intake manifold with the end marked "top" facing out of the intake.
Remove the old gasket by scraping it off of the intake manifold with a razor blade. Do not get any of the old gasket into the hole that the thermostat was removed from.
Place a bead of RTV silicone gasket maker onto the gasket surface of the intake manifold and allow to to dry for 10 minutes before moving on.
Place the thermostat housing onto the intake manifold of the Laredo and bolt it back into place.
