Dorman 902-700 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing Assembly

Curated from 80 real Reddit conversations

Refreshed on: March 8, 2025

Dorman 902-700 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing Assembly

Brand: Dorman
Price: $13
Snoop Score:
6.4
Sentiment
6.2
Popularity
5.9
Technical
5.8

Snoop's Take

The Dorman 902-700 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing Assembly is designed to replace the original water outlet in select vehicle models. This sturdy assembly is built to withstand extreme temperatures, mitigating the risk of cracking and leaking, and is offered as a cost-effective alternative to dealer parts. Consumer feedback highlights the effectiveness of Dorman parts, with users noting that they often address OEM issues effectively. As one user stated, "They make a lot of parts that work well and fix a lot of OEM part issues." While many appreciate the straightforward installation process, some have reported challenges with sealing and quality consistency. However, the general sentiment leans towards satisfaction, with users praising the product for its reliability and cost-effectiveness. Overall, the Dorman 902-700 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing Assembly is recommended for those in need of a dependable and affordable replacement part. User experiences suggest that, despite some variability in quality, many find this assembly to provide good performance and value for money.

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They frequently add design improvements, like drain plugs on transmission pans, better engineered cooling fans, etc.

Positive Feedback

Most plastic parts, electrical parts... Nope.

Negative Feedback
Product
6.4
Dorman 902-700 Engine Coolant Thermostat Housing Assembly
Routine Maintenance
8 / 10
Engine Overheating Prevention
10 / 10
Aftermarket Performance Upgrade
10 / 10
Budget-Friendly Replacement
5 / 10
See how this compares to all Thermostats

What it does well!

Key strengths users can’t stop talking about.
Good results with Dorman parts
They frequently add design improvements, like drain plugs on transmission pans, better engineered cooling fans, etc.
Dorman parts effectively address OEM issues
They make a lot of parts that work well and fix a lot of OEM part issues.
I appreciate that. They are basically the only company left that make's good parts for this car.
Thermostat housings? Which do you recommend and why? And how long has it lasted you?
Dorman offers good prices for replacement parts
the Prices are decent enough to make it not seem like they just want to gouge people for the privilege to have decent parts for their cars.
Direct replacement is straightforward
It’s was a tight fit getting it in there but was pretty straight forward direct swap.
Definitely a tight fit but doable.
Cost-effective alternatives available
You're my savior this is even cheaper than the duralast replacements at my autozone.
Running cooler may prevent overheating
Running slightly cooler is not a bad thing.
Dorman makes an aluminum version
He said he doesnt recommend retail brand parts (Autozone etc) due to durability breaking within the year in general
Dorman makes an aluminum version.
Aluminum replacements are preferred over plastic
Do not get the plastic replacement. Find the alluminum one.
Forget the plastic - GET THE ALUMINUM. Money well spent.
Cost-effective replacement option
Especially something that's both cheap and important as a thermostat.
Replacement resolves engine overheating issues
Replaced thermostat (+ a coolant flush and fill) which took care of everything.
Was the thermostat.
User satisfaction with the product.
Love mine so much I bought one again when i moved.
Aluminum housings are reliable
I went with an A-Premium aluminum thermostat housing and haven't had any leaks in about 5k miles, so I'm past the bad reviews milage where it just didn't seal at all.
I replaced my thermostat housing with a cheap aluminum Mitzone one from Amazon when I first got the car and I've driven 10Kish miles since with no issues.

Where it needs some work!

Areas to watch—feedback on possible improvements.
Inconsistent quality among Dorman products
Most plastic parts, electrical parts... Nope.
Im pretty sure motorad and dorman thermostats are made in the same factory with the same ammount of quality control.
Plastic parts are prone to failure
The only thing i hope they get around to making for the LS is a replacement for the plastic Thermostat housing, as that is THE biggest failure point on that car.
Plastic housings prone to failure
Unreliable plastic thermostat housings for the 2014 1.4 lt, is there any sort of thermostat thats available to buy anywhere that has a stronger housing, maybe one out of metal?
Inconsistent sealing quality in aftermarket brands
I bought the MITZONE brand and it didn't seal properly.
Frequent thermostat failures reported
Thermostat failed 3 times in 2 months. I’ve had my thermostat and thermostat housing replaced three times in the last two months.
An OEM thermostat will fix the problem because they're not "failsafe".
Sounds like yours is stuck open.
Aftermarket thermostats may open at incorrect temperatures
The aftermarket thermostat is opening at too high a temp and I should replace it with an OEM thermostat.
Inconsistent quality leading to failure
It came with my intake manifold gasket set, figured I'd toss it into the new intake manifold since it was supplied.
I put a dorman in because the oem tank is $600 for a 1990 taurus.
I learned the hard way that Moog and Dorman are code for rebranded Chinesium shit.
Leaking issues reported after installation
I have coolant leaking from the top of my thermostat housing after replacing the intake manifold.
Check your rubber gasket inside there, and make sure it’s a new one to be safe.
I kept the rubber gasket below the thermostat, because that’s how it initially was.
The crux of leaking I think would be the interior rubber gasket that’s either not present, worn out, or not seated properly.
Installation challenges due to fitting
Make sure the tapered side of the red o-ring is facing up so the tapered surface of the water neck seats properly.
Check to make sure the thermostat housing isn’t cracked.
Non-OEM parts may cause check engine light issues
The thermostat requires an OEM part to function properly.
Using thermostat with different rating can cause problems
I have been using a 105 degree FACET version for two years with no issues.
High repair costs for thermostat housing
I feel like I'm getting taken for a ride on one at 615 bucks as I've done that job before, but is 1200 for the thermostat housing and a new reservoir reasonable?
$1100 in parts and $2600 in labor for a $3700 new years surprise.
Just had the thermostat housing and a hose replaced last August. $800 or so.
Difficulties in DIY repairs leading to high costs
There's no way I would own a Mini if I had to pay shop prices for repairs.

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Core Power Plays

The specs and strengths that make it shine.
Discussion on durability of older vehicle designs
most of them didn’t make it to 200k anyhow, and for where most people drove them, that filter setup was…fine.
OEM thermo collection anecdote
And yes I seriously have kept them.
Discussion on aluminum thermostat benefits
You should install a ZZP aluminum thermostat, it made my car run 20 degrees cooler.
I swapped it to try to ease the strain on the rest of the system.
Discussion on temperature opening differences
the temperature that they open at is lower than the OEM temperature.

Buyer’s Cheat Sheet

What to check before you click ‘Add to Cart.’
Confusion regarding thermostat compatibility
Don’t think they make the aluminum thermostat available for the 1.8 unfortunately
Mention of multiple aftermarket brands
Honestly just installed this one.
Community curiosity about aftermarket thermostat housings
Oh nice, I made a post a while ago asking if anyone had experience with these aftermarket thermostat housings.
Discussion about smart thermostat compatibility.
Im always bad at picking out the right devices to match the pins and wires I have.
Discussion on HVAC thermostat recommendations
Thermostat without power Smart Nest Thermostat does not have power running to it, but has all necessary wires connected (Red, White, Blue, Green, Yellow).
First issue is that Nest T stats are not recommended by most techs.

Cautionary Callouts

Know the pitfalls before they catch you off guard.
Debate over OEM vs aluminum thermostat upgrades
Should I just use the oem replacement or upgrade to the dorman aluminum thermostat?
OEM did the job for me.
My oem plastic one never cracked or leaked.
OEM is always a good start but aluminum is best.
Critique of fail-safe thermostat design
Those fail safe thermostats are one of the dumbest things I've ever seen.
Discussion on potential other causes for overheating warnings
It could be the Engine Coolant Temp Sensor as well. Had this happen on mine and replacing it worked.
The check engine light should tell you it is having problems reading the engine temperature.
TSB/recall for CX5 and CX3 thermostats
Shouldn't my car have warmed up to operating temp already?
It states that the engine takes long to warm up and may throw a check engine code.

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