Thermostat? Need help/opinions

Hi,
I have a 2000 3.3 Grand Voyager. On the way to dinner tonight, the heat was blowing out fine. On the way home, the temperature gauge never got higher than the first line past cold and the heat barely came out warm. When I got home, I checked the radiator and it was cool. I felt the radiator cap and it was cool, so I opened it. As you may have guessed, the fluid was only warm.
Does it sound like a thermostat problem? I looked at the location of it and it looks easy enough to replace. Also, since I’m going to be replacing it (assuming that it is the thermostat), should I replace the radiator hose? What about flushing the system? The van has 77,000 miles on it.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Glen

Hi,
I have a 2000 3.3 Grand Voyager. On the way to dinner tonight, the heat was blowing out fine. On the way home, the temperature gauge never got higher than the first line past cold and the heat barely came out warm. When I got home, I checked the radiator and it was cool. I felt the radiator cap and it was cool, so I opened it. As you may have guessed, the fluid was only warm.
Does it sound like a thermostat problem? I looked at the location of it and it looks easy enough to replace. Also, since I’m going to be replacing it (assuming that it is the thermostat), should I replace the radiator hose? What about flushing the system? The van has 77,000 miles on it.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Glen

Hello Glen,
That's what it sounds like to me. Try starting it up (on a colder day) and seeing if the top hose going to the radiator has got fluid going through it. Does it take a long time to warm up??

Best Regards,
Stan

I third the T-stat. Yes, I would change the hoses ie, the upper, lower, and bypass. Might consider the heater hoses too. I like to change belts, hoses, cap and t-stat every 5 years. I flush it every two or three years.

Thanks guys. I'll give it a quick change out and see if that does the trick.