vs
Thermostat OEM Volkswagen or Duralast
Reviews
I had a bad thermostat and it's only indication was the temp rising when going up hills under sustained load.
Pros: temp rising under load
Cons: temp rising
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Passat
Mileage: 210000 km
I had this year ago, thermostat was stuck closed, so coolant couldnt go to big circle and into cooler, it went up after 10 minutes of highway driving up to 115° (obd temps) on dash it wasnt that much
Pros: coolant couldn't go cooler
Cons: thermostat stuck closed
I used the genuine part as there is no desire to redo it again too soon.
Pros: reliable, long-lasting
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Jetta
Duralast is ok. Does not have to be OEM. It will work just as good
Pros: works just as good
It has been two weeks since the repair without issues, so I am going to call this one solved. If I was paying for this out of pocket in the future, I would only replace the thermostat and not the pump as that is what was closing and causing the issue.
Pros: repair without issues
Vehicle:
Volkswagen
Sounds like your water pump is working, but maybe your thermostat is stuck closed? Have you tested the thermostat?
Pros: water pump working
Cons: thermostat stuck closed
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Golf
Parts 03F-010-501-B Sensor 04E-121-113-G
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Jetta
Part number: 04E-121-113-G
Duralast thermostat? They are a piece of shit!
Cons: piece of shit
Vehicle:
Jeep Wrangler
Original was stuck open, replaced with new VW which now appears to be stuck closed. ????. Fortunately I have recently acquired a new OE thermostat on clearance for jollies.
Cons: stuck open, stuck closed
Vehicle:
Volkswagen Phaeton
I warranty my shitty duralast thermostat (I hate duralast but when I gotta get to work the next day it works in a pinch it works) now after a 5 am swap I’m good to go
Pros: works in a pinch
Cons: shitty quality
Vehicle:
BMW
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Which thermostat to choose — OEM Volkswagen or Duralast?
If choosing thermostat across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare thermostat across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which thermostat are better — Duralast or OEM Volkswagen?
In March 2026 on PartReview, thermostat OEM Volkswagen were overall better than Duralast.
- OEM Volkswagen received a PR Score of 73 out of 100, and Duralast scored 60 points.
- OEM Volkswagen ranked 1 in the overall ranking, and Duralast ranked 10.
- The average rating is higher for OEM Volkswagen (3.6) than for Duralast (3.2).
-
Thermostat OEM Volkswagen have better feature ratings than Duralast:
- Overheating - owners believe, that this property for OEM Volkswagen is better than Duralast.
- Slow warm-up - drivers claim, that this property for OEM Volkswagen is outperforms Duralast.
- Cabin heat - reviews suggest, that this property for Duralast is preferred to OEM Volkswagen.
Which thermostat are more popular — OEM Volkswagen or Duralast?
In March 2026 on PartReview, thermostat OEM Volkswagen were overall more popular than Duralast.
By vote balance, thermostat OEM Volkswagen surpassed Duralast:
- For OEM Volkswagen, the ratio of positive (56) to negative (20) votes is 36 votes.
- For Duralast, the ratio of positive (18) to negative (12) votes is 6 votes.
By number of reviews, thermostat OEM Volkswagen surpassed Duralast:
- For thermostat OEM Volkswagen there are 24 reviews: 16 positive, 4 neutral, 4 negative.
- For thermostat Duralast there are 10 reviews: 6 positive, 0 neutral, 4 negative.
Which thermostat do car owners prefer — OEM Volkswagen or Duralast?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, thermostat OEM Volkswagen and Duralast have not taken top places in car-specific ratings. You can help by adding your review about these manufacturers.
Other comparisons of thermostat
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of thermostat OEM Volkswagen with: MotoRad, Wahler, Mahle, OEM Mazda, MOPAR, MISHIMOTO, Gates, OEM BMW, OEM Nissan, OEM Audi.
Also available: comparisons of thermostat Duralast with: MotoRad, Wahler, Mahle, OEM Mazda, MOPAR, MISHIMOTO, Gates, OEM BMW, OEM Nissan, OEM Audi.
You can also see who is better among other thermostat manufacturers: Wahler or MotoRad, OEM Volkswagen or MotoRad, Mahle or MotoRad, OEM Mazda or MotoRad, MOPAR or MotoRad.