My heater is blowing cold??

Reason #1:LOW COOLANT LEVEL

Low Coolant

The coolant (usually a mixture of water and antifreeze) in your engine doesn’t just work to keep the engine from overheating: It’s also the source of heat supporting the heating system. If there isn’t enough coolant in your system, the heater core will blow cold air into your car.

Solution: If you confirm that a low coolant level is the source of your problem, you simply need to top off your coolant. You may want to check for leaks as well if you just recently refilled your coolant.

Reason #2: Problems with Heater Core

Car heater problems are also frequently associated with heater core difficulties: coolant may not be traveling through the heater core properly, the air from the blower motor is not reaching it or there’s a clog in the small tubing of the heater core.

Heater cores, in a nutshell, are cooling system parts that resemble compact radiators. A heater core is made up of brass or aluminum tubing that carries the hot coolant in and out, along with fans that disperse the heat released by the coolant. A heater core is responsible for a vehicle’s defrosting and heating actions. Heater cores are typically situated directly in the back of dashboards.

If your car is not blowing warm air into the cabin and the coolant level is fine, then you could have an issue with your heater core. If you suspect that something is amiss with your car’s heater core, watch for these signs:

  • Fog inside of your car
  • A fruity, sweet-smelling odor
  • Your car using coolant very quickly
  • The engine overheating

Reason #3: Stuck Thermostat

All vehicles have a thermostat gauge located on the dashboard. After your vehicle has had time to warm up, your thermostat should move from “C” to “H”, to signify the temperature of your engine. The coolant will not circulate to the heater until the engine has reached a certain temperature.

If the thermostat is broken, the vehicle will not know the engine is warm, so the coolant will not be circulated to the heater core, which means the air will remain cold.

 

Reason #4: Water Leak

A water leak can cause your vehicle to blow cool air, or worse, cause permanent damage.

Leaking water can surface from many different parts, including radiator, water pump, split hose, or head gasket. The easiest way to find a leak is by checking under the hood. These leaks can stem from the tiniest of holes, so come by Trick Trucks if you need any help on your leak investigation. Our skilled technicians have years of experience and a trained eye to spot any and all leaks.

 

What Happens When You Ignore Heater Problems?

You shouldn’t think that a defective heater not warming you up in your vehicle will only result in you being a lot colder on your next drive. If the reason the heater isn’t working is something like the blower fan fuse, motor, or wiring, then it’s not as mechanically serious, and you’ll just be cold.  However, if there’s a blockage in the cooling system, trapped air, or a coolant leak, then you could be staring down the cylinders of an engine ready to overheat.

Even if catastrophic engine failure isn’t imminent, other safety hazards are. A heater not working means your defrosters are not working and you can’t get warm air circulating into the cabin to stop the windows from fogging, which has obvious safety implications for driver visibility. Getting that heater repaired should be your top priority.

Preventative Maintenance Is the Answer

The best medicine for your heater woes is to stop them from happening in the first place. Have your car’s cooling system maintained through regular servicing. Do you know when your radiator, heater core, belts, hoses, and coolant were last checked and signed off by a technician? If not, then it’s time to do it now. The time to reach out to Fifth Gear Automotive is now!

Save yourself the trouble and schedule an appointment with us right here: CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE MY SERVICE!