The winter months bring cold and ice, and car owners need to prepare their car for the harsh weather. This includes checking on your car heater before heading out into the cold. If your car’s heater isn’t working, here are some steps you can take.
The heater works by heating the air that is blown into the car’s cabin. However, your heater doesn’t blow hot air as soon as you start the car. It’s explained that the colder it is outside, the longer it will take for your car to heat up and keep you warm. This is primarily because of the thermostat, a temperature-sensitive valve located in the cooling system between the engine and the radiator.
Engines have an ideal operating temperature that’s generally between 90 and 104 degrees Celsius; below that, they don’t run as efficiently and they emit more pollution. To get there as quickly as possible, the thermostat closes to keep the coolant inside the engine from traveling through the entire cooling system. Once the engine warms up enough, the thermostat opens. That now-warm coolant circulates into the heater core to keep you toasty.
In 90% of the cases, car heater problems are the result of one of the following reasons:
In order to fix the problem, you need to determine what is causing it. You can try a few things yourself before taking your car to see a professional. Try the following:
If your car’s heater isn’t working properly, check if the heat is turning on by turning the blower up to a high setting. If that’s not the problem, check if it’s possible to adjust the heat settings. Adjust your car’s heater settings and move them around until you find a working temperature.
If this doesn’t work, it is time to figure out what might be going on under the hood. Check for fluid leaks, broken hoses, and loose connections. It is also important to check the exhaust manifold to make sure it isn’t wet or hot to touch. If everything looks okay under the hood, you might need a new cabin air filter.
If your car’s heater has stopped blowing cold air but still blows warm, you might have an engine blockage issue. In order to check it out, you can try directing a garden hose onto the exhaust manifold. This can help remove any debris that might be clogging up the heater core. Another way to deal with this problem is by turning your car on and running it for 15 minutes or so.
If everything you’ve tried so far hasn’t worked, it might be best to take your car to a professional. If the problem isn’t under the hood, there is a chance that the heater core is no longer functional and needs replacing.
Scott’s Auto Body is the one-stop shop for all your vehicle’s needs. If your car isn’t keeping your warm this winter, stop by one of our Scott’s Auto locations today. We will determine what the cause of your heater malfunction is and determine a solution that will help get you warm and back on the road as soon as possible. Call to let us know when to expect you or just stop on by!
