How to Troubleshoot an Auto Heater System
The heating system of a car is not nearly as sophisticated as the system that takes cool air and transforms it into hot air inside your house. Problems with an auto heating system usually don't become apparent until you begin to notice that the system is not heating up as fast or as well as it used to. Troubleshooting the heating system of a car begins with a liquid check and ends with a thermometer check. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Make sure heat is actually able to flow out of the vents by checking that those vents are not closed or obstructed. Use the dial to flip the vent open if they are closed. Redirect them to blow air onto you if they are directing heat away from you. Look inside to see if you can see any blockage that is obstructing the flow of warm air. Use a vacuum to remove the blockage if you can't remove it manually.
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Check the level of coolant to make sure you've got enough for the heater to work efficiently. If your coolant is near or below the minimum line etched on the tank, fill the tank with enough coolant to reach the maximum line.
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Turn the heater on and open up the hood of the car so you can access the engine. Locate the heater hoses. After the heater begins to start working, touch both hoses. If the hoses are not warm to the touch, take the car to a mechanic who should tell you the problem is likely related to the heater core or water control valve.
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Remove the radiator cap from a car that has been allowed to cool. Start up the engine and allow the car to heat up. Insert a standard cooking thermometer into the coolant and take a temperature reading. The temperature should read at least 180 degrees and the upper radiator hose should be warm. Failure to meet these specifications indicates a problem with the heater's thermometer.
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Heat up the engine and turn on the heater. Place the selector on vent and allow the heater to run for a few minutes. Place a kitchen thermometer into one of the heating vents. The reading should rise to at least 100 degrees.
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Turn on the ignition and place the blower on the high position if you feel heat drifting from beneath the dashboard with no blower fan. If there is still no heat with the blower fan in the high position, the problem is likely a defective fuse that needs to be replaced.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not remove the radiator cap from a hot engine, but instead allow the car to cool first.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
