Car Repair: Troubleshooting the Heating System
This article contains an overview of your car's heater system and what can go wrong to make it stop working. Car repair can fix it up, but you need to know when to take it in.
You may not think much about your car's heater until the weather turns cold and your car heater doesn't work. It can be more than just a cold commute without a heater to keep you warm en route to your destination,
it can be a dangerous commute as well. Without heat to keep your windows defrosted from the elements outside your drive can become a dangerous routine of stopping to scrape your windshield and driving blindly.
There are several reasons your car heater system may fail and it's a good idea to be familiar with the overview of your heating system so you know what type of car repair you may need.
The first place to start is your electrical system. There are several things that can go wrong electrically that can be easy car repair fixes. This could include a blown fuse, a defective power relay or blown heater switch or even just a loose wire. It can also be a defective blower motor or a stuck fan.
If your problem isn't electrical it can still be an easy car repair fix. A kinked hose delivering the heat to your car heating system is enough to make your whole system fail and is an easy repair. Sometimes your heat has failed for the very simple reason that your car is low on coolant and coolant is what your HVAC system needs to process in order to supply heat to the car. Run your car in idle with your heat on and then feel the radiator top hose. It should be warm. If it is not this is an indicator that you're low on coolant. Check to make sure you're not leaking coolant and refill using the correct 50/50 mixture.
More expensive car repair problems that can cause your heater to stop blowing warm air include a clogged heater core. If your heater core is clogged it is the result of your radiator system not being flushed. This can let rust and other debris accumulate in the heater core and it will need to be replaced.
Other reasons your car won't heat properly can have something to do with the HVAC system. This could include the doors in the HVAC system not moving or the thermostat may be stuck closed.
A few of these car repair problems can be avoided with proper maintenance such as flushing your radiator system and ensuring your using the right mixture of anti freeze and distilled water. Other problems are just the result of normal wear and tear and the luck of the draw since no car can avoid repairs forever.
Your mechanic will have to give your car the once over to determine which one of these many issues your car is experiencing but don't put it off just because the weather is nice. Cold weather can hit unexpectedly even in the warmest months and you never know when you're going to need your heater to get you through a drive safely.
