What happens when a car heater is clogged?
Warm coolant flows inside the heater core and when the heater is turned on, it transmits the heat to the cabin area. When the heater core is clogged or dirty, the coolant flow is insufficient and that can diminish the heat inside the car. Step 2: Check for a leaking heater core.
Why does my car heater have no heat?
First, check your coolant level to be sure there is enough liquid in there to even get to your heater core. If your radiator is very low on coolant, you’ll get no heat. If your levels are okay, you either have a bad water pump or a thermostat that isn’t opening.
How can you tell if your car heater is broken?
Check the floor mats in the cabin and see if they are damp or if they have the smell of coolant. When the heater core gets damaged, it will become very noticeable because the cabin area on the floor mats starts getting wet and the smell of coolant is present. This also leads to poor heating conditions.
What to do if your car has no heat?
Your first troubleshooting step, then, is to determine if the heater core is filling up with the hot coolant necessary to start the heat transfer process. This is easy. Simply wait until you are driving at a good speed—say, 40 mph or faster—and switch the controls to heat.
Warm coolant flows inside the heater core and when the heater is turned on, it transmits the heat to the cabin area. When the heater core is clogged or dirty, the coolant flow is insufficient and that can diminish the heat inside the car. Step 2: Check for a leaking heater core.
How does a mechanic diagnose a car heater problem?
Diagnosing Car Heater Problems. When drivers seek assistance from a professional mechanic for their car heater problems the technician checks one thing first. They verify the level of antifreeze in the cooling system. This is called a logical path of diagnosis.
What can cause a car heater to overheat?
Other potential car heater problems can include dented or damaged heater hoses, and a malfunctioning water pump that is too weak to fully circulate the coolant. Never place a temporary barrier, like cardboard, in front of the radiator to try and fix the problem. This can cause overheating.
What to do if your car heater is not running?
Place your hand above the black or red hoses connected to the heater core at the firewall. The hoses should both be hot. If they are not, the coolant is not circulating correctly and it is time to have a professional replace the heater core.