Where does the heater core need to be?
The heater core needs to be right next to the fan that pushes the air through your ventilation system. That fan needs to be near the firewall of your car so it can have the ability to both pull air in from outside the vehicle, or recirculate the air in the cabin depending on the settings of the system.
What does the core of a car heater do?
It has a grid of several little tubes as well as a waffled appearance that comes from the fins that are used in dispersing the heat. The work of the heater core is to regulate the temperature within the car. When this component breaks down, your car is left without any heat as your antifreeze stops flowing.
What happens when a heater core goes bad?
A heater core often goes bad due to leaking. As the heater core uses engine coolant to generate heat, a leaking heater core will reduce the amount of coolant in the cooling system. Low coolant will cause an engine to run at a higher temperature, which can result in extensive engine damage. Can a Bad Heater Core Cause Overheating?
How can you tell when a car heater core is plugged?
Fill the radiator and overflow tank as needed with equal parts antifreeze and water. Determine whether you’re smelling antifreeze, seeing wetness on the passenger side floor or getting a greasy mist on the interior of the windshield when the defroster mode is on the temperature control panel.
What happens to the heater core in a car?
The blower motor will still force air into your car’s cabin, but without hot coolant flowing through the heater core, it won’t produce hot air. Instead, the air will feel room temperature or just slightly warmer.
How can you tell if your heater core is failing?
As you drive, you can detect the sweet, fruity smell of coolant inside. Solution: Your heater core may be in the early stages of failure. A leak as small as a pinhole in your heater core can spray a fine mist of coolant into the interior, and you’ll smell it.
Can a bad heater core affect air conditioning?
Does a bad heater core affect air conditioning? In most cases, the answer is no. The heater relies on hot engine coolant, whereas the air conditioning (A/C) system uses refrigerant.
Can a pinhole in a heater core cause a leak?
A leak as small as a pinhole in your heater core can spray a fine mist of coolant into the interior, and you’ll smell it. Avoid stop-leak products, as they’re at best a temporary solution and can cause other problems instead.