Tracon Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Hey guys, having a bit of a problem with my car heater and not sure what to do. I'm not as car savy, but I am learning. So, plain and simple my car is a 1995 Impreza 2.2l and the car heat is just not blowing hot air. The coolant levels are great, nothing is missing and I have tested the coolant to assure that it works and its not old, so its good stuff. Just when I put my car heater on, it's just blowing cold air, I hear the engine stressing as it normally would with the climate control on, but nada but cold. It's been really cold down here in El Paso, Texas and it would be nice to have the heater working, but not sure. Any suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94Loyale Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Do you have normal temp on the gauge? If the car is running at normal temp, then I would say the heater control cable came off the heater box. The cable runs from your temp selector to the heater box. It most likely came off on the bottom. Look on the passenger side of the center console area (where your radio and controls are) under where the passengers feet go. You will see a cable, and it hooks to an arm on the heater box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True2Blue Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 or plugged up heater core easy to test pull outlet line on the engines side and prop a milk jug or coolant catch up n turn er on if you have flow the problem is inside the cabin like said above Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted February 6, 2011 Author Share Posted February 6, 2011 Okay. This sounds stupid but can you all give me a relative location of the heater core. The car btw has normal temps no overheating at all. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 The core is located in the large box mounted on the firewall on the passenger side along with the AC evaporator. A vent door inside is used to switch which side the hot or cold air comes from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Check out some of the "Similar Threads" at the bottom of this page and use the "Search" function up top--lotsa' previous discussion that will help you understand the job. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
True2Blue Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 you can usually hear if your "vent door" open and close if you put an ear down low under the glove box and move you heat control lever back and fourth fast on the gl's it made a flap sound on these new guys its quiet but you can hear it. heres a shot of the heater core tubes from the engine bay follow the two rubber hoses hooked up in the center (about 5 inches apart one on each side of the triangle that the eng/trans mount is hooked to) going through the fire wall http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4768137568_f9f979d35f_b.jpg and what do you know a local is sellin one but here is what youll see when you look for it http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/pts/2192477502.html its inside looks like tiny radiator (incase ya didnt know) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracon Posted February 7, 2011 Author Share Posted February 7, 2011 Okay, ran a test. I heard the vent switch and that seems to be working fine. Now under the hood I was able to see the heater core lines and the one the driver side one going inside the car feels strong and in good condition, the other one, if I touched the passenger side one seems to be a different kind of hose, not soft, it's a hard plastic, maybe it wasn't a line to the system at all. Ran a car test for 15 minutes, The engine of course stresses a little while the climate system is on and I checked for the vent switch and it's audible enough for me to say that's not the problem. I allowed the car to warm up to normal operating temp reved to 2K RPM to speed it up a little. The AC when on it chills the car wonderfully, however when I put on heat the temp doesn't turn cold nor warm, it's just a cooler air but no heat in it at all. Ran the heater for a little bit but never warmed up, but once I switched to AC it quickly turned into cold air. At the end, I went to the engine again ready to close it up, but I then touched the driver side hose going into the car and the hose was hot to the touch. Not sure if that means anything, but that hose was indeed hot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 Try feeling the return side hose of the heater core. If it is a lot cooler to the touch then the core is most likely plugged up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allpar Mod Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You guys forgot the simplest possible answer of all...thermostat stuck open. The temp gauge will still show normal operating temperature, but as it won't shut, the coolant never gets hot enough to heat up the heater core. This is one of the most common reasons for a malfunctioning heater where it doesn't produce heat. If you do replace the stat, make sure you get all of the air out of the cooling system afterward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naru Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 You guys forgot the simplest possible answer of all...thermostat stuck open. The temp gauge will still show normal operating temperature, but as it won't shut, the coolant never gets hot enough to heat up the heater core. This is one of the most common reasons for a malfunctioning heater where it doesn't produce heat. If you do replace the stat, make sure you get all of the air out of the cooling system afterward. If the temp gauge shows normal operating temperature,coolant is hot enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 (edited) My experience with a stuck open thermostat was the coolant never made it to full temperature. It stayed around 160 degrees instead of around 185 degrees. The trouble that the OP is having looks like it is due to a plugged core to me. If the trouble was just a stuck thermostat there would be more heat felt I think. Edited February 7, 2011 by Cougar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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