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What the Heater Core Does
– The heater core is actually part of the cooling system. As the coolant circulates through the engine, some of that hot coolant passes through the heater core in the dashboard. As you use the temperature controls on your dashboard, your blower fan then moves the warm air to where you need it, for defrosting your windshield or heating the interior. When everything is working properly, you have precise control of how warm your vehicle gets. When you have a heater core problem, you lose this control. If you have a coolant leak, this needs to be evaluated and repaired. There are many ‘stop leak’ products available that are not recommended to use in any vehicle for it comes as a huge risk since it is designed to clog up the system which can become very costly in the replacement of cooling system parts. A vehicle’s blower motor forces air across a heater core, dispelling heat through the adjacent ductwork. As a result, warm air fills a vehicle’s cabin, thereby stopping winter’s chill in its tracks. The end result is a comfortable commute for drivers, even in the face of bitter cold seasonal temperatures.
A heater core features inlet and outlet junctions at a vehicle’s firewall. Coolant lines are affixed at these junctions, courtesy of hose clamps or quick-connect unions. You have little or no heat inside your vehicle – when you turn on the heat, it never warms up. First, rule out a blower fan malfunction by checking the fuse, the circuit, and the fan itself if necessary. If that works, you can test the blend door and cabin vents. Start the vehicle, let it warm up & then turn on the air conditioning full blast — you should feel the cold air, if so then turn the temperature to full heat. You should quickly notice the difference and feel the hot air. You can then go through the venting options, including defrosting & floor. If one (but not all of these) isn’t working, you likely have a blend door or vent problem. If none of them work, you can also check the cabin air filter, which can get filled with dust & dirt, blocking airflow through the heating system. If the cabin air filter is OK, you may have a clogged heater core. The heater core is buried deep behind your dash & requires a lot of disassembly to get to. We recommend that you schedule an appointment with First Class Truck and Auto Service Inc. for any heater core concerns, as it’s possible to do more damage to your vehicle if you don’t have experience in this kind of work or the necessary tools. Flushing the heater core flushes out contaminated coolant and may correct the heating concern of your vehicle – if this doesn’t resolve the problem, a replacement heater core will be necessary.
