Heat not working in your car? That’s bad news. Before you can determine how to fix the heater in your car, we must pinpoint the problem area in your vehicle preventing heat from flowing.
Check out our video about the common reasons why car heaters stop working, then continue reading below for more insight on each potential problem and their respective solutions.
Transcript
Nancy: In this frigid temperature, is your heat keeping you warm enough in your vehicle? Is it blowing cold air instead of nice warm air? Hi, I am Nancy at Kneble’s Auto Service Center and this is Stephanie.
Stephanie: There could be many different reasons for your heat not working in your vehicle such as 1. Low on coolant
Nancy: 2. Clogged heater core since coolant goes from the engine to the heater core that blows hot air. Your heater core is like a radiator and has the job of making the defroster and heat work.
Stephanie 3. Controls knobs or buttons could be broken and not able to turn on your heat
Nancy: 4. The thermostat not working because the thermostat’s job is to control the engine’s running temperature so the coolant can travel to the heater core. A thermostat stuck open will cause the engine to run cold causing no heat.
Stephanie: and #5. Possible coolant leaking from hoses, radiator or water pump which can affect your heat from not working
Nancy: So next time you turn your controls to heat and it doesn’t work, have it diagnosed so you stay warm in your vehicle.
Stephanie: Thank you for watching and like us on Facebook and share the information with others because no one should be cold while driving in their vehicle.
Common Reasons Why Heat Stops Working in Cars
Low on Coolant
Just because it’s called “coolant,” that doesn’t mean it’s only used to make your car cooler. When you use the heat in a car, the coolant is delivered from the engine to the heater core, which is where heat blows into your car from.
If the heater is currently not working in your car and the cause is a lack of coolant, it should be fairly easy to fix your heating problem.
How to Fix: Have your cooling system inspected and replenished with fresh coolant.
Clogged Heater Core
When the heater core in your car is clogged, that means there is some type of blockage in your heating and cooling system preventing hot air from getting into the car where you are sitting.
From corrosion to contaminants, there are a number of potential causes of a clogged heater core in your car, so you should see a professional mechanic for an inspection if you are unsure.
How to Fix: Flush the heater core to remove any blockage and restore heat flow in your car.
Control Knobs/Buttons
If you can’t even control the temperature settings in your car, or you have very limited control, the heat problem may be rooted in the climate control interface rather than the heater itself.
Any inconsistencies in the way these knobs and buttons function — whether they feel stuck or loose, or the car’s digital display isn’t responding — could indicate a faulty climate control interface.
How to Fix: Have the electrical system and dashboard of your vehicle inspected and repaired.
Transcript
The other day I was driving to work and I had to wear gloves in order to hold the steering wheel.
My car just wouldn’t heat up. Has that ever happened to you where the outside temperature was actually warmer than the inside of your vehicle?
Hi, I’m Nancy at Kneble’s Auto Service Center.
There could be numerous reasons for why you have no heat in your vehicle such as a bad thermostat, low coolant, or a blower motor not working.
A thermostat, which looks like this, regulates the temperature of your engine by the melting of candle wax, which is inside.
Once reaching the running temperature it then melts the wax, causing the valve to open, which allows coolant to run through the engine.
Now, thermostat stuck open will cause no heat. But if that thermostat is stuck closed, then coolant never reaches the radiator, which then leads to that engine overheating.
So see your local car care specialists to diagnose your heating problem.
If you like our video and you want to stay warm in your vehicle, give it a thumbs up.
And if you want to share a video with others who are puzzled as to why they don’t have heat in the car, then hit the share button.
If you want to make a suggestion on other videos for us to do, enter it in the comments section below.
Thank you for watching and stay warm for the rest of this winter.
Faulty Thermostat
The thermostat in your car prevents coolant from flowing to the engine until it is warm enough to sufficiently heat the car. If the thermostat isn’t working properly, it may result in too much or too little cooling.
Coolant flows to the engine constantly when the thermostat is stuck open, which makes it difficult or impossible for the engine to get warm enough to sufficiently heat your car.
How to Fix: After verifying that your thermostat is faulty with an inspection, replace it.
Coolant Leakage
Knowing how important coolant is to making the heat in your car work, it’s no surprise that a leaking hose, radiator, or water pump can result in the car’s heater not working.
Whether the leak is caused by a hole in your radiator, a brittle hose that has been cracked, or a punctured tube, you’ll need to seek professional repairs if you want to get the heat working in your car.
How to Fix: Pinpoint the leak via inspection and get the recommended repairs or replacements.
Visit Kneble’s Auto for Help Fixing the Heater in Your Car
Whether you’ve identified the reason why there’s no heat in your car with the help of this article or you still have no clue why the heat stopped working, you can rest assured that a solution can be found at Kneble’s Auto Service Center in Mays Landing, NJ.
Schedule an appointment for car heating repair today so we can help you get back to commuting comfortably each day.
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