Poor operation of the heater

When winter comes, the heater is always much-needed. Warm, comfortable car interior, where one can hide from the bad weather is the dream of any driver or passenger. But, sometimes the car heater works so badly that it is impossible to warm up. If the engine is idle for a while, frozen windows is a serious problem as well. Why there are problems with the car heating and the heater works badly sometimes? In order to get outside of this problem, you need to take a closer look at the entire heating system.In order for the heater to work in full mode and without failures, it is necessary to ensure a good operational condition of all its parts. It has a quite simple arrangement and consists of a heater, a special device to control the fluid flow, pipes where cooling fluid circulates, air chokes and an air duct. Also the car heating system includes a fan. The heater works if there are no failures in the operation of its components.

The main componets of the car heater. The heater and its failures.

Heater radiator fan

Heater radiator

The key failure causes of the heater operation

1. The heating system will not operate normally if it has been filled with air, when the cooling fluid has been replaced.
2. Air can enter the heating system if the main engine block is damaged.
3. The heat regulator can be stuck opened. If the heater operates poorly at great speed and warms up the car very good at slow speed, this is the reason, most likely.
4. Also, the heating and cooling system is not able to operate adequately, if the heater radiator is clogged. This can happen for several reasons. Insects, leaves and dust get into the radiator. Sealant can also get into the radiator. Water or low-quality cooling fluid that get into the radiator can cause a serious problem.
5. Interior air filter can lead to failures of the heating system, if it is contaminated severely.
6. The fan breaks down quite often. Bearings or brushes can fail, leading to unstable operation of the entire system. There may be problems directly associated with the electronics.

Poor operation of the heater can be caused by dysfunctional radiator valves and deflectors

These are some of the most common issues. Sometimes the heating system breaks down, if the radiator valve is damaged. Air can not enter the system or enters poorly.

In order for the stove to be in working order always, take a few simple pieces of advice:

1. It is necessary to clean radiators from various types of clogs regularly. The external radiator can be cleaned with compressed air, and it can be removed and washed under water, if necessary. The internal radiator is cleaned and vacuumed if the contamination level is not very high.
2. If you use non-original or low-quality cooling fluid, buildups appear inside the pipe channels. You can easily clean the radiator without removing it. You just need to swap the top and bottom pipes and let the car run for a while. You can also clean it with citric acid or use a special washing liquid. To avoid this problem, it is recommended to change the cooling fluid at least once a year.
3. A defective heat regulator should be immediately replaced. If it is stuck opened, the heater cannot be able to warm the interior completely and the car is heated for a longer period of time. If the heat regulator is stuck closed, it can lead to the car overheating resulting in the car overhaul.
4. If the air from the heater is hot, but its flow is very weak, then the interior air filter is most likely clogged. It is not recommended to use the car without the interior air filter, since all the dust and microbes from the street will get directly into the car interior. Therefore, the filter should be replaced with a new one.
5. The heating system will operate poorly, if there are air bubbles in it. This is not a serious problem, you can easily solve it. First you should try to remove the air with the engine shut off. Open the expansion tank cap, find the hose from the tank to the heat regulator and try to pour the cooling fluid manually. If this method is not suitable, it is necessary to let the car run at idle speed.
6. It is also necessary to pay attention to the control levers of the heater dampers. If the cable or heater control valve has jumped out, this may be the reason for the poor operation of the entire system.
7. Lubricate the bearings on the heater fan and clean it from dust regularly.

If the outdoor temperature is -25 degrees and the heater of your car warms up the interior to +16 degrees from the bottom and +10 degrees from the top, the heater can be considered operational. Herewith, the temperature in the back of the car should be approximately +15 degrees. Such a noticeable difference between the temperature at the bottom and the temperature at the top of the car interior will ensure a comfortable trip, both for the driver and the passenger.

To avoid such problems, it is recommended to perform all preventive measures on time. This will allow you to enjoy comfortable travel in the well-heated car. You will protect the glass from icing, providing safe driving. The longer the vehicle life, the more care its heating system requires. This concerns all cars, regardless of the manufacturer country.