The weather may be warming up some, but you still rely on your car’s heater to keep you warm when you are driving the vehicle. Horizon Auto Center is going to list the signs of a bad heater core below, including no heat inside the car, truck, or C/SUV. We can replace the core if it is clogged or leaking. If you drive an automobile that is 10 to 15 years old or older, the heater core will malfunction sooner rather than later, as 10 to 15 years is the average lifespan of the core.
No Heat Inside the Car
The heater core provides the heat to warm the air that blows through the vents when you turn on the heater. It uses the hot engine coolant as the heat source before it is returned to the radiator to cool down. If the core is leaking or clogged, there may be little hot coolant to warm the air. Consequently, you won’t have warm and comforting air coming into the passenger cabin.
Coolant Odors in the Air
You may also smell engine coolant in the air if the core is leaking. The engine coolant has a musty and sweet odor to it that is easy to detect. Many people tell us their incoming air smells like maple syrup. It’s important to have the core replaced as soon as possible if you smell engine coolant.
Constant Window Fog
Another sign that there is coolant in the incoming air is constant window fog that isn’t resolved by adjusting the air’s temperature or turning on the window defrosters. The coolant creates humid air that fogs up the windows when it mixes with the existing air in the passenger cabin.
Soppy Floorboard
You might also feel a soppy floorboard underneath your feet if the core is leaking. You’ll find the heater core under the dash on the right side of the vehicle. When it springs a leak, it releases the engine coolant onto the floorboard on that side of your automobile.
Overheating Engine
Finally, we mentioned above that it’s important to have the faulty heater core replaced as soon as possible and the reason why is that all of the problems we’ve discussed so far will overheat your car’s engine. This is because the engine is losing coolant via the leaking core.
Horizon Auto Center in Rockwall, TX, also advises that a clogged core can inhibit coolant flow and your engine will overheat. Call us today if your car is having any of the problems listed above.
Comments