Ponder Auto Repair in Johnson City, we know it won’t be long before coats come out, and you come in to let us fix your car heater before the cool weather arrives. No one wants to drive in that morning traffic in a cold car. For fall and winter auto maintenance and repair, we’re here to help. Stop by before you find yourself wearing full outdoor gear inside your car.
Besides creating a miserable drive, a broken car heater causes other problems, too. If your windshield is icy or foggy, without your heater working it can’t blow warm air on the windshield to clear it and that is a serious hazard when you are driving. In addition, if your car should break down, not having a heater that works could be dangerous if you are stranded.
Very simply, a heating system works when the vehicle gets heat from the car engine’s coolant system. So, when the engine reaches its operating temperature which is controlled by the thermostat, it heats up the coolant and water mixture. This mixture goes through hoses and valves and into the heating core, which is sort of like a radiator. Then a blower fan pushes the warm air from the heating core into the filter and then into your car.
If you bring your vehicle to Ponder Auto Repair we’ll help you maintain your heating system by checking hoses, belts and keeping the coolant clean and filled. If you are experiencing heating problems, we will find out what’s wrong and fix your car heater before the cool weather arrives.
Now, your heating system is actually more complicated than you might think. Here are several reasons your heater may not be working.
Coolant
Rust particles or other coolant contaminants may be blocking the heating core. This stops the air from circulating in the cabin. In addition, either a decrease in the coolant level or a leak in the coolant system can cause the heater not to work because of the low antifreeze and water levels in the radiator. This tends to be a very common problem. Coolant doesn’t evaporate on its own, so when it’s low you know you have a problem. You could just add some coolant but it won’t fix the bigger problem, and chronically low or empty coolant will damage your engine.
A leak may mean there is a loose hose clamp, or it may indicate a more serious problem like a leaking engine cylinder head gasket. Either way, come on in and get it checked out.
Other Component Issues
- The heater may not work because the blower fan isn’t working.
- A bad thermostat can prevent the engine from warming up.
- The heater core that moves warm air into your car could be malfunctioning.
As you can see, there are several parts that make up the heating system and that means there are many different things that can go wrong. If your heater is giving you troubles, we will find the problem and fix your car heater before the cool weather gets here. But even if it’s working, it is best to periodically have our mechanics at Ponder Auto Repair in Johnson City check out the heater to make sure everything looks okay. By properly maintaining your vehicle’s heating and cooling system, you can help prevent a heater failure.