Cold fingers and toes aren’t a great way to start the day. Learn about the signs and reasons your car heater doesn’t work, possible solutions, and more!
Getting out of bed on a chilly morning is tough enough, but it’s even worse when you realize your INFINITI’s heater isn’t working, leaving you shivering all the way to work. If your vehicle isn’t warming up like it should, don’t worry—there are several common reasons why your car’s heater might not be doing its job. Keep reading to learn what might be causing the issue and how to get back to a cozy commute!
A car’s heater works by capturing the heat generated by the engine. Your engine creates a lot of heat while running, and liquid coolant flows through it to absorb that heat. The hot coolant gets pumped through the heater core, and a small fan blows air over it. The air blowing over the heater core is warmed up and pushed into the cabin through your vents.
When you adjust the temperature inside the cabin, you regulate how much coolant goes to the heater core and how much bypasses it. This is why it takes a while for the heat to get warm on a cold day – as long as your engine is cold, it’s not producing excess heat to warm the coolant.
Starting the day with cold fingers and toes isn’t ideal. These are the most common signs that there could be an issue with your INFINITI’s heating system:
If you notice any of these signs when your heat is running, keep reading to learn about the causes.
If you’re wondering, “Why isn’t my heat working in my car?” there are a few possible causes.
This is a bit of bad news for everyone with a short commute. If your engine isn’t producing excess heat, there’s nothing to warm the coolant and create heat for your cabin.
Take a look at the temperature gauge on your dash — if it’s leaning towards the “C” for cold, then your engine probably isn’t warming up enough to make heat. The fix for this problem is simple: patience!
Leaking coolant can mean there isn’t enough fluid to warm the heater core, eventually bringing your cabin heat to a halt. Other signs of a coolant leak or heater core problem include a sweet smell in the cabin or engine, unexplained fluid on the interior carpet, a permanently foggy windshield, and, in extreme cases, the engine overheating.
If you suspect a coolant leak or heater core problem in your engine, having your car professionally inspected and serviced ASAP is critical. Not only will your toes be cold, but low or no coolant can cause your engine to overheat, which can result in significant (and expensive) long-term damage.
A thermostat in your heat system regulates the engine’s coolant flow. A thermostat that’s stuck open will result in air blowing cold, while a thermostat that’s stuck closed can cause your engine to overheat. Either way, you and your engine won’t be happy, so it’s important to have your thermostat repaired.
An electric motor powers the fan that pushes hot air into your cabin. If that motor is worn, faulty, has a blown fuse, or has a clogged air intake, the blower won’t work correctly.
Signs specific to issues with the blower motor include no air coming out of the vents at all, squeaking or grinding noises, a burning or plastic smell, and intermittent operation (sometimes it works, other times it doesn’t, or it only works at certain fan speeds). The fix for a faulty blower motor depends on the cause. It may need replacing, cleaning, or a new fuse.
Tired of driving around with cold fingers and toes? Visit the service center at Ed Hicks INFINITI for car heater service and repair. Our experienced team will get to the bottom of your heating system issues and offer a service plan that’ll warm you right up. Schedule your service appointment today.
