First of all, I wanna congratulate you guys on doing a great job in this forum.I've always found some kind of answer to the little problems I have with my car.
Now the problem..My heat works intermittetly in winters. The fan still works, but just blows cold air. It would go without working for few days, and then one days it would start working for a day or two.
I don't know if this is related but when it gets extremely cold(I'm in Alberta) it will refuse to start.It only did it twice in the last winters. Like I don't hear anything click, No sounds at all. Then after a few tries of turning key, it will register and start right up. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
When the starter doesn't turn, what's happening to the instrument panel lights? Are the battery terminals clean and tight?
When the heat's not working, how warm are the inlet and outlet hoses to the heater? If both are quite warm (car fully warmed up, of course), problem is most likely with the doors controlling airflow through the heater core. If one or both cold, there's likely blockage of coolant flow.
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If you turn the key and nothing happens, I would suspect either battery or the starter. First make sure like TedL said all of your battery and starter connections are tight and clean. Have the battery and starter tested. Could be the solenoid is sticking when it gets extremely cold and won't start, or the battery is getting a bit weak. You could try a battery warmer for those really cold days, but a good battery should start the car without a warmer.
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When the starter doesn't turn, what's happening to the instrument panel lights? Are the battery terminals clean and tight?
No lights, no sounds. Its totally dead. Then after a few tries, it start right up without problem. This happened about twice last winter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TedL
When the heat's not working, how warm are the inlet and outlet hoses to the heater? If both are quite warm (car fully warmed up, of course), problem is most likely with the doors controlling airflow through the heater core. If one or both cold, there's likely blockage of coolant flow.
As far as I remember both inlet and outlet were warm but I could be wrong. I will have to check up on that.
If you turn the key and nothing happens, I would suspect either battery or the starter. First make sure like TedL said all of your battery and starter connections are tight and clean. Have the battery and starter tested. Could be the solenoid is sticking when it gets extremely cold and won't start, or the battery is getting a bit weak. You could try a battery warmer for those really cold days, but a good battery should start the car without a warmer.
I'll try some of that. The problem is that it does it so rarely that I will probably not know whether that worked or no.
My main concern is the heating. It will go without working for few days and come back all of a sudden.
I had a no starting problem similar to yours and it turned out to be loose grounding wires. We have brutal winters here in Chicago and I feel that the heat swings coupled with all of that road salt loosens and corrodes these connections
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When the starter doesn't turn, what's happening to the instrument panel lights? Are the battery terminals clean and tight?
When the heat's not working, how warm are the inlet and outlet hoses to the heater? If both are quite warm (car fully warmed up, of course), problem is most likely with the doors controlling airflow through the heater core. If one or both cold, there's likely blockage of coolant flow.
Both inlet and outlet hoses are hot. I'm trying to figure out whether its the heater case doors.Any ideas on how to Troubleshoot the door. Is it mechanical,electrical or vacuum operated?
Tapping the heater control valve pulled the cable on it. So the heat and cooling is working normally(for now at least). Any ideas if this is a temporary or a permanent fix.
Harry, I just saw this post again and it made me think of your trouble starting your car. A friend of mine had this same issue and it turned out it was her ignition switch. Turned it enough times and then the car would start. FYI.
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