No cabin heat in 03XRS

[edbso]

Very little of no heat in 03 XRS

Temperature gauge comes up to operating range quickly and stays there.
MPGs are excellent.
Coolant level is up.
The temperature dial is cranked right up, still almost no heat.

As the thermostat is a bear to get at is there anything that I should look at?
If not a "flush" and fresh coolant is in order.

Are there and common heater problems?

If I reverse flushed the heater core, which hose would be the in hose and which would be the out hose?

Other ideas please.

[TRXR4KDS]

Sorry I can't help you on this one. But nice to see another XRS owner in Ottawa. We do have Matrix meets semi-regularly if you are interested.

[Hajoca]

Temperatures up in about how many minutes?
Coolant to block hose is always on bottom of rad.

Please check that the cabin heat / cool damper moves before trying to do the above, if the damper cannot select full heat, then that is the problem.

My Camry's hot/cold select cable came off a couple years ago and could not get full AC in the summer, like wise, no full heat.

[chuckles]

i agree check the inside blend doors work proper!
-check how fast the engine temps warm up! if it is faster than norm, best place to start is the t stat
as for the flush....the heater core has two hoses the one going into the core will be hotter...the one going out of the gore will be cooler, to back flush insert hose up the cooler hose and reverse flush....
because be have been so cold lately the engine will not over heat...but if it warms up watch out!!!!!

[edbso]

Gentlemen:
Thanks for your quick and knowledgeable reply.
Directions please on how to check the "blend door". Can I reach it through the glove box or just how?
In DC and have a 500 mile trip ahead of me. Fortunately the temperature is a bit warmer but I need help for the trip.
I think the thermostat is fine.

[edbso]

This is where the temperature gauge sits. Solid as a rock it does not go up or down so I thimk that it is normal and correct.

Any ideas on how to access the "blend door"?

[bc toy]

If it's like other cars I've had (haven't looked at my matrix), The "hot & cold selector" on the dash would be connected to a "cable" or "rod" that controls the amount of flow of the engine coolant to the heater core in the car through a "gate" in the coolant hose. eg: wide open gate lets coolant flow and heats heater core, gate closed and it shuts off coolant flow and allows air to flow through heater core without being heated.
If the cable or rod disconnects from the "gate", you will not be able to control the flow, thus not controlling the temperature. Also possible that it has slipped or diconnected from a mounting point behind the dash.

[TRXR4KDS]

Hope you got it figured out and are having a safe warm ride home. It sure doesn't sound like a common problem, that's for sure.

[edbso]

FYI

Drove home with no heat, fortunately it was reasonably warm out.

So I back flushed the heater core, and then flushed it the right direction and then back flushed etc.

Fresh Zerex G-05 a favorite of mine for aluminum engines.

Still cold. BUMMER.

Removed glove box and confirmed all controls connected properly.

Flushed the block back and forth etc., more G-05 and still cold. BUMMER again!!! Lots of free flow and clean antifreeze bur still cold!




Burped the car, and air bubble blockage came out of heater core and I have heat!

What a huge PITA!

[TRXR4KDS]

Wow, that sounds like a lucky find. How do you burp a car? Hard to believe an air lock could not work it's way out over the course of that trip. Glad it all worked out in the end.

[davecl]

edbos just wondering was your heat gauge staying up when on the highway? or would it drop way down?


TRXR4KDS one way is to have the rad cap off and let the car run for awhile and it should work its way out.

BECAREFUL not to take he rad cap off when the car is hot could get a nasty burn.

[edbso]

Stayed solid in the normal zone with no fluctuations. It did not drop at all.

Burp by putting the car on a side angle as great as you can. Start and stop engine several times ... and I have heat!!

[mohlere]

My question is this: had the car ever been wrecked or otherwise had opportunity to have the coolant system emptied, flushed, or refilled?? I am having the same problem with my 2006 Toyota Matrix (it has been wrecked in the front - new radiator, etc.). I suspect the same problem, esp. considering that the coolant overflow tank was completely empty.... I filled it up and let the car run a while w/out the radiator cap per instructions...revving the engine up (to about 3,000 rpm) and letting it come down also seemed to help...I DID get heat...question is, will it be there in the morning??!!!! I never would have thought of this on my own, and I would have felt like an IDIOT bringing it into the shop with this type of problem, considering that it is solved, that is..... I AM HOPEFUL, THOUGH!!!!

[edbso]

Did a coolant flush in the summer and did not try the heat till fall. The air block lasted for a couple of months. You may have to jack the driver's side up as high as you can or you may have heat tomorrow. I used a 3 ton jack at full extension on the driver's side.

[mohlere]

Originally Posted by edbso

Did a coolant flush in the summer and did not try the heat till fall. The air block lasted for a couple of months. You may have to jack the driver's side up as high as you can or you may have heat tomorrow. I used a 3 ton jack at full extension on the driver's side.

Voila....wife drove the car this morning and the heat works...may have just lucked out in not having to jack the car up....regardless, if it wasn't for your post in this forum, I'm sure I would have burned up a lot of my time taking it into the shop...thanks again for the post and the follow up!!!