The cold winter months in Ohio can put additional stress on many parts of a car’s engine and supplemental systems. A car’s faulty heating system can make all the difference between a comfortable commute or a life-threatening event should you find yourself miles away from home or any other warm, indoor facility. It is best to know the tell-tale signs that your car heater core needs to be replaced or repaired. Some of these symptoms are even easier to detect in warm weather.
What Is a Car Heater Core?
We often think of automotive coolant as a necessary part of a car’s AC system, but this same liquid is also vital to your car in the winter. Your car’s heater core is like a secondary radiator, except much smaller. The function of the heater core is to heat the coolant that flows through cooling system hoses. Instead of passing through the AC compressor, the liquid is re-directed to your car’s heater core.
Without a properly functioning heater core, your vehicle will struggle to get warm, no matter how much you turn up the temperature! A sure sign of a bad heater core is a hot engine with a cold cabin. Yes, a car’s engine can overheat in the dead of winter due to a bad heater core!
3 Signs of a Bad Heater Core
Car Windows Are Foggy
If your car’s heater core is not working, then neither will your car’s window defroster. The defroster is necessary to melt snow and ice from the front windshield and keep the car windows from steaming up. The warm air from car passengers exhaling, and even the snow on your coat and boots, turn into condensation on the windows when the cabin and/or window surface temperatures are below a certain point.
A Wet Floorboard
Your car even gives you signs that the heater core is going bad — during the summer. A wet floorboard is often an indication of a leaking heater core. Older cars, especially may suffer a heater core failure when the small tubes become corroded or clogged over time.
Eventually, the antifreeze/coolant will begin to leak, and what was once a relatively minor problem can lead to an automobile with a very weak spot on the floor.
When this happens, your car will eventually develop a sweet yet odd smell. This is due to the antifreeze seeping into the passenger compartment. Even if the floorboard isn’t noticeably wet, when you keep adding coolant to the radiator, it’s a sign that your AC or heating system may have a leak.
The Car Will Not Warm Up
There are a number of reasons why a car will refuse to warm up, but the top three are:
- A bad thermostat
- Faulty heater core
- Antifreeze/coolant is low
Remember driving in a cold car is not a good idea for many reasons other than the safety of you and your passengers. When it is bitterly freezing, the likelihood of a dead battery increases drastically. And, while you don’t have to worry about the gasoline in your car freezing, you certainly do have to worry about the water particles in the fuel tank freezing. Warming up your car can help!
Boling Auto Service – Cold-Weather Auto Repair Specialists!
At Boling Auto Service, we know winter in the Midwest and how it can negatively affect the performance of even newer cars. And, if your automobile has some miles on it, then Ohio’s snow, sleet, and salted roadways can put a hefty amount of stress on the most tried-and-true vehicles.
Don’t wait for an unfortunate roadside incident. Contact Boling Auto Service today if you notice a wet floorboard, foggy windows, or your car’s heating system simply not giving your passengers the comfort you desire during winter months.
Our trained auto repair technicians can inspect the hoses and test components of your car’s heating and cooling system to provide you with the proper diagnosis the first time. Give us a call at 937-731-3548
