The car heater blows cold air. Car heater blows cold - causes and consequences. Heater radiator contamination

Every driver at least once in his life has encountered the fact that the stove blows cold air. At the same time, in winter time it is impossible to warm up the car interior to a comfortable temperature and warm it up. Operation of the vehicle becomes impossible, especially at very low temperatures.

Interior heater. Work and device

The vehicle interior heating system includes an electric fan, cooling fluid supply and circulation pipes, a radiator, shut-off valves, air ducts and air dampers. The heating element is located in the front panel housing.

Two pipes are connected to the radiator body, through which liquid flows into it. The movement of coolant is carried out under the influence of the operation of the water pump and cooling system power unit. When the engine warms up, a heat exchange process occurs. Antifreeze takes excess heat from the engine, thereby cooling it. When the shut-off valves are open, hot coolant enters the heater radiator housing, at the same time the electric fan of the heater pumps cold air. Thus, the radiator gives off its heat to the air flow, which, when heated, enters the

For the system to operate effectively in winter, the engine must be warmed up well. Thirty degrees is enough for the heater to supply warm air into the cabin. Turning on the system immediately after starting the engine will only increase the warm-up time of the engine and the interior itself.

Experienced drivers recommend turning on the VAZ heater fan when the coolant temperature reaches fifty degrees. This indicator is most effective when warming up the car in the morning in cold weather, both the engine and the interior. Otherwise, you risk wasting valuable time and wasting fuel.

Basic faults

When the furnace blows cold air, there can be several different causes of heating or heating problems. Each damage has its own nature and ways to eliminate it. To the most frequent breakdowns may include: the presence of an air lock in the heater circuit, a malfunctioning thermostat, breakdown of the regulator drives, contamination of the cabin filter element, clogged honeycombs of the heater radiator housing, wear of the pump impeller. Next we will look at these faults in more detail.

Airlock

As a rule, air enters the system when some elements of the system are depressurized, as well as when the amount of cooling liquid in the expansion tank is critically reduced. How are these problems resolved?

The first thing you need to do is check the antifreeze level in the expander. This process should only be carried out on a cold engine. The amount of liquid should be within the maximum mark, but in no case exceed this figure.

If the antifreeze level is below the minimum mark, then it should be topped up. If the level frequently drops to the minimum level or until the expander is completely empty, a leak may occur. In this case, it must be urgently eliminated. Air pumping should be done as follows. Place the car on a flat surface, remove the cover from the expander. After this, start the engine and, increasing the speed several times, add antifreeze.

Water pump

If the stove blows cold air at idle, then the cause of the malfunction may be worn impeller blades.

This mainly happens when the car is no longer fresh or different coolants were used in the system. What is happening at this moment? A worn pump impeller at low temperatures cannot create optimal pressure in the system for full circulation of antifreeze. To fix this problem, you simply need to replace the pump.

Thermostat

Due to a faulty thermostat, the temperature of the cooling material may not reach the optimal value or significantly exceed its values. So, when the thermostat is stuck open, and the car is moving in an urban environment, the heater will heat perfectly. But when driving at high speeds temperature regime liquid will decrease significantly - the stove will not heat well. A faulty thermostat cannot be repaired; it must also be replaced with a new one.

Warm-cold regulator drive

This system mechanism can cause the heater to blow cold air. The reason lies in the control drive device itself. Basically, all control devices of this type are equipped with metal cables.

At a certain point, the switch may get stuck in one position. At that moment, if the regulator is stuck in the “warm” position, then warm air will begin to flow into the cabin. Its temperature will depend on the degree of opening of the damper at the moment of jamming. But if the damper control is stuck in the closed position, the stove blows cold air.

Regardless of what the controls and controls for the heater dampers and taps look like (lever, wheel, dial switch), the fault is the same. Often there is a break in the traction elements (cable, rod) from the fastenings on the valves and control levers. Less often, the cables become clogged and rust in the protective case and do not move well in it.

At a time when the stove is blowing cold air due to a malfunction of the control drives, and it is not possible to carry out a full repair (for example, on the road), you need to manually move the shut-off valves to the “open” position. In vehicles in which the temperature control drive is carried out by electronic mechanisms, first of all you need to check the condition of the system fuses. But generally it is recommended to contact the nearest car service center.

Heater radiator

Cell clogging leads to a deterioration in its throughput.

This often happens due to the use of low-quality coolants in the cooling system or long term heater radiator service. That's why the stove blows cold air. This type of malfunction can be eliminated in several available ways. Wash the radiator with a special flushing agent and swap the connections of the pipes. If after these operations the situation does not change, then it is necessary to replace the stove with a new one.

Heater replacement

As a rule, the stove radiator is replaced in two cases: when it cannot be restored due to clogging or if it is rotten and has a leak. It happens that even a new heating part can leak. This is mainly due to low-quality materials of the purchased product.

You can replace the stove radiator at home. To do this, you need to follow the sequence of the repair process. It is important to note that repairs are easier to carry out with a partner. This paragraph indicates the process of dismantling and installing the Kalina stove.

Step-by-step dismantling process:

• First you need to drain about three liters of coolant.
• To easily dismantle the radiator, remove the accelerator pedal and lift the brake pedal as high as possible.
• Removable First, remove the protective panels from the speaker. Then disconnect the electrical wiring plug from it.
• We disconnect the parts of the intermediate universal joint and unscrew the mounting bracket from the body. After this work, remove the entire steering column.
• We remove the “toad” of the stops, located on the right side of the brake pedal.
• Now, by hanging the brake and accelerator pedals in the upper position, we are able to access the radiator.

Before removing the stove, the following work must be carried out from the engine compartment. Filming battery, its installation cavity and base bracket. Disconnect the pipe air filter and bend it towards the interior. Then unscrew the coolant pipes from the fittings of the interior heater radiator. When removing the pipes, antifreeze may leak from the stove, which remains there in small quantities.

Working from the interior side, using a hacksaw blade for metal, we saw off the plastic pipes. Then the Kalina stove is removed along with the seal and metal protection element.

Installing a new one

Installation of a new radiator:

• We install the new radiator in its seat. To make installation easier, we cut off some of the plastic pipes in advance.
• Having placed the radiator in the cabin, we connect the coolant supply pipes from the engine side to its outlets.
• All subsequent work is carried out in the reverse order of removal.

Before removing the stove, it is advisable to obtain new pipes for connecting it in advance and replace them along with the radiator.

This is due to the fact that they may lose their original characteristics during operation, and replacing them separately is an additional financial and time expense.

Replacing the heater stove with passenger car- The process is labor-intensive and often takes a lot of time. To avoid constant repairs of this nature, only original and high-quality parts should be installed on the car, and only reliable and proven materials should be used as coolant. It is advisable to diagnose the heating system before the onset of the cold season, so as not to have problems with it in the winter.

Situations in which drivers wonder why idle speed The stove blows cold air, not uncommon. Most often, they include novice motorists, women and owners of “middle-aged” cars, but exceptions are possible. What should you do if this happens to you? – Of course, look for the cause of the problem and eliminate it. This is what we will do now.

The stove blows cold at low speeds: causes and solutions.

We always say that everything in a car is interconnected, therefore, if one of its elements breaks down, the source of the problem must be looked for in everything that is directly or indirectly connected with this element. The cooling system is no exception. It can produce cold air at idle under the following circumstances:

• there is too little coolant in the expansion tank;

This is perhaps the most common option. Agree, even though we know that the amount of antifreeze in the system needs to be checked before each trip, we don’t always do this. As a result, the coolant level may become critically low, that is, insufficient to cope with its functions at low speeds.

What to do: check the coolant level in the expansion tank and, if necessary, top up to the required level.

• air pockets have formed somewhere;

In cases where work has recently taken place that requires replacing or partially draining the antifreeze, the reason that the heater is blowing cool may be air pockets formed inside the tubes, which simply do not allow the coolant to circulate normally.

What to do: put the front of the car on a hill, unscrew the cap from the expansion tank, start the car and wait until it warms up - you will notice bubbles appearing as soon as they pass - turn off the car, wait until it cools down a little (so as not to get burned) and return the cap to place.

• pump is faulty;

Another reason why warm antifreeze may not reach the heater is a faulty water pump.

What to do: detecting this problem is often quite simple by the characteristic knocking and rumble. If you haven't noticed one, watch yours. vehicle, if it gets very hot, even to the point of boiling, remove the pump and disassemble it. If the impeller lives its own life or does not spin at all, replace it or the entire water pump.

• radiator tubes are clogged

A very common option, along with insufficient level Coolant: salts and dirt gradually accumulate on the walls of the tubes supplying it to the radiator during operation, and over time there are so many of them that hot liquid cannot even pass through them. As a result, the radiator remains cold, as does the air passing through it.

What to do:

Option 1: Flush the system. To do this, drain the coolant present in it, and in its place fill in a special flushing compound or a concentrated solution citric acid. Start the engine and let it warm up until operating temperature. Drain the cleaning solution and add fresh coolant.

Option 2 (usually used only if the previous method was ineffective). Replace the tubes and radiator.

• coolant supply is cut off;

Almost every modern car is equipped with a tap that allows you to shut off the supply of antifreeze to the heater. It allows you to avoid the risk of overheating of the cabin in the warm season, but at the same time, being weak point heating systems can create additional problems.

What to do: check the position of the tap and open it if necessary. If the faucet is jammed, it must be replaced.

A little advice: if you own a brand car VAZ, we advise you to overpay a little and purchase a faucet not of domestic production, but of the Audi brand - with it you will not have to replace it every six months.

• low coolant temperature;

The last situation in which the heater can give off cold is cold antifreeze. And it can be like this in two cases:

1. it's too cold outside, so on short trips the engine simply doesn't have time to warm up

What to do: insulate the engine compartment.

1. The thermostat is broken - it is stuck in the open position, as a result of which the coolant “drives” around big circle, not allowing it to warm up properly.

What to do: check and, if necessary, replace the failed part.

Evgeniy:

“I never thought I would encounter such a problem, but it happened. After repairing the cylinder head, it became very difficult to warm up the interior. I spent a long time searching for why, and it turned out that the engine was throttling. I did everything as advised, the coolant stopped bubbling only after 4 hours, but now it’s always warm in the cabin.”

Sanya:

“I have a VAZ 2109i, it blew cold at idle. I added coolant to the expansion tank, everything was ok.”

Rustam:

“I drive a 6th Mazda. Last winter, the heater began to act like a fool: over 2 tons of revolutions, hot air came out of it, over 3 tons, despite how much the temperature was set, the heater practically boiled with boiling water, but as soon as you stopped, the air became cool. I went through all the possible options described in the article, the problem did not go away, after a long search, the service station technicians found the reason - the climate control system had failed.”

Ruslan:

“On my Priora, the stove also blew cold at idle, so to fix this I had to constantly add antifreeze. Got tired of it, sealed the lower pipe, now everything works properly.”

Oleg:

“As a service station worker, I can say that the warmest stove among all domestic cars is in Kalina, but sometimes it also malfunctions. As a rule, the whole problem lies either in the gasket of the pump, or in the pump itself, so if you are the owner of the named car, in which case the first thing you should pay attention to is the pump and its components.”

Video.

The car must always be in good working order. No one doubts the correctness of this statement. Its many devices work for comfortable movement, and the heating system is no exception. Unfortunately, there are no ideal mechanisms. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, besides, many devices do not last forever. They have a lifespan and a degree of strength set by the manufacturer. So, individual elements heating systems may fail. You have to come to terms with the fact of a breakdown: everything breaks down someday. All this means that any malfunction must be treated calmly and carefully. It is especially easy to cope with your emotions when you know exactly what needs to be done and how.

Certainly, new car doesn't cause any trouble. It’s another matter if he has already run a hundred thousand kilometers. Here you can expect problems from various components and systems. One fine day you may encounter a situation where the stove stops working as it should.

System design

In order to better understand why the heater suddenly starts working incorrectly, you should understand its structure. Structurally, the stove is inseparable from the engine cooling system and is part of it. The engine heats the antifreeze, which is sent to a heat exchanger blown by a fan. Special deflectors distribute heated air throughout the cabin. The flow from the fan is supplied both through the radiator and bypassing it. This is how the temperature is regulated. Air is taken from the outside through a special air intake, or from the passenger compartment. In the latter case, this is the recirculation mode. Malfunctions of the stove may be as follows:

• the fan does not work at all or operates at certain speeds;
• the stove does not operate in all directions;
• the system does not respond correctly to the temperature controller and only blows hot or cold air.

Before finding and fixing a breakdown, you should make sure that antifreeze is filled into the cooling system to the required level.

You must also pay attention to the quality of the coolant itself. Its dark brown, rusty color signals an imminent replacement.

Causes of heater malfunction

There may be several reasons why the stove does not heat and cold air blows:

• Thermostat malfunction.
• Air entering the cooling system.
• Stove radiator contamination.
• Gaps between heater parts.
• Cold air damper slightly open or stuck.
• Faulty fan motor or heater control system.

As you can see, there are quite a few reasons. But they are all solvable and removable.

Thermostat is not working properly

Thermostat is a device that redistributes antifreeze between the cylinder block and the cooling radiator. The speed at which a cold engine warms up and the impossibility of overheating under normal conditions depends on its operation. The thermostat keeps the coolant temperature within specified limits and allows it to circulate through the radiator. To check the operation of the device, you need to start the engine and warm it up to operating values.

After this, you need to touch the hoses that go to the engine radiator and to the heat exchanger of the stove. If the hose of the first is hot, the second is cold or barely warm, it means there is an air lock. When the upper hose of the main radiator is hot and the lower hose is cold, this indicates a malfunction of the thermostat. Because of this, the engine does not warm up as it should. Therefore, even while running, the stove blows cold air. The thermostat needs to be replaced.

Air lock in the cooling system

It usually occurs when antifreeze is actively circulating in the system. In this case, the liquid can form bubbles, which form an air lock. It interferes with the circulation of fluid in the system, so the stove blows cold air. The reasons why this problem may arise are simple: when antifreeze is poured into an empty expansion tank, it must be poured slowly and in a thin stream. Otherwise, some air gets inside. To clear the traffic jam, you need to put the front of the car on a hill. Next, open the hood, unscrew the lid expansion tank.

Maintaining medium speed, use your hands to squeeze and unclench the hoses that lead from the tank to the heater radiator. At the same time, the antifreeze will gurgle and the coolant level will gradually decrease. Afterwards you can tighten the plug and check how the stove heats. It should be noted that designers are aware of this shortcoming and are constantly improving the design of the system. Therefore, in new car models, air locks are practically eliminated.

Heater radiator clogged

The heat exchanger of the stove is a thin, repeatedly bent tube, which is connected by cooling fins. The latter heat up and transfer heat to the air. Hot (about 90 degrees) antifreeze constantly circulates inside the tube. Along the way, it picks up gradually formed deposits and rust from the cylinder block. All this leads to the heat exchanger of the heater slowly filling with deposits. As a result, it begins to give off heat worse and now the stove blows cold air. Special products are used to clean the radiator.

But this procedure requires removing the heat exchanger from the car. It would be wiser to replace the entire radiator. This saves a lot of time.

Loose fitting of stove body parts

The heater housing in the cabin is assembled from complex-shaped parts that fit together. If these parts are poorly fitted, then some of the air will simply be lost on the way to the nozzles and arrive cooled or in the form of a weak flow. This malfunction appears especially often in domestic VAZs of the ninth family with a high panel.

Poor closing of the cold air damper

The temperature change is carried out by blocking the flow of cold air to the radiator. In order for it to run hot, its flow must be completely directed towards the heat exchanger. This is controlled by a special damper, driven by a cable or using a gearmotor.

If the gearbox jams or the cable moves incompletely, the part will not close. Then cold air blows from the stove. Moreover, at any coolant temperature. The same malfunction is associated with the phenomenon when suddenly the stove blows either cold or hot air. Adjusting the damper drive (tightening the cable) or replacing the gearmotor will help here.

Fan motor malfunctions

If it malfunctions, the fan will not work at all. Then it's a cliff electrical circuit, or a blown fuse. Sometimes it can run at separate speeds. Then the reason is in the resistance block, which slows down the fan speed. This unit is completely changed. If the fan itself is faulty, it should be dismantled and preventive maintenance performed.

Malfunctions of the heater control unit

The temperature in the cabin is changed by taking readings from the cabin sensor.

If it malfunctions, the air will be either hot or cold. In addition, the temperature controller itself may be faulty, which gives incorrect commands when opening or closing the damper. Then, even at high speeds, the stove blows cold air, at any mode and flow rate. The control unit is designed as a separate unit and, in the event of a malfunction, is replaced entirely, with the exception of the rotary regulators (not on all car models).

Features of heaters in domestic cars

It often happens that Russian cars The stove blows cold air. VAZ is one of our oldest car factories and the design of Zhiguli heaters has long been outdated. Here, the supply of antifreeze to the heater radiator is shut off with a special tap.

If it sours or jams, the car will be cold. The answer to the question of why the stove suddenly blows cold air is the same as for everyone. This is an air lock, a clogged radiator, or a faulty thermostat.

Conclusion

Of course, when the stove doesn't work, it's an unpleasant but solvable problem. The operation of the heater should be checked in advance, before the onset of winter. In the cold, any desire to do anything with the car disappears. In any case, early prevention and inspection - best way protect yourself from possible troubles.

The heater in a car is one of the important elements, because traveling without a working heater turns into a real nightmare. Normal air temperature in the cabin is the key to a comfortable trip over any distance. It is important to maintain the normal operating condition of the stove, since its failure will real problem. Those drivers who have experienced a heating system breakdown on the road know well the seriousness of the consequences of such a nuisance. Moreover, from modern car Every owner expects the highest comfort and excellent performance.

One of the most common problems is cold air from the ventilation system deflectors when the stove is turned on. There are several main reasons that can cause such a breakdown. Everything needs to be studied possible reasons and draw the right conclusions. Certainly, best recommendation There will be a trip to a professional service center, but many will want to solve this problem in a more economical way through their own efforts.

Determining why the stove blows cold air: the main reasons

The main reasons for such problems are due to the fact that the coolant system is filled with air. An air lock could form at one of the radiator inlets, which complicates the process of fluid passage or completely stops the circulation of antifreeze or antifreeze. Such a plug does not interfere with the passage of fluid through the main lines, because the heater radiator can be blocked; it is not located in the main system.

If the problem of cold air flow from the radiator has been present in your car since birth, then it is useless to look for air plugs. Most likely, the issue is in the radiator itself or some oversight by the manufacturer. For example, on some Uzbek or budget Korean cars, a situation often occurs when assemblers confuse the connection of the inlet and outlet pipes. The main problems that prevent the stove in a car from functioning normally are the following:

• serious factory defects, such as mixed up hoses inlet and outlet from the heater radiator;
• problems with the heating system fan (in this case, the air flows warm, but its flow is not very noticeable);
• the inlets and outlets from the heater radiator are clogged with air pockets, which interferes with the circulation of antifreeze;
• problems with the motion cooling system, blockage of fluid movement or a broken water pump;
• insufficiently warmed up engine - this problem especially often occurs in diesel cars in winter;
• other congenital or acquired problems that are diagnosed at specialized service stations.

It is very important to correctly identify the problem, otherwise it will be very difficult to deal with the problem. Often, if there is poor performance of the stove, drivers go through the entire heating system in the garage several times and do not get any positive results. Acquired problems are much easier to treat; with congenital problems, it is much better to go to a service station, entrusting the work with your stove to professionals.

It is also important to use only high-quality tools and materials when self-repair heating systems in the car. It is especially important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations if you have a modern expensive car. Here the victory will be to get to the heating system and understand how it generally functions. In cheaper and simple cars You can actually repair the stove in the garage.

Air in the heater system or dirty radiator - we solve the problem

Flushing the radiator of a heating system is a process that should be performed regularly. The performance of this module is often determined by its cleanliness. Like the radiator of the cooling system, this element of the car has certain problems that are characteristic of it at a particular age or at a certain mileage. Therefore, experienced car owners prefer to simply change the heater radiator once every 150-200 thousand kilometers to ensure its normal operation. You can flush and remove air from the system as follows:

• it is necessary to turn off the heating system so that the antifreeze or antifreeze in it remains outside the general system;
• then you should remove the incoming pipe to supply water or antifreeze under pressure into it;
• the outgoing pipe should also be disconnected, leaving one end of it on the radiator, and connecting the other to the hose for looping the system;
• at the entrance to the formed circle we connect a pump that can bleed the system and remove air pockets;
• If quite dirty liquid begins to flow out of the outlet hose, you can use a special mixture to clean the radiator.

Such features will provide you with the opportunity to clean the system and get rid of air pockets. Even if these criteria were not the cause of the problems with the heating system, they will help to complete an important positive task, which will generally have a good effect on the operation of the cooling and heating system of your car. This will also bring you one step closer to solving an important problem, because there will be one less option for the reasons for the flow of cold air when you turn on the heater in the car.

How to deal with factory problems with the heating system in a car?

Some factory heating-related problems with cars can be seen in budget vehicles. Owners often talk about such problems and tasks Russian cars, especially before 2008 release. Also, budget foreign cars from China, India, and some European countries present exactly the same problems to their owners. If you notice factory flaws after the warranty period, you will have to use the following troubleshooting methods:

• communication in specialized forums, trying to find a solution to the problem based on reviews from owners of the same cars;
• changing the design of the heating system, but excluding unconscious experiments, because this can lead to much bigger problems;
• replacing the radiator, pipes or other elements of the vehicle’s heating system with analog spare parts from other manufacturers;
• supplementing the heating system with a device that will help avoid the formation of air locks;
• installing filters or using other cooling liquids that do not cause contamination of the radiator.

These are so simple and good advice Almost all specialists give advice on how to combat factory problems with a car heater. Often you will have to turn to professionals to fix various problems. Working with a car at a professional service is one of the most expensive, but simple and reliable ways to solve any problems with a car. But even here it is not always possible to eliminate problems with the stove on a moderate budget. We invite you to watch a video about self-repairing a fairly modern car:

Let's sum it up

Considering the fairly high cost of professional work, many car owners will prefer to solve all the problems that have arisen in the garage and forget about the serious costs of service station services. But such a solution to problems with the stove is not always possible. While it is still possible to flush the radiator and correct some assembly defects in a garage, it can be very difficult to figure out the underlying problems of the heating system.

Therefore, you often still have to pay for diagnostics, and sometimes leave the car for repairs. Professional services will help you solve any problems with the stove or other module of your car, but you will have to pay a lot for the service. If in your experience there is a solution to problems with the stove, be sure to share the solution in the comments to the post.

Agree, it’s nice to dive into the warm interior of a car after a cold street! A car with a working heater turns the outside temperature of -25° into a comfortable +25 degrees inside in just 20 minutes. But what to do if the air ducts barely blow warm air, or even cool air? You shouldn’t put up with this and ride in felt boots and a hat with earflaps. Here are the most frequent malfunctions stoves, their causes, methods of diagnosing and repairing them.

Fan fault

The heater radiator alone, without a fan, will not heat the interior: air circulation is necessary for its effective heating. Fan failure is a rare malfunction, but it is easily diagnosed, so it is easier to eliminate it right away. Just select the maximum blowing intensity and listen: working on full power It's hard not to hear the fan. And the blowing from the air ducts should be noticeable.

If there is a treacherous silence in the cabin, then the culprit for the lack of heat is obvious. Most often, the bearing of the fan fails (announcing its imminent demise with a loud whistle) and the brushes of the electric motor, but a wiring break is also possible. An auto electrician can restore the heater fan.

Lack of coolant

The next check point is the level of coolant in the system, because it is from it that the heater takes heat; when this level drops noticeably, the stove blows cold air. Inspecting the expansion tank under the hood is not enough; you will also have to look into the radiator. Of course, this can only be done with the engine turned off and completely cooled.

Add coolant if necessary. If the shortage turns out to be significant (a liter or more), then the stove will probably work as it should, but not for long: it’s time to start looking for leaks. The main suspects: the radiator and cooling system pipes, the pump, as well as the heater itself in the cabin, which may well create a puddle of antifreeze at the passenger’s feet.

Air in the cooling system

An air lock in the cooling system may occur when replacing the coolant. This problem is typical for old domestic cars, but on modern cars, due to the design of the system, it is rare. However, if the stove began to “mope” precisely after changing the antifreeze, then you should not believe in a coincidence: an air lock is the priority version. Especially if coolant was poured into the radiator too vigorously.

A proven “old-fashioned” way to deal with an air lock: warm up the engine, stand on a slope with the front part of the car lifted up, and give it a good throttle. The stove must be set to the maximum temperature so that its tap opens completely. Some cars have a second heater for rear passengers - don't forget about it, it should also be set to the hottest mode. The method only works if the valve in the radiator cap is working normally, otherwise the air will not be able to escape out.

Dirty cabin filter

A clogged cabin filter greatly affects the operation of the air conditioner in the summer, but can be the reason why the stove does not heat in the winter. It is good when the filter is located in accessible place(for example, behind the passenger glove compartment) and changes regularly. But sometimes it is hidden deep in the depths of the center console, and the car owner does not even know about its existence. As a result, instead of a filter, a “bed” of dust, leaves and insects is formed there.

Regularly replacing the cabin filter is important not only for the heater, but also for human health, because passengers breathe the air passing through it. Car manufacturers recommend changing the cabin filter every 10,000 km. And if you often drive through dusty dirt roads, then the replacement interval must be halved.

Clogged heater radiator

The stove, like the engine, has its own radiator, located directly inside the heater in the cabin. If cabin filter the car is not provided for, then all the street dirt flies directly into the heater, settling on the radiator. Accumulated dust and leaves interfering normal operation, you will have to remove it manually by partially disassembling the stove body.

The stove radiator can become clogged not only outside, but also inside. This happens due to the use of low-quality coolant, mixing antifreeze with antifreeze, and also due to the use of cooling system sealants not according to the instructions. It is difficult to clean the inside of the radiator: special flushing can help, but often the radiator has to be removed and replaced with a new one.

Position of tap and valves

Even a fully functional stove will not heat well if the valve or air dampers are in the wrong position. In older cars, where the heater operating modes are changed using “sliders” on the center console, this happens mechanically - with cables or rods. Wear of plastic parts, stretching of springs and cables lead to the fact that the tap and dampers do not open completely: the maximum temperature can be selected on the control unit, but the stove remains in the slightly warm air mode, or blows in the wrong direction. In this case, an audit of the climate control control mechanics and replacement of worn parts will help.

For more modern models stove modes are set by rotating the dials or pressing buttons; In this case, the position of the tap and valves is controlled by servos. They are also not immune to breakdowns, and can act strange from time to time, especially in the cold. Many electronic systems climate control systems have a self-diagnosis mode that will tell you which sensor or servo drive needs replacement. The keyboard shortcut to enter diagnostic mode can be found in the machine's service manual.

Cooling system malfunctions

Problems with the engine cooling system disrupt its temperature regime, and “in the company” the operation of the stove may also deteriorate. Therefore, if the heater behaves inappropriately (if the cabin suddenly becomes too hot or too cold), first of all you need to look at the engine temperature: perhaps it is far from normal.

One of the most common breakdowns is a jammed thermostat. Depending on the position in which it sours, antifreeze will circulate only in a large or small circle of the system: the engine can either overheat, or, conversely, remain cold for too long. In the latter case, the stove will not work well.

A worn water pump also impairs the efficiency of the entire cooling system, including the heater. Over time, low-quality antifreeze literally “eats” the pump impeller, and the liquid does not circulate well through the system. Poor operation of the stove against the backdrop of engine overheating is a clear sign of pump wear and lack of circulation: hot antifreeze is poorly removed from the engine, and cooled antifreeze remains in the heater.

Prevention

Preventing stove malfunctions comes down, first of all, to maintaining the cleanliness of the cooling system. Antifreeze needs to be changed every two years, choosing only quality liquid, and under no circumstances mix with the remains of another type of coolant (for example, antifreeze). When replacing antifreeze, it is worth cleaning the cooling system by flushing with distilled water to remove all deposits, including those inside the stove. It is also important to keep the radiators and cabin filter clean.

Helpful advice: check the operation of the stove ahead of time - at the beginning of autumn, so as not to be left alone with the first frosts, trying to quickly find and fix the breakdown.

If it's still cold

Unfortunately, in some cars the heating system is not very effective from the start: no matter how you maintain it, you won’t achieve “Africa” in the cabin, the stove doesn’t heat well or blows cold air. The reason may be an unsuccessful heater design or the specifics of the market: for example, in models for Arab countries, the stove may be less powerful or absent altogether. Engine features also play a role: diesel engine Structurally cooler than gasoline, and warms up noticeably longer.

In this case, only certain tricks will help. For example, installing a pre-heater that will warm up the coolant in advance - the stove will be able to blow warm air immediately after starting the engine. Heated seats will also help keep you from freezing, and if your car doesn’t have it, you can always buy a cape or cover with built-in infrared heating.