Chilly car rides for me

"SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza" (saigashooter) 01/13/2016 at 16:44 • Filed to: None

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So, it seems I have little to no heat in my car, it’s been double digits below zero all week, so this is perfect timing for it. It’s never had particularly good heat, but now it is just useless. It will eventually defrost the windshield, but it will never get comfortable in the cabin. The only thing making my 40 minute commute bearable is the heated seats.

The coolant temp needle never breaks 175, and I was able to confirm this with the Torque app on my phone. I have had the coolant flushed in the past, and this past fall I had to replace the coolant elbows and drained the system to do that. I have verified the mix is good, so no issues there. The blend door seems Ok, as I had the ability to switch between heat and cool during the fall months. Anyone have any ideas?

The car is a 2005 Monte Carlo with the 3800 Series 2 V6

Edit - Thanks all, I will try a new thermostat first and see if that takes care of things.

crowmolly > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:46

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Clogged heater core?

I Will Always Be The Honey Badger > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:47

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Cabin air filter in need of replacement?

Edit- Assuming you’ve got a problem with low airflow out of the vents.

I Will Always Be The Honey Badger > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:49

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Possible thermostat. Also, find a way to partially block the radiator and monitor your temperature. Weather-fronts are a must up here where it’s cold all the time.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:52

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Thermostat or heater core. Those are the only other pieces in the coolant circuit that you didn’t discuss.

Your thermostat may be stuck open, and that is causing things to take even longer to heat up.

You may also want to partially block the radiator, but that is if nothing else makes a difference.

TFSIVTEC drivesavolvo > crowmolly 01/13/2016 at 16:53

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Came here to say this, my mom had the same symptom on her 94 Audi Cabriolet, it took me a day to pull the dashboard and put in a new $30 heater core but the cabin is toasty now as result

Blind Willie Tyresmoke Namington IV > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:57

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I’m almost sure it’s the thermostat stuck open. I have the same issue on my car and nowhere to fix it (it is an easy job but I have been banned from doing anything more than topping up windshield washers’ fluid in my garage and removing the thermostat will mean that I will cover the whole place in coolant)

mazda616 > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 16:58

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I’d put money on it being the thermostat.

Speed > crowmolly 01/13/2016 at 17:00

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My thoughts as well and the FIRST place I’d look. Hook a hose up to it and flush it out both ways. I’ve had to do this on my Cadillac, Camaro and Grand Cherokee.

Azrek > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 17:02

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Late 2010...ordering custom designed.

Dealer: Do you want heated seats?
Me: Nah, I live in southern Florida. The seats heat themselves!
4 years later I move to Maryland
Me: Well, that is a conversation I’d like to revisit.

DoYouEvenShift > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 17:08

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Clogged core dude. Supet common on GM W body. Easiest way to clear is to remove both core hoses coming from the engine. Should be on the tensioner bracket near the alternator. Flush one hose, then the other with a garden hose. Youll get some rusty crudy stuff come out of there.

TheRealBicycleBuck > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 17:08

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Chiming in with thermostat!

It sounds like it is either stuck open or it is the wrong temperature range for your car. I run a cooler thermostat in my truck because the 3.0 in it is prone to pinging at the “normal” temperature. The down side is that it always runs cool and the heater performance is a bit lacking in the winter.

crowmolly > Speed 01/13/2016 at 17:11

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Yup. IIRC this is a Dex-Cool car and that could be bad. I am thinking he’d still have some semblance of heat with a thermostat stuck open. I ran a 160 thermo in the winter and still got passable heat.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza 01/13/2016 at 17:11

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Shoulda got a V8. Clearly the issue is not enough displacement to create all the heat you need. But in all seriousness, definitely sounds like classic thermostat being stuck open symptoms to me.

Scott > crowmolly 01/13/2016 at 18:02

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Sounds like it maybe multiple issues. first thought with no, or little heat is the heater core, but if the engine is also running cool that is not likely the case. Stuck thermostat see like the next issue, but at 175 it seems it ought to be warm enough to heat up the car during a 40min commute. Since you say it's not heated very well in a long time. it makes me think the core was clogged, and now your thermostat is stuck open so the combination makes for a cold car.

SaigaShooter - He's got an Impreza > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 01/13/2016 at 18:03

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I like your thinking, more displacement = more heat, just imagine how warm a V12 would be!

ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback > Azrek 01/14/2016 at 08:11

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Some dealers can install heated seats after the fact. Likely won’t be as good, but I’ve talked about it with my dealer before, and they said they could do that.