You may never need to replace your car’s heater core. This part is designed to last a decade to 15 years. If you plan to keep your vehicle this long, there will come a point when you’ll need to replace the heater core. McCurley’s Shell can replace the core when this time comes. We are going to list problems below that point to an issue with the heater core.
Cold or Lukewarm Air
The heater core uses hot engine coolant to heat the air when you turn on your car’s heater. As the engine coolant circulates through the engine, it gets hot because it draws the heat away from the engine. If the heater core is leaking or clogged, the air may not have any hot coolant over which to blow. This will make lukewarm or cold air blow through the vents into your passenger cabin even though you have turned on the car’s heater.
Fogging Windows
When this lukewarm or cold air makes contact with the cold air in the passenger cabin, your windows and windshield can fog up. If you turn on the defroster and nothing happens, this is definitely a sign that the heater core has gone bad. If the core is leaking and the air is filled with engine coolant, this, too, can make the windows fog up.
Sweet/Musty Odors
If the air is filled with coolant, you might be able to smell it. If you detect musty and sweet odors coming through the vents, this is a sign that the air has coolant in it. This is caused by a heater core that is leaking.
Coolant Puddles
Another sign that the core is leaking is coolant puddles on your car’s floorboards. Specifically, you will feel the wetness on the passenger side of the automobile. The core is found underneath the dashboard on this side of the vehicle.
Overheating Engine
Finally, a leaking or clogged core can make your vehicle’s engine overheat all the time. If the core is hemorrhaging coolant, the coolant is not making its way back into the cooling system to reduce the engine’s temperature. If the core is clogged, the same is true. The coolant gets stuck in the heater core rather than recirculated into the radiator to cool off.
McCurley’s Shell is the best auto service shop in Atlanta, GA, and we can inspect your heater core to see if it is malfunctioning. If it is, we can replace it. Call us today.
