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Low coolant level
The most likely cause for this is a low coolant level in
your radiator or an air lock in the cooling system if
your radiator has just been topped up from a low level.
If you have an air lock you will need to bleed the
cooling system.
Bleeding the cooling system
Check the hoses from or to the radiator and look for a
screw cap of some sort fitted to a hose. It will
probably be quite small (the size of a tyre valve cap)
There should also be another 'bleeder' on the heating
matrix towards the back of the engine under the bulk
head attached to a small pipe, this will also need
removing. (a
Haynes manual for your particular model will help
you find the bleeders)
Take off the radiator cap and insert a hose pipe. Hold
your hand around the hose pipe covering the inlet on the
radiator to create a seal and turn on the hose pipe.
Water should start to come out of the bleeders which
were covered by the cap (caps) you have removed and air
will bubble. Keep going until all the air is out and the
water is running air free. With the hose still switched
on and air free water coming from the bleeders refit the
cap (caps) warm the engine and retry your heater.
If your car is using water excessively this could be a
sign of head gasket failure. Click the link here for
more information on
head gasket failure.
Blocked up cooling system
Another possibility for heater failure is a dirty or
blocked heater matrix. The heater is usually supplied
with heat from a fan blowing over a separate small
radiator behind the dash in the bulk head and this can
become blocked up depending on the age of the car or
from dirty rusty coolant in the system. You can buy a
product which you add to your coolant which will flush
the cooling system. Simply add the the solution and
follow the instructions. speeding.co.uk supply the Slick
50 flushing fluid which you can buy online.
Click here to go to the appropriate page. |
