Autonomous heating: operation, maintenance and price

Your car's heating system consists of two separate circuits: a water circuit, which generates heat, and a ventilation circuit, which distributes heat inside the passenger compartment. It is used to heat the interior of your car and also to fog up your windshield.

🚗 How does car heating work?

Heating your car is a comfort equipment for warm up and maintain a pleasant temperature inside the car, especially in winter. The heating system starts with the ventilation system, it passes the filtered air through the cabin filter, also called pollen filter... Then he goes through air conditioning compressor then heats up with a radiator.

On the other hand, the water circuit also uses heating. It is used in the vehicle cooling system via a bypass. Since the water will be used to generate heat in the vehicle interior, the use of the heater does not consume excessive fuel or electricity, unlike air conditioner which requires gas compression.

Thus, when the heating is turned on, a tap is opened so that hot water circulates in the radiator, then the fan directs hot air into the passenger compartment through the ventilation nozzles.

Heating also plays an important role. important for driver visibility because it allows you to defrost and fog up the windshield.

⚠️ What are the symptoms of HS heating?

Heat failures are relatively rare, but they can still happen if one of the elements is not working. The symptoms of this failure usually show up as follows:

• The crane is stuck : located next to the cylinder head and will need to be removed with a penetrating agent. If this does not work, the valve and its seal will need to be replaced.
• The pump cable is clamped in the sheath. : There is a lubrication problem in the system, it will be necessary to disassemble the unit and ensure it is well lubricated before reassembling.
• Fan damaged : the fault is probably electrical, it will be necessary to check the fuses and power cables.
• The cooling circuit needs to be drained : If the cooling circuit is blocked, it will affect the operation of the heating.
• Hot air ducts in poor condition : The collars of the covers can also be oxidized and will have to be replaced, just like the covers.
• The electric motor must be replaced. : it is he who powers the fan. If it fails, the hot air supply will not be possible.

When the heating is no longer working, it is recommended that you take your vehicle to a specialist workshop. Since there are several sources of malfunction, he will be able to determine the exact cause of the malfunction by performing diagnostic.

💧 How to clean a car heater radiator without disassembling it?

If your heating radiator is no longer blowing hot air, you can clean the radiator without disassembling it. This maneuver is performed using coolant. You can choose the following 2 solutions:

• Adding a radiator cleaner : It should be poured into a container of coolant when your vehicle is cold. When this is done, you turn on the ignition and run the engine without load for about fifteen minutes.
• Adding Leak Prevention : It can be in powder or liquid form and can be added directly to the expansion tank. You can then turn on the vehicle and let the engine run for a few minutes to allow the coolant to enter the circuit. This way, any radiator leaks can be cleaned and sealed.

After trying these two methods, you will need to retest the heater. If it still doesn't work, you will need to get to the garage quickly so that it can fix the problem.

💸 How much does it cost to repair a car heater?

Heater repair cost will vary based on the number of parts to be replaced. On average, a complete replacement of a heating system costs between 150 € and 500 € depending on the car model.

However, if it's a simple cleanup, count around 100€... If the part is defective and requires replacement, the invoice will also be smaller and will be from 100 € and 150 €, spare parts and labor included.

The heating of your vehicle must be kept in good working order to guarantee your comfort and visibility in the passenger compartment. If you are looking for a reliable garage to repair or replace your heating, use our online garage comparators!