Kia Sportage stove malfunctions

Having boldly stalled in the cold season, we for a long time forgot about the existence of the stove. And we remember this only in the fall, when the thermometer scale drops to 5 degrees above zero and below.

But it often happens that an ordinary heater, which has previously given off impeccable heat, ceases to perform its functions, dooming the driver and / or passengers to a lack of comfortable conditions in the cabin. Well, if the problem is revealed before the onset of frost - if you do not have a hot box, repairing in sub-zero temperatures is not the most pleasant experience.

So, let's see why the stove on the Kia Sportage 2 does not heat up well and whether it is possible to eliminate the identified malfunctions on our own.

Reasons for the lack of heat in the Kia Sportage cabin

All malfunctions of the heating system can be divided into two large groups:

• failure of the furnace itself and its service mechanisms;
• malfunctions of the heating system, which affects the deterioration of the efficiency of the heating element.

Interior heater Kia Sportage

Usually, problems of the second type lead to overheating of the engine, and burnout of the stove is a secondary symptom. These failures include:

• depressurization of the cooling system. If the antifreeze flows slowly, then often you don’t notice the problem in time - puddles under the car are not needed. At the same time, it is not easy to localize the problem: a leak can be anywhere: in the pipes, at the junction of the pipes, the main radiator and the radiators of the air conditioning system (the Kia Sportage has two of them), the second for the air conditioner);
• an air lock may form, especially after changing the antifreeze or adding coolant. We are talking about the standard method: install the car on a hill (so that the neck of the expansion tank is the highest part of the cooling system) and let the engine idle for 3-5 minutes;
• the thermostat or pump is faulty, which leads to a violation of the circulation of the coolant through the system. Less antifreeze will flow into the heater core, so it will generate more and more heat. Both devices are inseparable from each other, and therefore cannot be repaired. They need to be replaced with new ones.

Now let's talk about the problems directly related to the heating system. There are few of them, and the main one is clogging of the radiator, external and internal. But while external pollution can be treated relatively easily, internal pollution must be treated. In most cars, and the Kia Sportage is no exception, the heater is located between the passenger compartment and the engine compartment, usually in the glove compartment. It is usually not possible to remove the radiator from the side of the engine compartment, so you have to remove the front panel. Below we describe how this happens in this model.

Replacing the heater motor

The second reason why the Kia Sportage stove does not heat up is a clogged cabin filter. It should be changed about twice a year, but if the operating conditions of the car are difficult, and the filter itself is carbon, then much more often. Fortunately, the operation is not difficult at all.

The stove fan may fail or not operate at full speed, and in this case, for a more complete diagnosis, you will need to remove the resistor (the fan is installed complete with a radiator).

Finally, the reason for the inoperability of the heating element may be the failure of the control mechanism - the servo drive, thrust may fly off, or the control unit may break. These errors are much easier to detect and fix.

Dismantling the furnace radiator

If, as a result of the check, you came to the conclusion that the reason for the cold in the cabin lies in the radiator, then you should not rush to buy a new one. You can try to clean it, for example, using a special tool "High Gear". The easiest way to flush without removing the radiator. It will be necessary to disconnect the inlet / outlet hoses and pump the flushing fluid through the system. For example, using a pump and long pipes of a suitable diameter. But this method is unreliable, so flushing is usually carried out on a removed radiator.

Removing the internal heater

Algorithm for removing the internal heater Kia Sportage without removing the dashboard:

• turn off and remove the temperature sensor located at the bottom of the cabin at the passenger's feet. To do this, disengage the lower latch with a flat screwdriver and pull the sensor towards you;
• remove the panel located near the brake pedal. Easily removed (fastening - two clips). You will also need to unscrew the two panels that go to the center console and tunnel. It is not necessary to remove them, it is enough to bend the edges so as not to interfere with work;
• now you need to disconnect the pipes going to the radiator. Since they do not use conventional cable ties and fittings, and the twisted hoses are very long, they will need to be cut off and then replaced with clamps. Otherwise, do not remove the radiator;
• now the radiator can be removed - it is attached only with aluminum tubes. It is better to work together: one to drag the plate, the other to put back everything that interferes with this process;
• when remounting, you will have to face great difficulties: both the brake pedal and the fan hose will interfere, so the latter will also have to be cut a little;
• after the radiator is in place, lay the hoses and secure them with clamps. No need to rush to install plastic - first fill in antifreeze and check for leaks;
• if everything is in order, put the plastic panel and temperature sensor.

Some useful tips

It is not difficult to check how well the stove does its job: if, at an outside temperature of -25 ° C, 15 minutes after starting the engine, it warms up the interior to +16 ° C, then you don’t have to worry.

Do not forget to change the cabin filter in time - the replacement frequency is indicated in the instructions, check the coolant level as often as the engine oil level. Do not add other brands of antifreeze. Clean the radiator at least once a year.

If you follow these recommendations, you will find yourself in a situation where the Kia Sportage stove will not work much less often.