Heating in the car - the most frequent breakdowns, the cost of repairs
Heating a car is not a complicated system, but it can take a long time to repair. It is worth taking care of the system, because in winter driving is not pleasant and not safe without effective ventilation or heated windows.
The cooling system is indirectly responsible for heating the car interior. This, depending on the car model, can work with air or liquid. The air cooling system is a solution that is currently used much less frequently. In the past, they were used, for example, in Fiat 126p, Zaporozhets, Trabants or the popular Volkswagen Beetles, as well as in older Skoda and Porsche 911 models.
Currently, the most popular solution is systems filled with liquid circulating in two closed circuits. At the first stage, the coolant flows only through special channels in the block and head, where it is discharged through pipes. When the engine reaches a higher temperature, the thermostat opens the way to the so-called high circulation. The liquid then passes through a cooler. This additional method of lowering its temperature prevents the engine from overheating. Very often cooling is supported by an additional fan.
Car heating - problem one: car heater
Contrary to its name, the cooling system is largely related to the heating of the car interior. It is the coolant that is heated to a temperature in the range of 80-90 degrees Celsius, which allows the production of warm air. The heater is responsible for this. This is a device of many thin tubes, resembling a small radiator. A heated liquid flows through its channels, heating the air, which then enters the passenger compartment through the deflectors.
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Especially in older cars, problems with heating begin when this device fails. Very often the heating element flows. There are also problems with the patency of the pipes leading to the liquid. Diagnosis is sometimes difficult, since in many models the heating element is hidden very deeply.
The heater in the car - it can be difficult to diagnose a malfunction
- Then we check the temperature of the pipes supplying and discharging liquid from the heater. If the first is warm and the second is much colder, it usually means a bad fuser. If both are cold, then the cause of the trouble is somewhere earlier, in a clogged conduit, for example. Unfortunately, the replacement of this part usually takes a very long time, as it often requires the dismantling of almost the entire cabin, explains Lukasz Plonka, an auto mechanic from Rzeszow.
Winter maintenance of the cooling system - when to change the fluid?
Fortunately, new cables are usually inexpensive - for most popular models, they cost PLN 100-150. We'll pay more for the heater itself. For example, for a diesel Skoda Octavia I generation, the initial price is about PLN 550. Replacement will cost about 100-150 zł.
Heating in the car - thermostat: the second suspect
The cause of problems with warming up the car can be a faulty thermostat. The first symptoms are the lack of heating during movement. If the valve is left open, the liquid only circulates continuously through the large circuit and is constantly cooled by the radiator. Then the engine will not be able to warm it up enough. Such a failure can have other negative consequences. An underheated engine also means increased fuel consumption. Due to the thickness, cold oil also lubricates worse.
– Depending on the engine type, the thermostat should only open at 75-85 degrees Celsius to prevent the drive from overheating. Below this temperature, it must be closed so that the engine does not lose heat. Higher opening temperatures usually occur in more powerful engines that need more heat to load at full power, explains Miroslav Kwasniak, lecturer at the Complex of Automobile Schools in Rzeszow.
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Fortunately, replacing a thermostat usually doesn't cost much. For example, for 2,0 TFSI engines from the Volkswagen group, this costs about PLN 100. In the case of the VI generation Honda Civic, it is even cheaper - about PLN 40-60. Since replacement is usually associated with a partial loss of coolant, the cost of refilling it must be added.
The third option after the heating element and thermostat is the control
It happens that the buttons and levers that control the system directly from the passenger compartment are also responsible for heating problems in the car. Very often one of them opens the valve in the heater. Often, dampers that control air flow and temperature are also controlled by unreliable electronic systems. A malfunction can often be diagnosed by listening to how the airflow behaves after pressing a given button or moving a lever. If the airflow is blowing with the same force and you can't hear the flaps moving inside, you can assume that they are causing problems.
Problems with heated windows - we often repair rear window heating
Unfortunately, over time, the window heating system is also increasingly susceptible to damage. Problems most often relate to the rear window, covered with heating strips on the inner surface. The most common cause of problems is a break in the continuity of the heating fibers, for example when wiping the glass with a rag or sponge.
Many failures are also the result of aging components, which simply wear out over time and often corrode. If there are several stripes on the glass, it is best to replace it with a new one. Repairing the heating of the rear window of individual fibers by a specialist is expensive and does not guarantee that the following will not stop heating in the near future in another place. And it is not always possible to repair the defects of the slats on your own, using conductive adhesives and varnishes. We will buy a new rear window for the most popular models for about PLN 400-500.
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Be aware that driving with damaged heating can result in glass breakage. This is especially likely in the case of so-called spot heating. You can recognize them by hot spots on frozen glass. This results in stresses due to temperature differences. Therefore, it is necessary to repair the rear window heater or replace it.
