Blasting the heat on your morning commute is one of the top escapes from blustery winter weather. While the heater does take a few minutes to warm up, getting a blast of cold air instead of hot can be a quick way to ruin your morning.
Just like your home furnace, there are many components of a vehicle’s heating system that must work together to provide heat—and when one or two of those parts fail, you’ll be left with nothing but cold air.
Unless you’re a mechanic, knowing the exact cause of a car heater not working in Madison, TN can be tricky. This post will cover a few of the top reasons heaters fail and how our pros at Madison Muffler & Auto Repair can help.
Low coolant levels
You may already know that coolant is used to prevent your engine from overheating and keeps your vehicle running at peak performance. But it’s also pulled from the engine by the heater core and used to warm the cabin. When your car runs low on coolant, the heater core can’t perform its job and you’re left with cold air.
You can purchase coolant from the auto shop and refill the reservoir yourself. But if you have a coolant leak, you’ll need to seek professional help to get that leak patched up and refill the coolant reservoir.
Heater core issues
Any problems with the heating core—which is responsible for warming the cabin by transferring coolant from the engine, creating hot air and blowing it out through the vents—will result in cold air coming from the vents. Although only a mechanic will know for sure, common signs that the heater core is malfunctioning include fog inside the car, an overheating engine or a sweet-smelling aroma coming from the vents.
Our trusty mechanics can definitively say whether your car heater problems in Madison, TN are with the heater core and set the issue straight by replacing the part.
Broken heater control valve
The heater control valve is the switch that turns the heat on and off. It’s located under the hood, so it can experience quite a bit of wear and tear throughout the years. If it gets gummed up or breaks, your car will only be able to produce cold air from the vents. Our mechanics will either be able to repair or replace the valve to remedy your car heater problems in Madison, TN.
Water leakage
A few drops of water coming from the undercarriage is common and not something you need to really worry about. However, a massive water leak needs to be addressed right away. Water leaking out from a hose, the radiator or the water pump will cause heat loss and some other problems, as well. Your mechanic can find the source of the leak and fix it right away.
Auto issues? Turn to the professionals
Come see the team at Madison Muffler & Auto Repair as soon as you notice your car heater not working in Madison, TN. In addition to fixing your heating system, we provide a wide array of services that help ensure your car runs its best.