Commuting in the early morning can be stressful enough, but if your car heating system goes out during the middle of winter, it can be downright miserable!
Not only will the interior of your car feel like an ice box, but a malfunctioning heater can prevent the defroster from sending warm air to the windshield to eliminate fog and ice, which can be hazardous while driving. And, if you end up stranded for some reason, not having a heater in your car could become a dire situation.
Car heating systems can malfunction for several reasons, including:
- A faulty thermostat that doesn’t allow the engine to warm up properly
- Coolant that has become contaminated with rust particles; this prevents the heating core from circulating air properly inside the vehicle
- A faulty blower fan
Depending on the cause, different types of repair would be needed. In a vehicle, there isn’t an actual heater unit, such as a furnace in your home, which can be replaced. Instead there’s a combination of components that deliver heat into your car. This makes it difficult to estimate a cost because a wide range of problems are possible.
One of the most common car heating issues is a leak in the coolant system or a decrease in the coolant level. Coolant cannot evaporate on its own. While topping it up may offer a short-term solution, it’s usually a sign of a more serious problem.
