Are you wondering why does my car heater blow cold air? We all know that a car heater is a perfect solution to keep you warm in extremely cold weather. When you get into your car, and it blows a little cool air, don’t worry, as this is normal.
However, if this cool air doesn’t get hot, there may be some problems. The reason for a car heater blowing cold air could vary; either there is some problem with the thermostat or a defective part. This issue may also arise when the coolant fails to work.
The thing is that different parts raise the temperature of the car through a car heater. For a properly functioning car heater, the thermostat and the coolant in the engine should be in the best condition. My dear friends, if you want to know why your car heater is blowing cold air, scroll down!
Reasons Why Does Your Car Heater Blow Cold Air?
Looking for reasons why does my car heater blow cold air? Below I’ve discussed a few primary reasons that cause the malfunctioning of a car heater.
#1. Defective thermostat
If your car heater is not working properly, then the first thought that comes to your mind is that maybe the thermostat is broken. All cars have a thermostat gauge that signals the heater to raise the temperature when the engine coolant gets hot. The C moved to H, and the heater started blowing hot or warm air in your car. But when the thermostat is defective, it doesn’t signal the temperature of the engine coolant resulting in cold air in the car. If the thermostat is closed, the coolant will get hot, and the heater will blow extra jot air. While if the thermostat is open, there will be a continuous flow of coolant blowing cold air.
#2. Problematic heater core
Another critical component that can affect the temperature of the heater car if defected is the heater core. The heater core has a small tube structure passage and a fan. The coolant travels through this tube, and the fan is there to blow hot air. But if your car heater is blowing cold air, this may be because the coolant isn’t reaching the tubing and fan. This may be due to different particles or dirt stuck in the tubing that doesn’t allow the coolant to get to the fan. Hence, your car heater will throw cold air. You may also be interested to know about can you drive your car if the heater core is bad.
#3. Low coolant
What is the coolant in the car? The coolant is a liquid present in a car’s engine, also known as a coolant engine, and it is responsible for keeping the temperature of the vehicle a little high. But when the coolant quantity is very less, an adequate amount of coolant will fail to reach the heater core. This will cause the car temperature to drop immediately. The low coolant quantity can be due to some leakages that need to be fixed, and your car heater will start working again.
Often, the car heater blowing cold air is not due to a problem in the internal parts of the heater. It can be due to the improper working of external control buttons of the heater. Over time, these buttons get dirty, and debris gets stuck, making it very difficult to set the temperature to the desired value. And when you fail to set the temperature, it automatically results in either cold or hot air.
#5. Leakages
Your car heater blowing cold air can also be due to leakage in any part of the car. If your water pump, hose, coolant engine, or any other component is leaking fluid, it is challenging for the car’s heater to blow warm air. So, cold air will be all you experience.
How Does A Car Heater Work?
A car heater is dependent on three primary components that help raise the temperature of a car and provide a warm environment on freezing days. These components include:
- Thermostat
- Coolant
- Heater core
When the engine coolant temperature rises, it goes straight to the valve-like part called the thermostat, and then the thermostat carries it to the radiator. The radiator is a heater core with a narrow tube and fan to carry and disperse the warm air. If any of these parts get defective, the overall flow of hot air will be terminated. The traveling of coolant till it reaches the fan is also responsible for a little cold air when you start the car’s heater. But if it keeps throwing cold air, that is when you must get your car heater checked and fixed correctly.
It’s A Wrap!
A car heater is an excellent thing that keeps you warm and comfortable when freezing weather is outside. You can easily travel in cold weather with an efficient working car heater. But is your car heater blowing cold air, and you don’t know the possible reason? I hope now you have got a basic answer to the question, why does my car heater blow cold air? You can also find quick tips on how to fix a car heater. Don’t hesitate to know these things too; read about how to test heater core and how to tell if heater core is clogged.