Heater doesn't work

Tiny
GOODWILLTOALL
  • MEMBER
  • 2003 SATURN VUE
  • 6 CYL
  • AWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 79,240 MILES
The fan blower works, but it doesn't produce heat.
Monday, February 2nd, 2009 AT 10:46 AM

32 Replies

Tiny
RACEFAN966
  • MECHANIC
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It sounds like the blend door actuator isn't working right. If you feel comfortable enough and have a digital multi meter I can walk you throught the tests to make sure. Let me know what you would like to do and we will go from there.
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Monday, February 2nd, 2009 AT 1:21 PM
Tiny
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I do have a digital multimeter, so lets go from there
Thanks
Dennis
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Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 AT 10:08 AM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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So I need to know if you have automatic a/c heating or manual. Meaning do you have climate control or not. Your radiator is full right? Get back to me so I can get the correct procedures for testing. Thanks.
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Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 AT 10:36 AM
Tiny
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I have manual HVAC, yes the radiator is full.
Thanks
Dennis
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Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 AT 11:06 AM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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Ok first you need to check the temperature door cable to make sure it is connected and not bend or bound up here is a pic of the heater system hope this helps let me know what you find and we go to the next step. The cable is number 7


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/249564_Graphic3_3.jpg

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Wednesday, February 4th, 2009 AT 9:21 PM
Tiny
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The temp door cable is secure and doesn't appear to be bent or bound up
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Thursday, February 5th, 2009 AT 11:29 AM
Tiny
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Hi,
I tried to send you guys a reply yesterday, but I'm not sure it went thru. Anyway, the temp door cable seems to be secured and not bent or bound up.
Thanks
Dennis
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Friday, February 6th, 2009 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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Is the door closing all the way? If so then you will need to let the car get to operating temp and then feel the heater hoses are they the same temp? If not the heater core may be pluged.
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Friday, February 6th, 2009 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
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Hi Guys,
I ran it up to oper. Temp I checked all the hose I could find and none of them were even warm. I also noticed that there is maybe a plastic duct ( "V" shaped") going thru the fire wall, but it isn't hooked up to anything on the engine side, isn't that where the hot air is supposed to go?
Dennis
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Friday, February 6th, 2009 AT 11:22 AM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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Ok how a heater system works is the engine gets hot (operating temp) and so the coolant gets hot this makes the heater core hot and the blend door directs the air through the heater core warming the air. So if the hoses to the core are not getting warm then make sure the coolant in the radiator is full and do me one more favor after the car is warmed up the upper radiator hose should be hot and the lower hose should be cooler by about 30 deg. Let me know what you find so I can try to point you in the right direction. If you have any pic you would like to include that might help or are just in question feel free to add them. Thanks.
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Saturday, February 7th, 2009 AT 9:02 AM
Tiny
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Hi Guys,
Correction.I re-checked the heater hoses and found them both to be the same warmth after getting up to op. Temp. Sorry for the mix-up. Also the radiator hoses seem to be ok as the top one is about 30 degrees warmer than the bottom hose.
Thanks
Dennis
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Saturday, February 7th, 2009 AT 12:57 PM
Tiny
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Then it should be a blend door problem in some way. Either it is not shutting all the way and directing the air the through the heater core or maybe something fell down the vent like a pen or something and is stopping the door from closing. Is there an access to the blend door area so you can look to see if anything is in it?
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Monday, February 9th, 2009 AT 10:00 AM
Tiny
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Hi Guys,
Can you tell me how to check to see if the blend door is operating properly?
Thanks
Dennis
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Monday, February 9th, 2009 AT 11:10 AM
Tiny
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Ok if you refer back to were the pic is you will see number 4 this is the blower motor. It looks rather easy to remove so unplug it and remove it now the door should be cable operated so there is no need to have the car runnig. Reach up in the hole and make sure nothing is in there that may have dropped down through the vents and then use the temp control and move it from cool to warm and see if the door opens and shuts all the way. Let me know what you find and we will go from there.
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Monday, February 9th, 2009 AT 7:56 PM
Tiny
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Hi Guys,
I unpluged and took off what I thought was the blower, but it turned out to be an air intake which went from the front of the car thru an empty box with a paper filter thru a plastic hose to the top of the engine, There does seem to be what looks like a blower motor adjacent and to the right of this thing, at the front of the engine. It has two elec wires attached. Is this what I'm looking for?
Sorry to be so ummechanical
Thanks
Dennis
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Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 AT 12:48 PM
Tiny
RACEFAN966
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Ok if I understand you correctly you just romoved the air filter for the engine. The heater box is inside the car behind the glove box. So if you look under the dash behind the glove box you should see the blower motor looking down at you. If you look at the pic I send and will include again it is number 4. Let me know how it goes.


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/249564_Graphic3_3.jpg

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Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 AT 9:46 AM
Tiny
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Hi Guys,
O.K. Back on track.I unplugged the blwr mtr and removed it. Reached up into the space and didn't find anything blocking. However, I moved the temp control knob back and forth and didn't see any difference up into the void. Although, sometimes when I move the temp knob I hear a faint thud in that area, but not all the time.
Look forward to hearing back from you guys
Dennis
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Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 AT 12:52 PM
Tiny
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Ok that thud is the door shutting now you need to look at the cable and such as you move the temp control and see if anything is binding as you move it. When you do not hear that thud means that the door didn't move now the question is why. From what I can find on your system is sounds like the temp control module is not working correctly. This module controls the operation of the temp the door and such. Now when you put it to heat and you hear that thud then start the car and let get to operating temp does it blow warm or hot air then? If so then the Module is you problem. Get back to me with what you find.
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Thursday, February 12th, 2009 AT 10:04 AM
Tiny
GOODWILLTOALL
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Hi Guys,
I turned the temp control knob, heard the thud, then started the car to op. Temp. It still blew cool air.
Thanks
Dennis
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Thursday, February 12th, 2009 AT 11:27 AM
Tiny
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Do you have a fresh air option? If so if you go to recirculate will that change?
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Saturday, February 14th, 2009 AT 12:34 PM

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