Car heater problem

[Frazod]

For the car guys - The heater on my '06 Impala is screwing up. - will only blow warm air when the car is moving. Eventually it starts working correctly, but it takes longer than I generally drive on an average day, and there's no way I could defrost the windows right now if I needed to. Obviously need to get this addressed quickly.

Any thoughts?

[Brock]

temp gauge says what?

[Frazod]

Temperature gauge is normal. Car runs normally.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Thermostat stuck

[Brock]

Probably an air bubble in the coolant line.

[tooge]

2006 impala

[TrebMaxx]

Thermostat stuck

My thought as well.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Thermostat stuck


This

[Brock]

My thought as well.

That was my thought, but wouldn't that show as an irregularly low temp on the gauge?

[MIAdragon]

Check your coolant, if you're low it will allow air in to the system and will mess with the heat.

[Frazod]

Is the themostat a relatively easy thing to fix/replace?

[Frazod]

Check your coolant, if you're low it will allow air in to the system and will mess with the heat.

Cool, I can do this for free. :thumb:

[MIAdragon]

That was my thought, but wouldn't that show as an irregularly low temp on the gauge?

Yep, its air in the system from low coolant. Just hope its not a popped head gasket.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

That was my thought, but wouldn't that show as an irregularly low temp on the gauge?

No . It will show a little hotter when the engine warms up until the thermostat opens and then it will normalize. If you're not focusing on watching the temp guage thru the process you won't really notice.

[Frazod]

Yep, its air in the system from low coolant. Just hope its not a popped head gasket.

That doesn't sound good.

Car has relatively low miles for it's age - around 61-62,000.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Is the themostat a relatively easy thing to fix/replace?

Yes, should be in the housing at the end of your top heater hose. remove two bolts . theres a gasket you'll need to replace. Google it. 99% chance there's a quick youtube vid to show how easy it is.

[Frosty]

Yep, its air in the system from low coolant. Just hope its not a popped head gasket.

Probably not a head gasket but GM V-6's are notorious for having intake gasket problems which can cause them to burn and/or leak coolant.

[Frazod]

Yes, should be in the housing at the end of your top heater hose. remove two bolts . theres a gasket you'll need to replace. Google it. 99% chance there's a quick youtube vid to show how easy it is.

I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, everybody.

[TrebMaxx]

http://www.ehow.com/how_6081166_replace-thermostat-2006-chevolet-impala.html

[Radar Chief]

Yep, its air in the system from low coolant. Just hope its not a popped head gasket.

Mrs. Radar’s Liberty did the same thing last winter, water pump went bad and leaked coolant out.

[SAUTO]

Probably not a head gasket but GM V-6's are notorious for having intake gasket problems which can cause them to burn and/or leak coolant.

LOL, they are notorious for head gasket issues as well.


but to FRAZ, sounds like the heater core could be partially plugged.



is it a 3.4 or a 3.8?

[Frazod]

LOL, they are notorious for head gasket issues as well.


but to FRAZ, sounds like the heater core could be partially plugged.



is it a 3.4 or a 3.8?

It's an LT, 3.5L.

[HemiEd]

Check your coolant, if you're low it will allow air in to the system and will mess with the heat.

This, I would suspect low coolant level first on this symptom.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

You're lucky Fraz, I think this is the first car repair advice I've given without suggesting to taste the gas.

[Frazod]

This, I would suspect low coolant level first on this symptom.

I'm hoping this is the problem - prior to this fall, it always heated up very quickly.

[Frazod]

You're lucky Fraz, I think this is the first car repair advice I've given without suggesting to taste the gas.

Heh. I'm not that stupid. :D

[Holladay]

and no anti-freeze jokes

[HemiEd]

I'm hoping this is the problem - prior to this fall, it always heated up very quickly.

Yeah, with the hot summer we had, and being a 2006 it would make sense. Have you changed the coolant yet? I do it every 4 years on my stuff.

If that is not it, a thermostat would be a pretty simple second step. Better to do that stuff now than in January. :D
If it is the original hoses, I would do those as well.

[Frazod]

Yeah, with the hot summer we had, and being a 2006 it would make sense. Have you changed the coolant yet? I do it every 4 years on my stuff.

If that is not it, a thermostat would be a pretty simple second step. Better to do that stuff now than in January. :D
If it is the original hoses, I would do those as well.

Yeah, everything is original, including the coolant. And yes, this will be dealt with quickly.

[BlackHelicopters]

war is almost over. probably get parts soon.

[displacedinMN]

Not a mechanic but

If it only blows hot air when it is moving, look into the low end blower motor relay.
My 04 dakota had this issue-many did

Stopped at a stop sign, feet got cold, When I hit the gas, blast of hot air.

I used streamers to figure this out. Taped it to the vents, they quit blowing at idle and moved at full speed.

[JoeyChuckles]

From a non car guy, my suggestion is to just keep moving. Pretend you are in the movie Speed.

[ArrowheadMagic]

Have you tried shooting it?

[chefsos]

Have you tried shooting it?What, and lose all that delicious antifreeze?and no anti-freeze jokesThere you go.

[SAUTO]

It's an LT, 3.5L.

The thermostat in that motor is in the lower hose. If it was stuck open it would throw a check engine light. It has a rubber seal that seals it closed that fails and coolant flows all the time but they throw that light 99 percent of the time even if it gets warm enough for the gauge to look right.

They also have a gasket behind the water pump that seeps and loses coolant. metal with a rubber insert. when is replaced you put a regular type gasket on it IMO.
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[stevieray]

coolant, thermostat, gaskets, hoses, blower motor, heater core(if applicable) radiator

process of elimination.

[SAUTO]

That car would have to be quite low on coolant to have the heater issue he is talking about.
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[SAUTO]

http://www.ehow.com/how_6081166_replace-thermostat-2006-chevolet-impala.html
This is wrong.
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[Jewish Rabbi]

Head gasket bro. Same thing happened to me last winter. Thank god my car was still under warranty for another 6 months.

[SAUTO]

I haven't fixed or heard of the head gasket issues with the 3.5
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[SAUTO]

ALSO there is a bleed valve made into that thermostat and is HAS to be positioned at 12 O'clock
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[TrebMaxx]

This is wrong.
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Well, I didn't write it. Sorry for any misleading info. :thumb:

[Gonzo]

That car would have to be quite low on coolant to have the heater issue he is talking about.
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This. It's gotta be a leak. It would throw a code if the thermostat is sticky, right?

That's been a GM feature for a while I think.
Could be any number of gaskets.

[SAUTO]

This. It's gotta be a leak. It would throw a code if the thermostat is sticky, right?

That's been a GM feature for a while I think.
Could be any number of gaskets. yep if they are three degrees cool iirc.

I'm betting either the water pump gasket, just replace the pump at that point, or that STUPID FUCKING GM COOLANT has sludged up the heater core and it is taking more flow to get through.

My money is on the core needing flushed.
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[SAUTO]

Well, I didn't write it. Sorry for any misleading info. :thumb:

I know. That car must be a late 06 I found the same info, but it was all for the 3.4. All the 07 info was on the 3.5 and in the lower hose at the motor. Just did one Friday.
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[Frazod]

The thermostat in that motor is in the lower hose. If it was stuck open it would throw a check engine light. It has a rubber seal that seals it closed that fails and coolant flows all the time but they throw that light 99 percent of the time even if it gets warm enough for the gauge to look right.

They also have a gasket behind the water pump that seeps and loses coolant. metal with a rubber insert. when is replaced you put a regular type gasket on it IMO.
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I topped off the fluid and it didn't have any effect. Not getting a check engine light.

One of my friends is putting in some calls to a couple of his mechanic friends. Sounds like this is out of my league, and in any event my crawling under cars days are over. :D

[SAUTO]

My money is on the core being partially plugged. Those throw a code pretty easily.usually WAY before people realize anything is different.
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[Frazod]

Another thing that's odd - like I said, the heater works when the car's moving, but when it does, it seems extra warm.

That's probably not a good thing, either.

Maybe I should just go trade it in before the weather gets cold.

[Gonzo]

yep if they are three degrees cool iirc.

I'm betting either the water pump gasket, just replace the pump at that point, or that STUPID FUCKING GM COOLANT has sludged up the heater core and it is taking more flow to get through.

My money is on the core needing flushed.
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Thy still putting ginger root in the fucking coolant too?
We did that at Saturn... Fucking dumb.

[SAUTO]

Another thing that's odd - like I said, the heater works when the car's moving, but when it does, it seems extra warm.

That's probably not a good thing, either.

Maybe I should just go trade it in before the weather gets cold.
wouldn't be too much for me to fix I would bet. Cost wise. But that fuel bill would suck lol.

Shouldn't be too pricey
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[Frazod]

wouldn't be too much for me to fix I would bet. Cost wise. But that fuel bill would suck lol.

Shouldn't be too pricey
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Yeah, my buddy concurs, should be a couple of hundred dollar fix as long as I don't take it to a dealership, which I won't.

[SAUTO]

I would call around to radiator shops
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