Heater Blows Cold Air(im freezing)
11-23-2008, 01:12 PM
#1
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
Heater Blows Cold Air(im freezing)
Hey guys,
Im back again.I have a 99 3.2tl with 157,000. When I turn on the heater to 90 degress it does not blow hot air instead it blows cold air. Is there anyone that might have an idea of why its doing this. I don't use the heater and ac often. I maybe used it 5X during the summer and 5X during the winter season last year and they were working fine. The AC is perfect, it does not have any problems. What i noticed though, when i warm up the car it gives a very slushy noise, im thinking its the tubes, in the dash without the heater or ac being on (if this has anything to do with it).I will be changing the timing belt soon because I need to, will this help out the heater problem or is it tottaly independent?. If anyone has any ideas please let me know thanks.
99three2l
Northern VA
Im back again.I have a 99 3.2tl with 157,000. When I turn on the heater to 90 degress it does not blow hot air instead it blows cold air. Is there anyone that might have an idea of why its doing this. I don't use the heater and ac often. I maybe used it 5X during the summer and 5X during the winter season last year and they were working fine. The AC is perfect, it does not have any problems. What i noticed though, when i warm up the car it gives a very slushy noise, im thinking its the tubes, in the dash without the heater or ac being on (if this has anything to do with it).I will be changing the timing belt soon because I need to, will this help out the heater problem or is it tottaly independent?. If anyone has any ideas please let me know thanks.
99three2l
Northern VA
The following users liked this post:
tiwi marina (10-16-2020)
11-23-2008, 01:42 PM
#3
^^umm no.
try turning your car on. and then pressing the OFF button on your AC to make sure the entire unit is off, then turn your car off. wait a bit and then start up your car, let it warm up, and THEN turn the heat on. this usually works for me
try turning your car on. and then pressing the OFF button on your AC to make sure the entire unit is off, then turn your car off. wait a bit and then start up your car, let it warm up, and THEN turn the heat on. this usually works for me
11-23-2008, 08:18 PM
#5
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
It turns out I was low on Antifreeze..so i put some in...I drove the car for about 15mins then turned on the heater...still no heat just cold air but not as cold as the cold AC air..any more suggestions?
11-23-2008, 08:23 PM
#7
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
Yeah the problem is, every time i take my car for a checkup at the dealership they come out with more problem details than i went in for..So what do you think is wrong with the heater core because the ac works fine?
Trending Topics
11-23-2008, 08:26 PM
#8
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
It turns out I was low on Antifreeze..so i put some in...I drove the car for about 15mins then turned on the heater...still no heat just cold air but not as cold as the cold AC air..any more suggestions?
11-23-2008, 08:27 PM
#9
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
I did exactly as you did still im not getting any heat..im thinking it deals with the timing belt since i need to change it asap...what do you think?
11-23-2008, 09:12 PM
#10
actually when was the last time u did a coolant flush? does the car temp ever raise ie. the gauges? does ur rad cap get hot? cuz to me seems thats the coolant in the heatercore is not hot enuff to give out heat. so it can be a prob even in ur coolant system, or even something like a stuck closed tstat..
11-23-2008, 09:20 PM
#11
'03 ABP YA4-S 6MT
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Edmonton, AB
Age: 37
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
18 Posts
umm yes.
i agree, the sounds are probably bubbles in the system.. do a coolant flush or at the very least, try to get the bubbles out. and just to check, you do mean it's blowing cold air when the car is warm right?
i agree, the sounds are probably bubbles in the system.. do a coolant flush or at the very least, try to get the bubbles out. and just to check, you do mean it's blowing cold air when the car is warm right?
11-23-2008, 09:30 PM
#12
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
actually when was the last time u did a coolant flush? does the car temp ever raise ie. the gauges? does ur rad cap get hot? cuz to me seems thats the coolant in the heatercore is not hot enuff to give out heat. so it can be a prob even in ur coolant system, or even something like a stuck closed tstat..
11-23-2008, 09:33 PM
#13
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
yea the heater is blowing cold air after warming up. Its cold air on 90degree max but not as cold as the 60 degrees AC. Can I do a coolant flush by myself or do I need to take it to a mechanic? how do i get the bubbles out?
11-23-2008, 09:40 PM
#14
Drifting
I've noticed on mine that if the temp. control is set somewhere between the extremes (not fully clockwise or counterclockwise) when I first start the car, and after it warms up, sometimes the heater won't work. Discovered that if I turn the temp. control fully clockwise (max. heat) & leave it there for a few seconds, then turn it back down to where I want it, it will work. 
11-23-2008, 09:40 PM
#15
I had the same problem. This fixed it for me:
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
The following users liked this post:
tiwi marina (10-16-2020)
11-23-2008, 09:51 PM
#17
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
I had the same problem. This fixed it for me:
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
11-23-2008, 09:55 PM
#18
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
I've noticed on mine that if the temp. control is set somewhere between the extremes (not fully clockwise or counterclockwise) when I first start the car, and after it warms up, sometimes the heater won't work. Discovered that if I turn the temp. control fully clockwise (max. heat) & leave it there for a few seconds, then turn it back down to where I want it, it will work.
11-23-2008, 11:00 PM
#20
I'm going from my very fuzzy memory, so look it up yourself as others have posted much more clearer instructions.
11-24-2008, 10:48 AM
#21
I had the same problem. This fixed it for me:
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
In the engine compartment, there's a cable that goes through the firewall (i.e. into the passenger compartment). You can reach it from the passenger side. This cable has a plastic cover that retracts and extends and has something to do with the heating. When it "sticks", you won't get heat. I just wiped it with a damp paper towel to get rid of the accumulated dirt and retracted/extended it to loosen it up and then I got heat. Some people put WD-40 on it, but I didn't bother.
I got this solution by googling my problem and I included Accords in my search, but don't recall if this solution was from an Accord-related board or this one. Some other people say there's a green part in the passenger side near the glove compartment that fails, but I didn't need to check that part. Sorry I don't have more specifics. If I found it by googling, you can too.
11-24-2008, 11:08 AM
#22
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
Open the hood, stand on the passenger side, look for a thin black/grey cable (well, mine was dirty) that goes into the firewall (the side that separates the passenger compartment from the engine compartment). The plastic covering it was thin, as well. There's only a handful of things that pass through the firewall; you'll find it.
I'm going from my very fuzzy memory, so look it up yourself as others have posted much more clearer instructions.
I'm going from my very fuzzy memory, so look it up yourself as others have posted much more clearer instructions.
11-24-2008, 11:11 AM
#23
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
i think I am having problems locating the actual cable...does it run from the fuse box into the passenger firewall?...i found a black cable that has three wires inside it that runs from the fuse box into the firewall and cleaned it but still no heat
11-24-2008, 11:35 AM
#24
https://acurazine.com/forums/2g-tl-problems-fixes-117/have-ac-but-no-heat-686910/
Good luck!
11-24-2008, 12:11 PM
#25
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
See the cable location information in the following thread:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=686910
Good luck!
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=686910
Good luck!
11-24-2008, 12:18 PM
#26
'03 ABP YA4-S 6MT
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Edmonton, AB
Age: 37
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
18 Posts
tstat: thermostat. it controls the flow of coolant in your engine when the coolant reaches a certain temp (it's usually 105deg C).. if it is stuck open, then coolant always flows and never really has time to heat up.
11-24-2008, 12:21 PM
#27
Cruisin'
Thread Starter
how can i find it? im getting different answers from different people but im thinking this is the problem since i am hearing slushing sound coming from the dash while idling or in park.
11-24-2008, 12:42 PM
#28
These are the comments I was referring to:
...if you look under the passenger side dash, on the left of the glove box. there is a black box with a green plug. this is a blend door motor. they go bad all the time. to check, put the ac off and blower on high. put temp at 60 deg. then watch the motor as you raise the temp it should move. if it doesn't then there's your problem. also in the engine bay on the fire wall, check the heater valve and make sure it moves. it's just above the rear mount. there will be a cable that runs in to the fire wall.
I didn't want to accept defeat so I gathered my tools: sweater, flashlight and my ultra bright led keychain and headed out to the driveway. At first I couldn't make out which one is the heater valve, but after a minute or two of poking at every thing by the firewall I finally found that little valve.......
.....After I wiggled it couple times, I started my car and waited for it to warm up a bit. Then turned the heat on, and warm air starting blowing. Awesome! Then I went back to the hood to spray some WD 40 around the area of the heating valve since the car was too fat to fit under the strut bar. Thank you, 240 acura tech for the tip, I'd have end up taking it to the stealership and get ripped off. Awesome people on this site!
...if you look under the passenger side dash, on the left of the glove box. there is a black box with a green plug. this is a blend door motor. they go bad all the time. to check, put the ac off and blower on high. put temp at 60 deg. then watch the motor as you raise the temp it should move. if it doesn't then there's your problem. also in the engine bay on the fire wall, check the heater valve and make sure it moves. it's just above the rear mount. there will be a cable that runs in to the fire wall.
I didn't want to accept defeat so I gathered my tools: sweater, flashlight and my ultra bright led keychain and headed out to the driveway. At first I couldn't make out which one is the heater valve, but after a minute or two of poking at every thing by the firewall I finally found that little valve.......
.....After I wiggled it couple times, I started my car and waited for it to warm up a bit. Then turned the heat on, and warm air starting blowing. Awesome! Then I went back to the hood to spray some WD 40 around the area of the heating valve since the car was too fat to fit under the strut bar. Thank you, 240 acura tech for the tip, I'd have end up taking it to the stealership and get ripped off. Awesome people on this site!
The following users liked this post:
frodaddy (11-08-2014)
11-24-2008, 07:18 PM
#29
These are the comments I was referring to:
...if you look under the passenger side dash, on the left of the glove box. there is a black box with a green plug. this is a blend door motor. they go bad all the time. to check, put the ac off and blower on high. put temp at 60 deg. then watch the motor as you raise the temp it should move. if it doesn't then there's your problem. also in the engine bay on the fire wall, check the heater valve and make sure it moves. it's just above the rear mount. there will be a cable that runs in to the fire wall.
I didn't want to accept defeat so I gathered my tools: sweater, flashlight and my ultra bright led keychain and headed out to the driveway. At first I couldn't make out which one is the heater valve, but after a minute or two of poking at every thing by the firewall I finally found that little valve.......
.....After I wiggled it couple times, I started my car and waited for it to warm up a bit. Then turned the heat on, and warm air starting blowing. Awesome! Then I went back to the hood to spray some WD 40 around the area of the heating valve since the car was too fat to fit under the strut bar. Thank you, 240 acura tech for the tip, I'd have end up taking it to the stealership and get ripped off. Awesome people on this site!
...if you look under the passenger side dash, on the left of the glove box. there is a black box with a green plug. this is a blend door motor. they go bad all the time. to check, put the ac off and blower on high. put temp at 60 deg. then watch the motor as you raise the temp it should move. if it doesn't then there's your problem. also in the engine bay on the fire wall, check the heater valve and make sure it moves. it's just above the rear mount. there will be a cable that runs in to the fire wall.
I didn't want to accept defeat so I gathered my tools: sweater, flashlight and my ultra bright led keychain and headed out to the driveway. At first I couldn't make out which one is the heater valve, but after a minute or two of poking at every thing by the firewall I finally found that little valve.......
.....After I wiggled it couple times, I started my car and waited for it to warm up a bit. Then turned the heat on, and warm air starting blowing. Awesome! Then I went back to the hood to spray some WD 40 around the area of the heating valve since the car was too fat to fit under the strut bar. Thank you, 240 acura tech for the tip, I'd have end up taking it to the stealership and get ripped off. Awesome people on this site!
The following users liked this post:
frodaddy (11-08-2014)
05-20-2009, 04:54 PM
#30
Racer
Slight variation on the theme: For "years" I've been freezing from the "Auto" A/C even on a Texas summer day. My fix all along has been to crank the control all the way over to 90, wait for the dampers to do their thing and heat starts coming out. Then I reset it to where I want. Works OK until I shut off and restart. The dealer wants $107 just to diagnose it - he says it would be cheaper to keep doing what I've been doing. Am I "the only one in the whole world" with this problem? ('01 TL with 117K miles.)
05-22-2009, 09:20 PM
#33
Racer
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wilmington, DE
Age: 36
Posts: 359
Likes: 0
Received 20 Likes
on
2 Posts
I had the same exact problem 2 months ago on my 1999 Acura 3.2 TL. One day my mom was driving the car and the car warmed up to the operating temperature, we turned the heater on to warm the inside cabin and found out it was blowing hot air.
I checked for low coolant and found the coolant level was good, checked to see if the thermostat was opening to early and replace it with Acura and that didn't solve the problem. It was a few days I couldn't actually drive the car and had my mom drive me to a shuttle to go to work because the car defoster wouldn't work to clear the windows. One day after a serious snow storm in Delaware. I went in checked the heater hoses in the engine bay that were going to the firewall. They were both hot so I figured that coolant is getting in and out the heater core. I then checked the valve that controls the coolant to the heater core and found it was sticky. I toggled with it a few and went in the car and turned the heater on. It still was blowing cool air. I got fed up and checked under the passenger side of the vehicle of the car in saw a little motor device that controls the blend door. As It is a small black box that has a white arm that has a metal arm that moves when you turn the temperture dial on the dash. As I moved the white arm manual as I was turning the temperature dial the hot heat began blowing out!!
I'm not sure if the blend door motor is going bad or not but after messing with that little motor the car from that point forward has been blowing heat!
I would check that out, that could be your problem. It worked for me and solved it.
I checked for low coolant and found the coolant level was good, checked to see if the thermostat was opening to early and replace it with Acura and that didn't solve the problem. It was a few days I couldn't actually drive the car and had my mom drive me to a shuttle to go to work because the car defoster wouldn't work to clear the windows. One day after a serious snow storm in Delaware. I went in checked the heater hoses in the engine bay that were going to the firewall. They were both hot so I figured that coolant is getting in and out the heater core. I then checked the valve that controls the coolant to the heater core and found it was sticky. I toggled with it a few and went in the car and turned the heater on. It still was blowing cool air. I got fed up and checked under the passenger side of the vehicle of the car in saw a little motor device that controls the blend door. As It is a small black box that has a white arm that has a metal arm that moves when you turn the temperture dial on the dash. As I moved the white arm manual as I was turning the temperature dial the hot heat began blowing out!!
I'm not sure if the blend door motor is going bad or not but after messing with that little motor the car from that point forward has been blowing heat!
I would check that out, that could be your problem. It worked for me and solved it.
05-24-2009, 06:32 AM
#34
Always Working In
Great! Easy fix!
This was something I always wondered about too. I've always done the cheap fix and turned the knob to max heat. I read in the owners manual that this engages the heat only. My problem was when adjusting to about 75 degrees where I like it, I would sometimes get the a/c and heater mix and sometimes it would only blow cold. Can you imagine how happy I am to find this post? I hoped I wasn't going to replace a climate control unit. My mom replaced hers on her MB E320 and it cost her around $2000! Thanks to all you guys and your diligence in figuring out all the little problem fixes. I'm with the other member ^. I'm not going to the stealership unless its to get parts from acura carland. They rock! 
Thanks again to all of Acurazine. 
Thanks again to all of Acurazine.
04-16-2010, 07:30 PM
#35
1st Gear
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This worked for me on my 2000 TL. The silver/gray cable would stick and hold the a/c on cold (open). I loosened it by hand and just need to make sure I don't crank the auto all the way into the blue.
09-02-2010, 09:35 PM
#36
1st Gear
Join Date: Sep 2010
Age: 59
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Saved me 380.00 and time!
I had the same exact problem 2 months ago on my 1999 Acura 3.2 TL. One day my mom was driving the car and the car warmed up to the operating temperature, we turned the heater on to warm the inside cabin and found out it was blowing hot air.
I checked for low coolant and found the coolant level was good, checked to see if the thermostat was opening to early and replace it with Acura and that didn't solve the problem. It was a few days I couldn't actually drive the car and had my mom drive me to a shuttle to go to work because the car defoster wouldn't work to clear the windows. One day after a serious snow storm in Delaware. I went in checked the heater hoses in the engine bay that were going to the firewall. They were both hot so I figured that coolant is getting in and out the heater core. I then checked the valve that controls the coolant to the heater core and found it was sticky. I toggled with it a few and went in the car and turned the heater on. It still was blowing cool air. I got fed up and checked under the passenger side of the vehicle of the car in saw a little motor device that controls the blend door. As It is a small black box that has a white arm that has a metal arm that moves when you turn the temperture dial on the dash. As I moved the white arm manual as I was turning the temperature dial the hot heat began blowing out!!
I checked for low coolant and found the coolant level was good, checked to see if the thermostat was opening to early and replace it with Acura and that didn't solve the problem. It was a few days I couldn't actually drive the car and had my mom drive me to a shuttle to go to work because the car defoster wouldn't work to clear the windows. One day after a serious snow storm in Delaware. I went in checked the heater hoses in the engine bay that were going to the firewall. They were both hot so I figured that coolant is getting in and out the heater core. I then checked the valve that controls the coolant to the heater core and found it was sticky. I toggled with it a few and went in the car and turned the heater on. It still was blowing cool air. I got fed up and checked under the passenger side of the vehicle of the car in saw a little motor device that controls the blend door. As It is a small black box that has a white arm that has a metal arm that moves when you turn the temperture dial on the dash. As I moved the white arm manual as I was turning the temperature dial the hot heat began blowing out!!
10-20-2010, 04:53 PM
#38
Instructor
Pic:
heres a pic of it.it looks like a small throttle body(i guess you can say). i just loosened mine with some WD-40 since mine was stuck,thus explaining why its been on and off since early this year
but hope the pic helps anyone trying to find it.
its behind the engine so you'd have to get back there with some type of light source to make it easy to spot
Last edited by Jerzyboi; 10-20-2010 at 04:57 PM.
The following users liked this post:
YoungBull354 (03-06-2014)
10-24-2010, 10:44 PM
#39
Another pic
Here's another photo of the heater valve cable that tends to get stuck. I was changing my spark plugs recently and thought it would be a good opportunity to take a photo.
If you stand in front of the car, bend over and look at the rear spark plugs at the back of the engine. It's a bit lower than those spark plugs.
If you stand in front of the car, bend over and look at the rear spark plugs at the back of the engine. It's a bit lower than those spark plugs.
The following 4 users liked this post by wng:
AshJ (09-08-2011),
BLADE RUNNER (03-04-2013),
TheMightyQuinn (05-29-2013),
YoungBull354 (03-06-2014)
