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Ford fiesta heater broken

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  • 01-12-2009 1:03pm
    #1
    hidinginthebush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    So this is a problem I've had with the car for a long time that's become very noticable in recent times. The heater in my 98 ford fiesta is broken, completely broken, blows no air at all. A very small bit will drift up through the vents if the car has been warming up for a while, but apart from that, nothing.

    Just wondering if anyone could give an estimate on how much it will cost to get it fixed?

    Cheers!


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    #2
    cjt156
    Registered Users Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭cjt156


    Its your heater exchange solenoid. Basically a switch that brings hot coolant from your engine into your heater matrix. Very common for these to die on this model Fiesta. My wife had one go years ago . I picked one up in the North as I was there anyway & fitted it myself. Easy job for a backstreet mechanic if you don't want to DIY.
    I'd guess €60 for the part and similar for fitting.


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    #3
    Brabus
    Registered Users Posts: 162 ✭✭Brabus


    hidinginthebush wrote: »
    Hi all,

    So this is a problem I've had with the car for a long time that's become very noticable in recent times. The heater in my 98 ford fiesta is broken, completely broken, blows no air at all. A very small bit will drift up through the vents if the car has been warming up for a while, but apart from that, nothing.

    Just wondering if anyone could give an estimate on how much it will cost to get it fixed?

    Cheers!

    First thing that comes to mind is to check fuses.

    Second thing that comes to mind is resistor pack is finished(although I think this occurs when your setting is stuck on hot or cold air permanently).

    Here's an old thead with a little bit about it

    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055402943&highlight=Resistor+Pack

    The last entry has a little bit of info that could point you in the right direction.

    Hope thats of some help to you.


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    #4
    Anan1
    Registered Users Posts: 22,818 ✭✭✭✭Anan1


    Sounds to me like the heater fan isn't working. Do you get warm air in when the heater is set to hot and you're driving fast? (obviously with recirc off)


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    #5
    AzureAuto
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 233 ✭✭AzureAuto


    Does sound like the fan has gone. Prob pick one up from a scrapyard for 50 quid for the blower unit, but best to check fuses and supply voltage to blower first before spending any money.


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    #6
    hidinginthebush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭hidinginthebush


    Thanks for the replies lads. It's definitely isn't an issue to do with fuses, they're all working.

    @ Barabus, it's not the resistor pack, but thanks anyway :)

    So I suppose that leaves it down to either:
    cjt156 wrote:
    Its your heater exchange solenoid.
    or
    Anan1 wrote:
    Sounds to me like the heater fan isn't working. Do you get warm air in when the heater is set to hot and you're driving fast? (obviously with recirc off)

    cjt156, is there any easy way to check if this is the problem?

    Anan1, that is exactly what happens, it's a very faint draft of air, about as strong as your breath if you breathe out with your mouth fully open is how i'd describe it.

    Thanks for all the help everyone!


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    #7
    cjt156
    Registered Users Posts: 2,062 ✭✭✭cjt156


    Follow the coolant hoses up to where they pass through the bulkhead - from the engine bay into the cockpit. They'll be under the wipers, inside the bonnet. Big black hoses about an inch in diameter, with a warm engine you'll feel them hot.
    From here they pass through the solenoid and on the other side of the bulkhead they'll be cold - if so your solenoid isn't opening to allow the hot coolant through to your heater matrix.

    I'd be very surprised if it was anything else. When I bought the part from a Ford dealer in Derry he had a stock of them as they are a very common fail on this model. Two other people I know with a Fiesta and a Mazda 121 (same car) both had this issue and same root cause.


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    #8
    hidinginthebush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭hidinginthebush


    Great stuff, I'll check that out!


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    #9
    Pete67
    Registered Users Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭Pete67


    Sounds more like the fan motor is not running, agree the heater control valve is a common problem on these cars, but that would not prevent the fan from operating. It should be very audible on the max setting. OP, can you confirm whether the fan is operating at all speed settings before you spend money on the control valve?


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    #10
    hidinginthebush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭hidinginthebush


    As far as i can see, Pete67, the fan is not working. Regardless of setting, there is no power coming out of any of the vents, though I can feel warm air coming out very weakly if I have the heat up full and am moving.

    I'm not too sure what a heater exchange solenoid is or does (heats the air maybe itself maybe?), so I'm not able to confirm or dismiss this as the problem until I get back to the car later on.


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    #11
    Pete67
    Registered Users Posts: 1,257 ✭✭✭Pete67


    OK, a bit of backgound might help. The air coming from the vents is heated as required by hot water from the engine cooling system, which passes through a heat exchanger built into the dash somewhere. The fan blows air over the fins of the heat exchanger. The temperature dial regulates the amount of hot water flowing through the heater matrix (heat exchanger) via the heater control valve - if the heat is turned up full, the valve should be fully open, if it is turned to cold the valve should be fully closed. If set to half way, then it should be half open etc.

    The failure of the heater control valve, sometimes incorrectly called a solenoid valve, is common on the Fiesta. It can fail in either the open or closed position, in which case you will get either continuous hot air, or continuous cold air no matter where the temp dial is set to. However in your case it sounds like the fan motor is not working, which could be a fuse, burnt out motor, wiring problem etc. A mechanic or auto electrician should be able to determine the problem fairly quickly and give you an estimate for repair.


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    #12
    baldoyleautos
    Closed Accounts Posts: 15 ✭baldoyleautos


    You would really have to get it checked out to get a price as it could be a number of things from wiring, the motor or a number of other things
    hidinginthebush wrote: »
    Hi all,

    So this is a problem I've had with the car for a long time that's become very noticable in recent times. The heater in my 98 ford fiesta is broken, completely broken, blows no air at all. A very small bit will drift up through the vents if the car has been warming up for a while, but apart from that, nothing.

    Just wondering if anyone could give an estimate on how much it will cost to get it fixed?

    Cheers!


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    #13
    hidinginthebush
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,679 ✭✭✭hidinginthebush


    baldoyleautos wrote: »
    You would really have to get it checked out to get a price as it could be a number of things from wiring, the motor or a number of other things

    Cheers Baldoyle, I think that's what I'll do. Hey I live in Portmarnock, so you might even see me next week sometime :)


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