Ford Ka problems with heating/back wiper

witchgirl26

Hey all. Hoping to get some advice. The heating in my KA is continuously cold no matter how high I turn it. Now this has been a problem since last year but I wasn't using my car everyday so didn't bother me. Starting to now as I'm driving to & from work in the cold.
Also my back wiper is tempremental and only works when it feels like it.

I've been told the heater could be down to the "solenoid valve" needing replacement. And that the wiper could be a fuse issue. Just wondering would these two things cost a lot to repair in a garage?

Any ideas or help welcome!

corktina

rear wiper wont be a fuse if it works sometimes... I have similar trouble with my Focus and I'm assuming it's a switch issue or a motor issue. Trying find out which before I strip the wrong one :-) and clean the connections etc.

Is your water level OK in the rad? If this is down it could be the heater problem, also could be an airlock

witchgirl26

corktina wrote: »

rear wiper wont be a fuse if it works sometimes... I have similar trouble with my Focus and I'm assuming it's a switch issue or a motor issue. Trying find out which before I strip the wrong one :-) and clean the connections etc.

Is your water level OK in the rad? If this is down it could be the heater problem, also could be an airlock

And this just shows my lack of knowledge of cars! Lol.

Yeah the water level is good - that was the first thing I checked as knew it could be a prob (the test did teach me something!). I know it's a common fault with Ka's that the heating gets stuck on either hot or cold. Could be an airlock though - how would I check/sort that?!

Thanks btw.

corktina

i wonder if it could be the heater control valve, a common prob with Fiestas and a Ka could be similar I guess....and an easy fix if it is.

none of your problems should be expensive to fix I reckon, no doubt a couple of our resident experts will advise you shortly, they know a LOT more than me!

Wicklowandy

Open your boot. Theres a little plate on the bottom of the boot, near where the latch sits.

When the boot is closed, pins on the boot itself contact with the plate to give power to the rear wiper. Try giving the plate and pins a good clean, and if there corroded, a light rub with sandpaper.

Sorry for poor description, but if you go open the boot it (should) be obvious;)

Joe 90

Yes, the solenoid valve in the Ka has a reputation for giving trouble. Not expensive, the wife had her's replaced a few years ago.

eirator

Wicklowandy wrote: »

Open your boot. Theres a little plate on the bottom of the boot, near where the latch sits.

When the boot is closed, pins on the boot itself contact with the plate to give power to the rear wiper. Try giving the plate and pins a good clean, and if there corroded, a light rub with sandpaper.

Sorry for poor description, but if you go open the boot it (should) be obvious;)

Don't know the KA at all but what you describe is the same as the later model Escorts and that connecter plate is just a disaster!

What I found (if the KA has this connecter) is that the spings get jammed in the sealed unit because the the connector when it doesn't make a good connection overheats, so to fix the problem you really need to replace both the contact plate and the spring pins and they'll prpbably need doing again in a year or so. Last time I replaced some they were around €50 for a set.

witchgirl26

Thanks all for your help. Gonna take a look at the connector plate in the boot prob tomorrow evening. Might scoot up to a garage as well and get them to take a look at the heating.
Like I said, wasn't a problem when I wasn't driving a lot and as long as it cleared the windscreen I was happy but it's getting cold out there & would like a bit of warmth on the way home!