BaseballNut

I'd like to find out if this is something I can do myself.

My '05 Civic EX is not getting heat. It gets a bit warm when I turn the heat on full blast, but nothing that gets it all warm and toasty. I'm not overheating.

Any ideas? I've read other posts about head gaskets, but I don't know how to decipher if that's the problem.

Please be very simple in your terms! I'm a female and not extremely engine savvy (I can do the simple things by myself, spark plugs, change brakes), and I'm a good problem solver on fixing things. I've had problems in previous cars that I can usually figure out the problem, but I've never encountered the heating problem where I'm not overheating.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

BaseballNut

I forgot to mention it's a manual transmission, just in case that makes any difference.

Perfectionist

Male, female, doesn't matter. Nobody knows everthing. To prove it, here's my suggestions as to what the problem may be.

Might be air in the cooling system. Check the coolant overflow recovery bottle. Is it empty? If so, air could get sucked into the system as the engine cools down. An air 'bubble' in the heater core will reduce the heat output. Bleed the air out while refilling the cooling system. You will have to eventually investigate why the coolant is low.

Is the engine temp gauge at/near normal when the engine should be at operating temperature? If the gauge is consistantly lower than normal, might be a stuck open thermostat. Replace the thermostat.

Is the cable from the temperature control **** actually opening the valve that regulates coolant flow through the heater core? **** may be broken or stripped, or the cable is stuck due to corrosion or obstruction. The valve is located on the heater core hose that enters through the firewall, behind the engine. Not easy to see or get at.

A wild possibility is the cabin air filters are so dirty or clogged they aren't letting air pass through them. The filters are located in the air duct system and accessed by dropping the glove box door to expose the flap that they sit behind. The owner's manual should have simple instructions on how to replace them.

toyomatt84

iTrader: (1)

Please use the search feature, as this question is a common one.

For future reference, you might want to have your heater core flushed separately from the rest of the engine. It's not uncommon for the heater cores to get clogged.