First and foremost, first post and this is my first Honda (2002 Accord Sedan, 4-cyl, 5MT); my wife has a 2000 Accord with 225K and still going strong.

Bought this from a Honda dealer with less than 95K about three weeks ago. The heater wasn't working but they promised to fix it for me at no charge. First try they, flushed the systems, second time they replaced the thermostat and on the last try, thanks to my research here, I convinced them to replace the heater core.

I go pick it up Tuesday night and its blowing fire in my face. On the way to work and gym Wednesday morning, again it blowing fire in my face. On the way home from work, same thing.

Well Wednesday night we travel up to D.C. from NC to visit family. As we start the trip the heater is again blowing fire.

About halfway through the trip I smell a slight plastic burn that quickly faded and I attributed to something outside of the vehicle.

Well about 30 minutes from our destination, my wife turns on the heat because she is cold; well FML but the heater is blowing luke warm to cold air. The temp would rise and fall with no rhythm or reason and was better at idle.

I wake up today and check the coolant reservoir (cold) and its really really low; I re-fill and take the car for a test ride but still not really hot air.

When I pop the hood again, there is coolant spraying out of the hose that runs form the engine to the radiator (leak is closet to the radiator). It seems to be a loose clamp; I let the car cool and re-approach to test it. I squeezed the tube, and nothing, crank the car and drive it and nothing. The hose isn't leaking anymore despite the fact that 30 minutes ago it was leaking.

Still no heat btw.

What should I look at next? Heater control valve? This is really getting old.

tl;dr

 

What part of NC? I happen to live there/here?

Anyway, check the coolant level IN the rad. Sounds like the hose is leaking allowing air into the system. So remove the rad cap.....cold of course. Check and fill the rad if low....not sure how low but you might need to bleed the air from the system as well.

 

Since the car has less than 100,000 miles ask them about transmission warranty and make sure all recalls are done.

 

The Triad. What is the proper procedure to bleed the air out?

 

Utube, "Eric The Car Guy" has great video how to for this,,

To search box;

How To Bleed A Cooling System - EricTheCarGuy

Theres also a link under the video to amazon to order the kit, about $23.


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The leaking radiator hose has been replace, the system has been flushed an re-filled. The heat is still intermittent; control valve?

 

Could be air mix control motor.

 

Update:

The dealer has taken the car to their shop three (3) times and each time the heater will a) blow cold air after awhile or as it is doing now, only blow hotter air under acceleration.

In those fixes, they have replaced the heater core, thermostat, radiator and hoses and flushed the system (no cost to me). This is starting to get old but I'm worried that this heater issue might be a sign of a larger problem in the vehicle that hasn't/wasn't detected; crack?

Suggestions please.

 

Ok step by step, make sure radiator is full, then is the heat working at idle if not you'll need to check your hoses. Preferably the heater core hoses for heat. One hot and one cold is either a clogged core or bad control valve. Also is shouldn't take much longer than 10 min for you to start gettin heat or else you have an open thermostat. Are you having any problems with the car overheating?

 

No heat at idle and no overheating. The core, I assume shouldn't be clogged since it was just replaced. Control valve has not been checked.

 

Heater control panel has a self-diagnosis function. (without auto temp function)
Turn ign sw ON (II)
Turn fan sw OFF, and the recirc control sw to Recirc (recirc indicator goes off) Continue to hold the switch until the recirc indicator comes on for 2 seconds, then it will blink the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) to indicate faulty component.If there is a trbl code it will bling 1, 2, or 3 times.

 

My problem is similar: I have a 2002 accord with 2.3liter 4-cyl, and I live in Alaska where temps get down to minus 50 degrees. It has 133K miles and I've owned it since 27K miles and take impeccable care of it.

The heater works normally, except in temps below minus 10. Then it only provides heat when RPM is above 2000. At idle and below 2000RPM (+/-), it blows cool air. I have a new 195-degree thermostat installed for winter. Fluid levels are within limits with no leaks. Temp guage indicates normal temp during operation. Coolant system has not been flushed, but fluid is clean and servicable. When I rotate the temp control ****, the temperature changes accordingly.

What should I check/modify/repair?

 

Might be splitting hairs but what does "fluid levels are within limits" mean? The rad should be full when cold and the cap is taken off. Yes the overflow has a min/max. Again just want to be sure.

 

What I meant was that all my fluid levels are at adequate/normal levels. Coolant in radiator is full.