{"id":3376,"date":"2020-02-18T10:53:59","date_gmt":"2020-02-18T17:53:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.emanualonline.com\/blog\/?p=3376"},"modified":"2025-06-30T03:45:06","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T08:45:06","slug":"car-heater-beginner-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.emanualonline.com\/blog\/car-heater-beginner-guide","title":{"rendered":"Car Heater: A Beginner’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

A car heater is an important feature of your vehicle that often gets taken for granted. While it isn\u2019t an essential component, dealing with a broken heating system is a major hassle. When it\u2019s warm outside and you don\u2019t need to use it, it isn’t much of a problem. But when winter comes around and your windows are fogged up and the temperature reaches low digits, you want to be sure that it\u2019s working. There are certainly other features that are more vital, but you should never overlook your car heater. Let\u2019s take a look at how this function works and what common problems can arise.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is a Car Heater?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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It\u2019s best to begin with a clear understanding of what a car heater actually is. Your vehicle\u2019s heater serves two helpful functions. The first is fairly obvious and that\u2019s to keep the car cabin warm and cozy. Cars can quickly get cold when the weather outside is frigid and that can be quite uncomfortable. Luckily, when it happens, you can simply turn the heater on to keep the car at a comfortable temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n

As you might imagine, this is only really helpful for locations that tend to get cold, especially during the winter. If you live in a particularly hot area, like Los Angeles, you might not use your heater often or at all. On the other hand, a colder city like Boston or any other up north in Canada might necessitate the use of a heater during a large portion of the year. However, keeping your vehicle’s interior warm is only half of its purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arguably more important is its ability to keep your windows clear. If you\u2019ve ever driven when it\u2019s particularly cold outside, then you likely know that it causes your windows to get foggy. This reduces visibility and will quickly make it dangerous to drive. Your car heater comes in handy here with its defrosting capabilities. The defrost function will direct heat to your windshield, which will clear up the fog in no time.<\/span><\/p>\n

Both functions are incredibly useful, which is why you want to make sure your heater is always working. It\u2019s much better to have a working heater that you don\u2019t need than a broken one you need to clear up your windows.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Does a Car Heater Work?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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A car heater doesn\u2019t generate its own heat, unlike electric heaters. Driving your car naturally creates heat in your engine. The heat is transferred out through your exhaust system or cooled via your vehicle\u2019s cooling system. To extract the heat from the engine, the coolant circulates around the cylinders and other hot components and absorbs the excess heat.<\/span><\/p>\n

This warmed coolant mixture can then be transferred to your car\u2019s heater core. From here, a fan blowing directly through the heater core will direct the hot air into your vehicle\u2019s air vents to warm up the cabin. Your car heater is basically just a system that redirects heat from your engine into usable heat for the cabin.<\/span><\/p>\n

Multiple components relate to your vehicle\u2019s heating system. This includes the heater core and fans mentioned above but also includes hoses, a control valve, and the climate control system inside your car. It’s important to mention that your vehicle\u2019s cooling system must also be working properly for the heater to function. If any of these components are malfunctioning, it can cause the heating system to stop working altogether.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Are Common <\/span>Car Heater <\/span>Problems?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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The two main issues you might face are a heater blower not working and a car heater blowing cold air. In essence, these issues are basically the same thing because they translate to no heat. However, the root cause may differ.<\/span><\/p>\n

If either of these symptoms are happening, you should avoid driving your car in cold weather. Doing so can place you in danger because your vision is impaired. Unfortunately, there are multiple reasons why it might not be working. There\u2019s also the possibility of a more serious issue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Would a Car Heater Stop Working?<\/span><\/h2>\n

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If there is no air blowing at all it’s usually related to two things:<\/span><\/p>\n