Eugene Auto Repair

Hidden behind the dashboard, the heater core looks like a small radiator. Hot engine coolant flows through tiny passages in the core while a fan blows air across the fins. That warm air is what you feel coming out of the vents when you turn the heat on. It also feeds the defrost setting, which clears moisture and fog from the windshield on cold or wet days. When everything is healthy, you get steady cabin heat, reliable defrost, and no smells or dampness inside. Once the heater core starts to clog, leak, or corrode, you can lose heat, fog up constantly, or even end up with coolant inside the cabin instead of under the hood. Classic Signs Your Heater Core Is Failing Heater core problems tend to show up in a few familiar ways. If you are noticing more than one of these, it is worth paying attention: Weak or no heat from the vents, even when the engine is fully warmed up A sweet, antifreeze-like smell inside the cabin Foggy windows that are hard to clear and come ba ... read more