Will it really cost $1500 to fix my heater core (2004 Mercury Sable) (Ford, repair)
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Only 2 problems with "just replace the heater core and go on":
1 The OP stated they don't have much job/financial security, the job is expensive.
2 I have seen heater core replacements done with excellent craftsmanship, where the dash got put back together exactly as it came from the factory, everything worked right, no additional rattles, etc. I have also seen the job botched. This is a time-consuming job, aggravating, and you need to make sure you get a tech who is a mechanic to the core, who has a lot of his (her) ego tied up in the ability to fix what mere mortals can't fix. You don't always get this caliber of tech at every dealer.
With spring coming on, I'd suggest the OP just "man up" and wear a sweater, maybe change the coolant in the car, and plan on doing a comprehensive fix later when maybe the economy is not so shaky.
Great post! I agree in 2 months this will not even matter.
A 2004 vehicle needs a new heater core--no wonder the American car companies are in so much trouble.
Great post! I agree in 2 months this will not even matter.
A 2004 vehicle needs a new heater core--no wonder the American car companies are in so much trouble.
It's not the car's fault. It all comes down to lack of maintenance. If the cooling system had been maintained from the start it wouldn't need to have the core replaced. And winter driving without heat is downright dangerous. Ever see someone driving with just a peephole scraped right in front of the driver? Seems like the defroster is kind of important.
Now that we are in the core of a deep recession with unemployment for my wife and I a valid fear, the heat in my 2004 Mercury Sable is not working. If I let the car run in the driveway for 20 minutes, there is still cold air coming out. Only after actually driving for 20 minutes do I get any hot air coming out.
I took it to the Ford Garage and they said I needed a new heater core. It will cost $1500. Alot of money for a car that has 95,000 miles. Were they being truthful to me or could I have it done at an independent garage for half that amount?
Take it to a radiator shop and have the heater coor back flushed, they can do it without removing it from the car. It almost always unblocks the core if that is the problem. Could be the thermostat stuck open too. On that model, they should't have to remove the dash.......not for a good tech, but they will most likely charge you to remove it, that is how the book says to do it...........we don't always use the book thought, you find ways to replace parts without doing a full disassembly........ Wish you the best.
Hi! I have a 1995 toyota 4runner with 185000 mileage. Hereunder is the situation with this car:
1) It leaks coolant from underneath the engine; and on the passenger side; furthermore, I notice a slight steam coming out of the car's hood, i.e., left/passenger side; (BTW, leak does not wet the cabin.s flloor, rather, the garage flloor;
2) The cabin smells heated coolant; but the cabin still gets heated;
3) Because of the leak, I have to replace/refill radiator with coolant after a short drive, i.e., 3-5 miles;
4) Despite the leak I have not experience any overheating of the engine,
5) Everytime I start the engine and rev it up I hear gurgling sound emanating from the front passenger side of the car. This has been going on even before the leak as described in #1 above.
6) Last summer I had the coolant flushed and replaced following the instructions from the bottle of flushing agent I used.
I am planning a DIY on this, to save. . . will someone please tell me
which one should I replace the heater core or the hose connected to it. Thanks.
Hi! I have a 1995 toyota 4runner with 185000 mileage. Hereunder is the situation with this car:
1) It leaks coolant from underneath the engine; and on the passenger side; furthermore, I notice a slight steam coming out of the car's hood, i.e., left/passenger side; (BTW, leak does not wet the cabin.s flloor, rather, the garage flloor;
2) The cabin smells heated coolant; but the cabin still gets heated;
3) Because of the leak, I have to replace/refill radiator with coolant after a short drive, i.e., 3-5 miles;
4) Despite the leak I have not experience any overheating of the engine,
5) Everytime I start the engine and rev it up I hear gurgling sound emanating from the front passenger side of the car. This has been going on even before the leak as described in #1 above.
6) Last summer I had the coolant flushed and replaced following the instructions from the bottle of flushing agent I used.
I am planning a DIY on this, to save. . . will someone please tell me
which one should I replace the heater core or the hose connected to it. Thanks.
First, stop driving the Toyota. If you drive with a leaky cooling system, it can't pressurize, and it will have air pockets leading to localized overheating that the coolant temp sensor(s) won't detect.
Second, copy this post into a new thread with a new title. (Use the "New Thread" button.)
First let me ask if the heater core is leaking? is there coolant leaking any where? If not the heater core may not be the problem, it could be the control valve to the core not opening enough to circulate the water, maybe your thermostate is stuck open, does the engine temp gauge come up to normal?
This^. If it is not leaking the core is fine. The problem is a clog or another malfunction. Whoever told the OP this is looking to do a walletectomy on him. Go elsewhere, OP.
I question whether the heater core is the problem since you say you eventually get hot air coming out of the vents. Water may not be flowing through it, but I doubt that the core itself is the problem. Failed heater cores rarely plug up......
As someone who has been in the car repair business well over 30 years I disagree. And Ford cooling system are particularly bad about getting plugged with something similar to Mississippi mud. It is often possible to purge the muck by carefully back flushing the heater. Then you can put a heavy duty flush in the system and run it for a few hours with the heater hoses connected backwards. Do a thorough coolant change and you might get lucky without tearing the whole dash apart -- which IS a huge job on that car. To determine if the heater core is plugged you check the temperature of the hoses. The outlet should be almost as hot as the inlet. If the inlet is hot and the outlet hose cold, the core is plugged.
As someone who has been in the car repair business well over 30 years I disagree. And Ford cooling system are particularly bad about getting plugged with something similar to Mississippi mud. It is often possible to purge the muck by carefully back flushing the heater. Then you can put a heavy duty flush in the system and run it for a few hours with the heater hoses connected backwards. Do a thorough coolant change and you might get lucky without tearing the whole dash apart -- which IS a huge job on that car. To determine if the heater core is plugged you check the temperature of the hoses. The outlet should be almost as hot as the inlet. If the inlet is hot and the outlet hose cold, the core is plugged.
Don in Austin
Yes, yes, and yes...
I recently replaced the Blend Door Actuator on an 07 Crown Vic. What a pain in the butt - partly due to messing with the air bag.
Ford had several models, for several years, that had some weird heater core & interior climate control issues. And the fixes weren't easy or cheap.
Hi! I have a 1995 toyota 4runner with 185000 mileage. Hereunder is the situation with this car:
1) It leaks coolant from underneath the engine; and on the passenger side; furthermore, I notice a slight steam coming out of the car's hood, i.e., left/passenger side; (BTW, leak does not wet the cabin.s flloor, rather, the garage flloor;
2) The cabin smells heated coolant; but the cabin still gets heated;
3) Because of the leak, I have to replace/refill radiator with coolant after a short drive, i.e., 3-5 miles;
4) Despite the leak I have not experience any overheating of the engine,
5) Everytime I start the engine and rev it up I hear gurgling sound emanating from the front passenger side of the car. This has been going on even before the leak as described in #1 above.
6) Last summer I had the coolant flushed and replaced following the instructions from the bottle of flushing agent I used.
I am planning a DIY on this, to save. . . will someone please tell me
which one should I replace the heater core or the hose connected to it. Thanks.
The obvious first step is to check all your radiator & coolant hoses in the engine compartment. You've got an older high-mileage vehicle. It's a good bet that some hoses have simply reached the end of their life.
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