95 corolla heater core

Another option is to connect the hose that goes into the heater core and the return hose together. Of course that means no heat in the winter. Not a big deal in some parts; problem in others.

There's no way tell what is the problem (heater core or hose) until you get the thing apart.

Also, find out how much you can sell it for, add $1100 to that, and see if you can buy a better car than the care with a fixed heater core.

Try taking it for a 2nd opinion. Apparently, you took it to a Toyota dealer. You might get a better price at an independent mechanic.

And there is one person who does things more cheaply than independent mechanics. Your son. Sounds like a great summer project. A real pain in the butt. But at least, he'll earn the car.

Jeff

The greenish liquid on the passenger side floor is engine coolant. If it is inside the passenger compartment, possible sources of the leak are the heater core, the hoses leading in to and out of the heater core, and related hose clamps. If you want to invest in a Chilton's or Haynes manual, available at auto parts stores, you can see what it takes to replace the heater core or hoses.

$1,100 sounds like a lot of money to replace a heater core. If your son's high school has an auto shop, diagnosis and repair would be a good high school shop project, or you can have a competent technician do the diagnosis and repair.

How about a cutting torch and taking it out through the front?

Cutting the firewall would be a novel approach on a Corolla, although I'd be more inclined to have the teen get some hands-on training ;-)

although I'd be more inclined to have the teen get some hands-on training ;-)

My son is really helpless at this type of thing. I suggested it to my husband and he just laughed. I can feel where the leak is. Its under the dash, passenger side on the white plastic piece that moves with the heat sliding contol. I am so hoping that this is just a hose or clamp. I am having a hard time trying to figure out which hoses are which under the hood. Are the heater hoses sidebyside? Are they located directly under the glovebox behind the firewall? Is it dangerous to be breathing this smell. It doesn't bother me but my husband says it burns his throat.

The heater hoses are side by side and pass through the firewall in front of the passenger side. If the car has AC, there is also metal tubing that passes through the firewall near the heater hoses.

If you plan on keeping the car, a Chilton or Haynes manual, available at auto parts stores, would be a good investment. Look at the section for replacing the heater core to see if it is something someone in your family wants to tackle. It is not as difficult as it sounds, the hardest part is laying on your back reaching up under the dash.

Antifreeze is toxic, so I can't imagine that breathing the steam is healthy so get it fixed ASAP. If the leak is from a weak hose or hose clamp, it could fail catastrophically, burning the passenger's feet so until you get it fixed, either keep the heater temperature control at full cold or temporarily bypass the heater core.