Its years since I have needed to do any kind of car maintenance, but I have a heater that doesnt get hot...what would be best to check first ? All I know so far is that there is plenty of fluid in the heating system, no leaks, pipes get hot, temp guage reads correctly, and the radiator fans arent stuck on.
We don't have the Haynes manual, so any help gratefuly received.
May be stuck electronics not opening the air mixing flap. Not sure on the Xafira but on my Vauxhalls these are servo driven, with the ignition on you can hear the flaps track the control knob as a sort of whirr.
Other option is a blocked heater matrix, check this by getting under the bonnet when hot and checking the return pipe from the heater matrix, should be nice and toasty.
I hope it's electrical as changing a heater matrix is the worse possible job you can do on a Vauxhall. I would rather change a head gasket!
Will
Thanks for the quick reply....When you move the air from cold to hot, you can sort of identify that there is a different flow of air coming through, could that indicate the latter rather than the former problem perhaps ?
Not really - this confirms that the air flaps are working, but there is probably a water valve also.
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Do you have air conditioning on your vehicle? If you do, then there is an additional valve in the coolant circuit to the heater matrix. This valve stops flow of coolant through the matrix when the heat control is set to fully cold. It is a round disc shaped object, about 2" dia., with a single vacuum pipe comingout of the top, and is mounted on one of the two coolant pipes where they run through the bulkhead (engine side) and into the heater box. Try disconnecting and plugging this vacuum hose and seeing if the heater then works. If it does, then the vaccum control system for this valve has a fault. If it doesn't, then either the valve is stuck or there is a blockage or air lock in the heater matrix or pipes to it.
HTH
Anthony Remove eight from email to reply.
Ill have a look at that later, its my in-law's car. Thanks all.
Ive had a chance to take a look at the Zafira now, rather than relying on my in-laws description of it.
I am leaning towards thinking it might be the servo on the air mixing flap, as when I move the heat control, it makes what I would describe as a constant "whirring" noise, like its trying to do something but sticking. As soon as I return it anti-clockwise to the full cold position, this noise stops.
So, If I am to take a look at replacing this, how easy would it be to get to this.....should I advise them to buy me a Haynes manual so I can have a go, or is this still beyond an amateur (ie me).
Thanks again.....
Get a TIS cd off ebay for a few quid and print out the relevant bits! May just be a plastic lever broken.
Will
Sounds like an airlock in the heater circuit. If you remove the pipes from the heater matrix unions and they're bone dry, you'll know for sure.
As the message was posted in 2004 I think the Zafira will have met its maker long ago.
Tim
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