We're having very late start to the chill of fall and winter here in the Seattle area this year. So, let me begin by saying, "Yahoooooooooo!"  Okay, now that we're done with that, and now that the cold mornings will continue to gain more and more frost---at least off and on---we need to address the heating portion of your vehicle.

We work on Volvo Autos old and new, but regardless of the make and model of your car, the heating system isn't just there for comfort, it's there for safety too! Sure you don't want to get frostbite in your toes on the morning commute, and you don't want to see your breath while driving, but on top of that, the defog/defrost runs from your heating system. If your windshield and windows are constantly being fogged up and your not able to clear all of the frost from them, then you cannot afford to put off your heating issue.  Your safety and your passengers' safety is at stake.

We'd like to educate you a little bit on what could be wrong with your system. Of course, you can do some investigating on your own, but you ultimately, you should find a pro whom you trust to do the real diagnosis and work for you. 

Your car heater can malfunction due to:

- low antifreeze in the cooling system

- the blower fan ceasing to work

- Contaminated coolant that isn't cycling well

- a broken thermostat

- a broken heater core

You car generates a ton of heat just by running the engine, and thus you have a cooling system with antifreeze coolant, and a radiator to expel that heat.  When you'd like to warm your car or your windshield, your heater core can be used to draw that heat into the cabin of the vehicle.  The hot coolant runs from the engine and then into the heater core and your blower pushes the radiating heat from the heater core and out of your vents.  Pretty cool, right?

So, you can see how the system will cease to give you heat if the anything from the list of issues above is going on.  If the coolant is either low or contaminated, then you won't get that heat moving around to where you need it and away from where you don't need it. A faulty cooling system can also compromise your engine, so you really can't hesitate to get this fixed----and the same goes for the thermostat, which regulates your engine temperature. The cooling system, though, is the most common culprit, and could be due to a leak somewhere.

You could also be experiencing a broken blower, but usually you can tell if you aren't feeling any force of air out of your vents. And, of course, if the heater core isn't allowing the hot coolant to pass through it, then you're not gonna get heat into the cabin of your car. Your auto care professional will make sure which of these is occurring and can get that part or area fixed. 

All good auto mechanics know that paying for your car to be repaired isn't a FUN thing. It's part of owning your own vehicle though, and it's your responsibility to make sure that it is safe to transport you and others, even if you don't care how uncomfortably cold you FEEL in your car. You've got to be concerned with the safety and visibility issues. Let's get you safe and warm. If you're looking for your Volvo heating to be repaired in the Seattle area, we're your guys, but no matter where you live, get your faulty heating system checked out by a pro ASAP!