Heater not working.

[GT Fanatic]

Drive the Expedition for 20 minutes and it doesn't even warm up. The temp gauge shows it to be still in the cold marking. The heater has a very slight warmness to it. Could something be keeping it from not warming up? The G35 is warm in 5 minutes. Now it is in the teens out here in Colorado.

Any ideas? Tomorrow I was thinking about letting it warm up for 30 minutes. Just doesn't seem right to me.

Thanks in advance for any help.

2000 5.4 2wd

[Coupe81]

Could be low on antifreeze or your cooling system has air pockets.

[krazy kris]

Could be low on antifreeze or your cooling system has air pockets.

this

[Jimbo]

Thermostat temp too low, malfunctioning blend door, low coolant (as mentioned)? When is the last time the heater worked well?

[91CoupeMike]

Thermostat, or air in the system with Low coolant.

Check coolant level, go from there.

[G..]

Heater cores are bad about stopping up. I would try switching heater control from hot to cold and see if temp changes. If it does the blend door is working. next open hood and see if both hoses going to heater core are hot. If not the heater core should be flushed and blown out or replaced. All is assuming the level is full.

[Matt]

Did you ever remove your thermostat?

[mstng86]

I have the exact same vehicle with the exact same problem.

If it is just a clogged heater core, how do you flush it?

[G..]

I have the exact same vehicle with the exact same problem.

If it is just a clogged heater core, how do you flush it?

Remove both hoses from engine. Use high pressure water nozzel on end of hose. REverse flush several times. Then flush both ways. Then use compressed air with air blower. Blow through both ways several times. I normally flush entire cooling system after this and make sure the restrictor is not plugged or missing. If it is you can use a 1/4 in deep socket to achieve same requirement in its place.

["MrEd"]

lol unfortunately its a ford...
but i bet its the blend door seen it a 100 times and second not sure which knobs you have on the ac/heater unit, but i i have seen the knob on the temp setting be stripped out and its spins left to right or whatever and it isnt changing a thing.

[Lason]

From what Im understanding, is the gauge moving at all? You say it stays in the "cold marking", do you mean the pointer never moves or its just way down at the bottom?

If it wont heat up then you can use a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to block part of it. Same thing big rigs do, I had to do that on a Ranger I had years ago just to get it hot enough for the heater in the winter.

If it is warmed up properly and still no heat then its probably a clogged heater core in which you just use a garden hose with a sprayer gun attached and just shoot it in one side then the other and go back and forth untill you get goo flow. I just did that on the back heater core of my suburban.

Do NOT use compressed air or anything else to clear a heater core though or you risk blowing it up like a balloon if its still clogged. Stick to a water hose.

[G..]

From what Im understanding, is the gauge moving at all? You say it stays in the "cold marking", do you mean the pointer never moves or its just way down at the bottom?

If it wont heat up then you can use a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator to block part of it. Same thing big rigs do, I had to do that on a Ranger I had years ago just to get it hot enough for the heater in the winter.

If it is warmed up properly and still no heat then its probably a clogged heater core in which you just use a garden hose with a sprayer gun attached and just shoot it in one side then the other and go back and forth untill you get goo flow. I just did that on the back heater core of my suburban.

Do NOT use compressed air or anything else to clear a heater core though or you risk blowing it up like a balloon if its still clogged. Stick to a water hose.

Regulated shop air is good as most shops and compressors are only good for 125 max. Then take in that OSHA has regulated all blowers to a lower PSI for safety, it will be fine. between the blow off and not being sealed it will be ok. Ive done hundreds as have the techs at FORD I know. And if he needs a piece of cardboard to heat it up it needs a thermostat or a new fan clutch.

[G..]

lol unfortunately its a ford...
but i bet its the blend door seen it a 100 times and second not sure which knobs you have on the ac/heater unit, but i i have seen the knob on the temp setting be stripped out and its spins left to right or whatever and it isnt changing a thing.

Thats why I told him to first try changing the temp setting/

[94mstng94]

If his vehicle isn't warming up, it has nothing to do with a blend door. I'd say your thermostat is stuck open.

["MrEd"]

im sure the motor is up to temp its the simple fact of years of crude build up.
run you some spic and span or cascade dish washing detergent (POWDER)
for a few days and drain and flush.
no sense in tearing it all apart till you try the simple things first