Heater quit working, where do I start?

Asked by Guru558VM Dec 28, 2017 at 07:39 AM about the Dodge Caravan

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

2011 Dodge Caravan with climate control.  
Had the thermostat changed about 2
weeks ago b/c engine light was on and
computer indicated that to be the problem.
Had slightly warm air but never got really
got hot. Heater quit completely yesterday
only blowing cold air. Tried changing air
filter under dash to no avail. So where do
we go from here?  

1 Answer

101,585

Place your hand on the heater hoses and see if they feel warm or hot. They should also feel pressurized, same for radiator hoses. If not something is impeding coolant flow. The cooling system should bleed air on its own fairly well, you just have to keep checking and topping off coolant in the reserve bottle. The manual mentions this may take 3-4 warm up/cool down cycles. If you haven't done this then check the coolant reserve and make sure it is between the max/min marks. (Low coolant can keep a heater core from working.)

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