Hey everyone, I'm having problems with the heater on my 1.1 panda. The fan is working ok and blowing out air properly, however, no matter what the temp control is set on it will only blow out cold air. I'm not sure if this is related but after the engine is switched off, when you get out you can still hear a fan running for a short while under the bonnet. The car will be going into the workshop this week, but was just wondering if anyone could shed a bit of light on what's wrong. Cheers

Sounds like its low on coolant. Check before using the car again and top-up if nessecary. Then bleed cooling system to remove air from upper heater matrix and hopfully it should be a case of wholla

Hot coolant is not getting into the heater matrix. Most Easterly has identified an airlock as the most likely cause.
The fan running after the engine is switched off is a normal phenomenon but could also suggest that the engine is overheating due to lack of coolant/an airlock in the cooling system.
Does the temperature gauge read above the midpoint when the engine is at running temperature?

Thanks for the replies. I checked the coolant level and that's ok, is there anyway of checking for an airlock? Does this develop for any paticular reason or just bad luck?

To let any air out, run the engine until it is hot (ie, leave it running until the radiator fan comes on). This allows pressure to build up in the coolant system.

On the rubber hoses at the very back of the engine bay (which feed the heater) there is a bleed tap (plastic thumbscrew that an be released). Using a cloth (remember the water is hotter than 100C bcause it is under pressure) you can open this bleed tap. You should see clear (ie not bubbly) water flow from it. If there's air you will either hear it hiss out or see cloudy, bubbly water. Let it run until clear and then tighten the screw up again. (Note: the coolant contains antifreeze which is poisonous so wash your hands well when finished).

If you do let a fair amount of water out, let the engine cool (a couple of hours) and then slowly remove the fluid filler (prob on top of a tank on the side of the radiator on your 1.1) and top up with premixed coolant (because you won't need much, this is best way of buying). It needs to be pink fluid, marked as being suitable for OAT systems.. most are these days.

Got the air out and heater is working perfectly now. Can't thank you enough for your help

Liquidthesis said:

Got the air out and heater is working perfectly now. Can't thank you enough for your help

Click to expand...

Glad it worked. The question is where did the air come from? How old is the car? If this was a one-off, no probs, but if it does it again then you need to investigate (so many possible causes: loose bleed screw, leak in plumbing somewhere, failing water pump or maybe gaskets... Mine did it after 60,000 miles, once and has been fine ever since -- the bleed screw wasn't tight)

Maybe you can press the Thumbs up button at lower right of my previous post (shows up when you are logged in) -- helps keep my number of posts/number of thanks ratio at about 10%

Pete

Is it possible that it happened when the water pump was changed? It was swapped when it had the cambelt done. I clicked the thumbs up button, thanks for the help

Liquidthesis said:

Is it possible that it happened when the water pump was changed?

Click to expand...

Yes, its difficult to get all the air out first time after working on the cooling system and that could well have been the cause.

Liquidthesis said:

I clicked the thumbs up button

Click to expand...

Herts Hillhopper said:

Yes, its difficult to get all the air out first time after working on the cooling system and that could well have been the cause.

Click to expand...

Since when. Bleeding the system fully first time around isn't hard. If it was bled when pump was replaced then there is another reason as to why there was air in the system.

We have similar symptoms on an Eleganza with Digital Climate Control. The heater fan works, but it is only cold air. There is no airlock so I am wondering if this is a problem with the Rheostat.

I've read about similar problems on the Punto forum that point to a rheostat problem but I can't seem to be able to even locate the rheostat on the Panda either under the bonnet or behind the dashboard.

Any clues on how to check...or change this?

Think you might mean thermostat, not rheostat? Inside the car, in that little round grille above the gearlever, is a temperature sensor that 'sucks in' air from inside the car over a temperature sensor. This determines whether the system blows warm air or not.

But before going there, check if the pipes to the heater are getting warm (once the engine is warm, these will be hot to the touch, even if the heater is not on in the car) -- two black rubber pipes at back of bonnet that disappear through the bulkhead. If they are cold, then the issues are with the plumbing (air lock etc). If they are hot, then look to the electrics/electronics of the climate control system

P

Herts Hillhopper said:

If they are hot, then look to the electrics/electronics of the climate control system

P

Click to expand...

Thankyou for the reply. Yes, the pipes are hot, so it is an electronic problem. I'm not sure if the problem item is a rheostat or resistor, but my main issue is that I don't know where this is located !

Any advice welcomed.