# Gotta have a heater! **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [November 23, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458 "2008-11-23T23:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![will4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/34f0e0/32.png) [@will4life](https://community.cartalk.com/u/will4life)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/1 "2008-11-23T23:00:22Z")
Our '96 Nissan Quest mini-van has no heat. The fan works just fine but only cold air comes out. Have to fix this ASAP. Any suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/2 "2008-11-23T23:11:53Z")
Before You Drive It Any More, Check The Coolant Level In The Radiator/Radiator Reservoir! Do that first. If it’s low, fill it and monitor it closely. You may have to find out where it’s going. You could damage the engine by overheating it, soon. Also, you could have air trapped in the cooling system that needs to be purged or a bad thermostat. Other possibilities include a problem with the heater control/heater valve system or blocked core. Lack of heat is a minor problem compared with engine damage possibilities. Get to the bottom of the problem, now. ---
**Author:** ![Beadsandbeads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Beadsandbeads](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Beadsandbeads)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/3 "2008-11-24T01:08:53Z")
Tell us what your temperature gauge is doing. ---
**Author:** ![will4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/34f0e0/32.png) [@will4life](https://community.cartalk.com/u/will4life)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/4 "2008-11-24T02:07:16Z")
the temp guage stays in the middle of the normal range all the time after warming up. also, the heater will work sometimes after turning it off, then on a few times. this feature isn’t working as well as it used to. ---
**Author:** ![will4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/34f0e0/32.png) [@will4life](https://community.cartalk.com/u/will4life)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/5 "2008-11-24T02:47:45Z")
The plastic reservoir adjacent to the radiator is empty now. While looking over the engine with a flashlight I noticed two pulleys without a belt on them. These are located on the passenger side toward the front. One of them is an idler pulley. The other one is attached to a cube-shaped contraption. I can see a belt below these where there are other pulleys, but there is too much stuff in the way to see clearly or get a hand in to check. Does this engine have two belts? ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/6 "2008-11-24T10:27:56Z")
Check the coolant level in the radiator (when the engine is cold). Make sure that the level is up to the top. Low coolant level will cause this kind of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/7 "2008-11-24T10:51:18Z")
Don’t drive it until we get a little more worked out. I can’t answer your questions, I don’t know the Quest, but it does not sound good, don’t make it worse by driving it as it is. You may want to do a Cougar suggest and check to see if there is anything in the radiator. ---
**Author:** ![bobc455](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bobc455](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bobc455)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/gotta-have-a-heater/22458/8 "2008-11-24T12:40:30Z")
If the water pump belt fell off, you will have big problems unless it gets fixed. Pulleys without belts could cause big problems!