No hot air

Maintenance/Repairs
,
1

My vents don’t blow hot air, even when I have the dial set to max heat. The air is only moderately warm. In the winter, one definitely needs to keep their coat on when traveling in my car. (It’s a 2003 Passat V6.) The needle in the engine temperature guage is vertical once I have been driving for 5 minutes, so I think the termostat is OK. This morning it was 17 degrees; I’d sure like heat soon.

2

Here’s some possibilities

Plugged heater core
Insufficient coolant level
Blend door problem

By the way, it may be time for a thermostat, based on the age of the car. Thermostats get sticky over time. Given enough time, they often get stuck in the open position.

Based on the fact that “the air is only moderately warm” I’m leaning toward a plugged heater core.
Flush it out.

3

i would change the themostat,if no change the heater core might be clog, let the car run awhile, both hoses should feel hot. does the fan blow air when in highest level?

4

db4690, I have a similar problem on my 2003 Passat GLX. No hot air. I’ve done some looking for instructions about flushing the heater core, but they all seem to start with “First, remove the engine.” This is a roadblock for me. Do you have any other advice about exactly HOW to flush the core? Thanks!

5

Where have you found instructions that say remove the engine to flush the heater core?

6

@entrekin, you will get a much better response if you start your own thread instead of hijacking a 5 month old one. BTW, I agree with oldtimer11.

7

Why is heat required after memorial day?

8

@oldtimer, I haven’t searched in a while, but that’s what I recall from the last times I did. @BustedKnuckles, I thought it was appropriate to reuse the thread because it’s almost an exact match for the problem I have (and I’ve been hammered on other forums for doing what you suggest when there’s already a thread out there, no matter its age). @Cavell, it’s not, but I was on here for a problem with my wife’s car already and just decided to see if there was anything about my heater issue.

I’ll start a new thread. Thanks for the help.