# Slow to get heat

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** heating, ford, taurus\
**Created:** [December 9, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466 "2010-12-09T14:34:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![redcar32470](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@redcar32470](https://community.cartalk.com/u/redcar32470)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466/1 "2010-12-09T14:34:19Z")

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My 97 Taurus heats up fine in New England, but takes way longer than when it was new. In general, why does an older car take longer to produce heat than when it was brand new? I got a new heater core recently. Perhaps the hoses are dirty? The thermostat? Seems like as every car ages the heater takes longer to make heat.

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**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:** [December 9, 2010, 2:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466/2 "2010-12-09T14:57:23Z")

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Once It Warms Up, It Works Normally ? Any Fluctuations In Engine Temp ? Any Coolant Loss ? If All Else Is Normal, Go With A Thermostat.

Oh, and while that’s being done, make sure the cooling system is purged of any trapped air.

CSA

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**Author:** ![redcar32470](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dfb087/32.png) [@redcar32470](https://community.cartalk.com/u/redcar32470)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466/3 "2010-12-09T15:01:45Z")

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Yep -everything is normal except that. When new, a car may take 3-5 minutes to get me heat, after 10 years or more (assuming normal maintenance) it can take 10 minutes or more.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2010, 3:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466/4 "2010-12-09T15:04:35Z")

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After 10 years, the likelihood of the thermostat being bad is very high.  
In fact, after just 5 years or so, it would not be unusual to have to replace a thermostat.

After putting in a good thermostat, you might even see your gas mileage improve a bit!

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**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:** [December 9, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/slow-to-get-heat/58466/5 "2010-12-09T15:07:35Z")

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It Wouldn’t Hurt To Have The Cooling System Flushed (Not Drained And Filled) And New Coolant Supplied When Doing The Thermostat, Unless It Was Done With The Heater Core.

CSA