Will it really cost $1500 to fix my heater core (2004 Mercury Sable) (vehicles, windshield)

[Internet nut]

Now that we are in the core of a deep recession with unemployment for my wife and I a valid fear, the heat in my 2004 Mercury Sable is not working. If I let the car run in the driveway for 20 minutes, there is still cold air coming out. Only after actually driving for 20 minutes do I get any hot air coming out.

I took it to the Ford Garage and they said I needed a new heater core. It will cost $1500. Alot of money for a car that has 95,000 miles. Were they being truthful to me or could I have it done at an independent garage for half that amount?

[SuSuSushi]

Could be a fair price, depending on where your heater core is. For some vehicles, the entire dashboard has to be dropped to get at it, and that's a lot of labor. Chances are, you'd get a better price at a private garage rather than the dealer though.

[Justin5321]

Most likely be cheaper at a private garage.

[Roaddog]

Originally Posted by Internet nut

Now that we are in the core of a deep recession with unemployment for my wife and I a valid fear, the heat in my 2004 Mercury Sable is not working. If I let the car run in the driveway for 20 minutes, there is still cold air coming out. Only after actually driving for 20 minutes do I get any hot air coming out.

I took it to the Ford Garage and they said I needed a new heater core. It will cost $1500. Alot of money for a car that has 95,000 miles. Were they being truthful to me or could I have it done at an independent garage for half that amount?

First let me ask if the heater core is leaking? is there coolant leaking any where? If not the heater core may not be the problem, it could be the control valve to the core not opening enough to circulate the water, maybe your thermostate is stuck open, does the engine temp gauge come up to normal?
the heater core would be the last thing I would suspect unless it's leaking and even then it should get hot, be sure to check your antifreeze level if theres a leak. I would get it checked somewhere else before i would pay that much, I just paid $250.00 to have one replaced and the shop had to pull the whole dash out to do it.

[golfgod]

If I let the car run in the driveway for 20 minutes, there is still cold air coming out

Usually an engine warms up much quicker DRIVING instead of sitting idling. I'd bet your owner's manual says to warm up for a minute or less.

Usually if a heater core is bad, IT LEAKS. Is there coolant anywhere on the floor of the car, or underneath? Are you losing coolant?

If the radiator is getting hot, then the heater core should be hot.

It sounds more likely that one of the "flapper" doors that direct the heat toward the windshield, flloor or out of the vents on the dashboard may not be "flapping".

I'd sure look for a second opinion before I pulled the heater core. '04 wit that few miles seems awfully soon for them to go bad. Even for a Ford.

Look for that leak first!!!

golfgod

[little elmer]

Taurus' and Sables' heater cores are absolutely buried.

[M3 Mitch]

Alla Verde to what's already been posted. Letting the car run 20 minutes in the driveway, wasting gas and presenting a theft risk, is dumb. Man up, you don't need to let the car run till it's toasty warm inside.

This may be as simple as a thermostat.

If, by Ford Garage, you mean dealer, I think they are sensing you know nowt about cars and are trying to take you for a ride.

Changing your coolant about every 2 years, mixing the correct antifreeze (offhand I think your Ford would need G-05 but not certain - check the manual!) with distilled water, will make the radiator and heater core last much longer, maybe the life of the car.

If the heater core is not leaking then there is no real need to change it.

Where the devil are you located, OP? It would make a difference if you are in St. Paul or in Phoenix.

[43north87west]

Originally Posted by Internet nut

Now that we are in the core of a deep recession with unemployment for my wife and I a valid fear, the heat in my 2004 Mercury Sable is not working. If I let the car run in the driveway for 20 minutes, there is still cold air coming out. Only after actually driving for 20 minutes do I get any hot air coming out.

I took it to the Ford Garage and they said I needed a new heater core. It will cost $1500. Alot of money for a car that has 95,000 miles. Were they being truthful to me or could I have it done at an independent garage for half that amount?

I question whether the heater core is the problem since you say you eventually get hot air coming out of the vents. Water may not be flowing through it, but I doubt that the core itself is the problem. Failed heater cores rarely plug up, they blow up and leak, which results in coolant loss, usually into the inside of the car.

Personally, I think more investigation is required before letting someone do $1500 of work to something that doesn't sound like the problem. Maybe get a second opinion, but don't tell them about the first diagnosis either.

[McGowdog]

I'd agree with the leaking on the passenger floor board as a symptom of a bad heater core too.

But there's something else that I don't know if it's been asked yet or not; Are you low on antifreeze for some reason? If so, your engine could/will get damaged and run hot, but may be;

• preventing cold air from warming up - no fluid through heater core and perhaps
• masking a heater core leak because there's not enough fluid to leak out a damaged heater core.

May not be the case, but should be looked at. If you're due for an oil change, have them check, or in the morning have a jug of Prestone or equivalent to pour in if you're low.

Oh, btw; what year/make/model of car do you have?

[texdav]

Check with a shop that specailizes in raditors.