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You can also use craigslist under the automotive services to find a good independent mechanic. I would be willing to say you could probably get the whole thing done with parts and labor for under $300. $1,500 is beyond ridiculous, more like highway robbery.
Many good posts here. Please take it to another shop. $1500 is way too much for any heating problem including a new heater car (yeah expensive but not that much).
After all the pontificating here about how heater cores are only "failed" if they are leaking, it's obvious a lot of folks don't know what's going on with the coolants and metallurgy of the alloy heater cores and other metals in the motors today. We're not dealing with cast iron blocks/heads and copper/brass radiators and heater cores anymore ... haven't for a long time. The old diagnostics and guidelines of what works and what fails don't apply anymore. There are serious metal transfer issues going on in current production cooling systems and these greatly affect the heat transfer ability of the blocks, heads, radiators, and heater cores.
Indeed, we've had to replace a lot of heater cores which don't transfer heat anymore, and are almost impossible to "clean out" with acids or caustics in a cooling system flush. We see similar problems in radiators that don't transfer heat anymore, too.
So, the basic tests that you can do yourself to verify that the heater core is at fault presents two areas of concern:
1) is the heater/a/c control system directing the airflow through the heater core? and,
2) is the heater core receiving a flow of hot water?
If the climate control system is changing over to fresh air, or recirculated air in MAX A/C mode, it's most likely moving over to the heating mode, if the defrost and heater modes otherwise work OK.
If you feel the hoses going to the heater (from underhood) starting from a cold engine, you should feel the warm water start to flow in one of the hoses. Shortly afterwards, you'll feel warm water coming through the other hose. If the engine temp gauge shows normal engine temp, and the coolant gets hot enough to flow through the radiator hoses and you feel hot air coming from behind the radiator fan airflow, then the water should be as hot going into the heater core. Of course, use normal precautions to not put your hands into any moving parts under the hood with the motor running.
So, if the water is "hot" on one of the heater hoses and "cold" on the other, then your car has no flow through the heater core. It's most likely obstructed and will not flow the hot water. Or, if the hoses are equally hot, then the heater core is not transferring heat.
It may be possible to clean out the heater core with a citric acid based flushing solution (run hot in plain water), but don't count on it. We've tried to clean out a lot of heater cores in various makes and the improvement is generally marginal. On certain VW/Audi cars, we've even rigged up a "heater core" flushing unit with a heated water/acid solution and a water pump and a control valve (to keep from blowing up a heater core) and let it run for a day to clean out the deposits/plating on the inside of the heater core. These cars are especially difficult to remove the heater core, and the heater core replacement project can cost as much as the value of some of these cars ... or at least a huge percentage oftheir value.
I've seen other Ford vehicles have this heater core problem.
If you're not mechanically inclined to do the basic tests on the heater system, then take the car to a radiator shop that can perform the diagnostics and perhaps clean out the heater core or replace it for you. It should cost a lot less than a dealership pricing.
How about trying a good flush and a new thermostat first? We just replaced a water pump on a '91 Buick and couldn't get any heat going. Let the bugger run with the radiator cap off until it let out the biggest "burp" I'd ever seen. No fluid, just a big shot of air. Radiator went from full to half empty. Filled it up and now heat galore.
Also remember talking to a mechanic about why our old Taurus wouldn't push any heat out of the floor vent but worked fine everywhere else. He drew a primitive idea of what the switching system looked like and said that they were extremely prone to jamming, vacuum operated and a bugger to replace. Switching system jammed?
"Old School" mechanics also used to point out that antifreeze on the inside of the windshield was a sure sign of core failure. Any signs of that?
I would flush out heater core. Disconnect heater hoses at firewall or other convenient place and attach water hose and flush 'er out. Catch "flushed" water in bucket so you can see gunk coming out. Put water pressure to each hose alternately. Each fall I have to do this to my '90 Dodge Daytona. A previous owner must have used Bars Leak, a radiator sealant, in past because that appears to be what plugging core. After flushing, I have heat.
You don't have to be a "metallurgy of the alloy heater cores and other metals" nuclear physicist to fix a heater core or go to the shop and get it fixed there Sunspirit.
And although
Quote:
Of course, use normal precautions to not put your hands into any moving parts under the hood with the motor running.
is wonderful advice, the OP hasn't even come back on yet to answer any of our basic questions to spare us any further "pontifications", such as year, make, model...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bazzwell
"Old School" mechanics also used to point out that antifreeze on the inside of the windshield was a sure sign of core failure. Any signs of that?
There again, I'm not an old school mechanic, but I am an old school car driver and I've experienced a few bad heater cores in my day and along with the antifreeze on the windshield or the drip on the floor, it's also usually accompanied by that sweet stench of hot Prestone.
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?
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