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What causes a heater core to go bad?
A heater core often goes bad due to leaking. As the heater core uses engine coolant to generate heat, a leaking heater core will reduce the amount of coolant in the cooling system. Low coolant will cause an engine to run at a higher temperature, which can result in extensive engine damage.
What is the average cost to replace a heater core?
Replacing the heater core can be an expensive job, and usually costs between $564 – $927 for parts and labor. The parts aren’t particularly expensive, normally costing $80 – $234, but the location of the heater core means that labor costs tend to be quite high.
What are the major signs of a bad heater core?
Odd smell in your car is one of the major signs of a bad heater core. If you are experiencing a pungent smell while using cooling or heating system, then it is the time for appropriate repairing.
How can you tell if your car heater core is leaking?
If the odor is strong inside the passenger compartment, it’s a sign you have a bad heater core. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol. This is a toxic substance and what makes the coolant have a sweet and fruity smell. When you detect the fruity smell, it could be from a small leak the size of a pinhole along the feed pipe or heater core.
What should I do if my air conditioner core is failing?
The heater hoses should be inspected when replacing a heater core. Problems with the heater hoses can cause similar problems to a failing heater core and are less expensive to correct. Some cars will need to have the air conditioning system recharged, which can increase the cost of repair.
How can I tell if my radiator is leaking coolant?
Whether or not the car got all foggy when the heater core broke, an unmistakable sign of a leaking heater is a fruity, sickly-sweet smell inside the car. This is the smell of your radiator fluid and definitely a sign that coolant is leaking into your car.