i got my fabia last may the heater seemed very efficent, two weeks ago the thermostat had to be replaced, this is a compleate unit, the cost over here in ireland was €42 plus vat at 12 and a half percent, plus two liters of coolant plus labour, 130 in total, all from an indy, i am giving you this so as to compare prices, since then the heater is rather weak, on a ten mile trip last evening the windscreen did not demist, the air con works with all the settings bar full heat, today on a forty mile round trip the same, no real heat, my last car one would get unreal heat after four miles, your help please, also thanks in advance.

 

 

Could have a airlock in 

the system which is stopping the coolant passing through the matrix.

 

Not sure on the Fabia if they have bleed points in the system or if they self bleed by just running engine with cap off.

 

Did the garage use a vacuum filler system to refill the coolant?

Sounds much more likely that the heater flap motor is stuck, you might be able to unstick it by cycling it full-cold then full hot etc.

i forgot to add that before the thermo went the temp hand used to be at  a quarter on the clock, now it is at a fraction over 50%.

Sounds much more likely that the heater flap motor is stuck, you might be able to unstick it by cycling it full-cold then full hot etc.

i do not think so as if one sets it at cold, then it spews out cold air, i have until monday to decide what to do, either return it to the indy who is 10 miles away, or take it to a main ford dealer who is three mile away.

i forgot to add that before the thermo went the temp hand used to be at  a quarter on the clock, now it is at a fraction over 50%.

 

Therefore the thermostat was definitely stuck partly open and needed replacing.

i do not think so as if one sets it at cold, then it spews out cold air, i have until monday to decide what to do, either return it to the indy who is 10 miles away, or take it to a main ford dealer who is three mile away.

 

To be honest these engines don't really get airlocked, you've been checking the coolant level and driving it far enough for the thermostat to open fully?

Could have a airlock in 

the system which is stopping the coolant passing through the matrix.

 

Not sure on the Fabia if they have bleed points in the system or if they self bleed by just running engine with cap off.

 

Did the garage use a vacuum filler system to refill the coolant?

no they did not, i have also found that it requires water twice a week, even tho i do very little driving, last week end it was idle from friday afternoon  until tuesday morning, it took two pints of water, i done a little on tuesday, and on thursday, this morning it took one pint, could this have a bearing on it. 

Sounds like a air lock, the garage should've put your heater control to cold when they drained the system.

no they did not, i have also found that it requires water twice a week, even tho i do very little driving, last week end it was idle from friday afternoon  until tuesday morning, it took two pints of water, i done a little on tuesday, and on thursday, this morning it took one pint, could this have a bearing on it. 

 

Yes, massively, that's WAY too much water, sounds like there's a nasty leak, take it back!

To be honest these engines don't really get airlocked, you've been checking the coolant level and driving it far enough for the thermostat to open fully?

i done a forty mile trip today to make sure, it was not hot, it was warm ok, but hot no.

Sounds like a air lock, the garage should've put your heater control to cold when they drained the system.

 

Doesn't make any difference the heater matrix is permanently inline and a flap controls the cabin airflow.

Therefore the thermostat was definitely stuck partly open and needed replacing.

it was actually broken in two, also the housing had some gunk in it, i used some engine flush on it a while back , the gunk that came out was unreal

Edited 23 November, 201312 yr by flutered

Doesn't make any difference the heater matrix is permanently inline and a flap controls the cabin airflow.

When you drain a cooling system it's always best to put heaters to cold to stop you losing all the coolant and prevent cold heaters, one of the first things a mechanic should learn.

When you drain a cooling system it's always best to put heaters to cold to stop you losing all the coolant and prevent cold heaters, one of the first things a mechanic should learn.

 

Kenny, it doesn't make any difference because the heat control electronically operates a stepper motor which moves a flap in the air box, it doesn't affect the coolant flow at all.

 

Edit: Actually it sends a signal to the climate control unit which in turn controls the air flap stepper motor.

Edited 23 November, 201312 yr by sepulchrave

When you drain a cooling system it's always best to put heaters to cold to stop you losing all the coolant and prevent cold heaters, one of the first things a mechanic should learn.

 

This might have made a difference on cars about 30-40 years ago!But not on cars now

 

As above coolant is flowing through the matrix even when the controls are set too cold.

My bad techies

Had same recently.got the heater matrix jetted out.mine was full of gunk nd rust.refitted now car toasty warm!!!

it was actually broken in two, also the housing had some gunk in it, i used some engine flush on it a while back , the gunk that came out was unreal

 

Errr, the cooling system shouldn't be full of gunk unless there's a more serious underlying problem.

Depends on the age of ur car.so its best when the thermo is replaced to reverse flush the sydtem including the heater matrix which over time gets clogged with rust etc!!!!!

thanks folks, i am trying to contact the indy for his version, i have the option of the ford main dealer.

Very easy to clog a cooling system IMO. Barrs leaks or similar to band-aid a slight leak. Or filling or topping up with the wrong type of coolant. I think all Fabia's run the pink stuff, rather than the blue stuff. They're not compatible with each other.

Could also be the waterpump failing, check by removing the coolant cap when cold and running the engine, it should pump water thru the small pipe at the top of the tank and you should see it running into the tank

Very easy to clog a cooling system IMO. Barrs leaks or similar to band-aid a slight leak. Or filling or topping up with the wrong type of coolant. I think all Fabia's run the pink stuff, rather than the blue stuff. They're not compatible with each other.

 

Yes, they are, they're both ethylene glycol (which is clear), you're thinking of propylene glycol which shouldn't be mixed, the pink dye is so that any leaks fluoresce under UV light, the blue dye doesn't.

Edited 25 November, 201312 yr by sepulchrave