Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hello,

I think I have an issue with my heating. It is not very hot anymore, and both driver side vents blow cold air. Heating matrix flush maybe?? Any help appreciated. Thank you.

Assuming your coolant level is ok, and the engine is getting up to temperature?

Heater matrix flush is easy enough to do, just reverse the flow.

What Jeff says, yes. Also, how does the slider feel? The clip came off my Bowden cable to the heater tap‎‎ last winter so I could never really select full hot. The slider feeling funny in its travel was the give away.

is it the heater 'button' controlled or the slider

if button then maybe a wee pipe off the vacuum servo flappy things, unlikely to be matrix 'suddenly'

if slider then clip broken?

slider not button Alan. it feels ok, nothing out of the ordinary. The fact that the drivers side vents blow cold air is odd too. Not sure how suddenly it's happened, as I haven't driven my 480 in the cold for a long time! It's usually tucked up in the garage once it gets cold and the roads get salty!

Ok

is the radiator getting warm as SOON as you start the car, ie engine water warming up to around 80, after 4miles? ditto the oil after 10miles?

it could be the thermostat on the car jammed OPEN so engine not getting warm very fast?

the 480 usually is 'toasty' certainly better than teh C30

Alan 480 wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:53 pm

Ok

is the radiator getting warm as SOON as you start the car, ie engine water warming up to around 80, after 4miles? ditto the oil after 10miles?

it could be the thermostat on the car jammed OPEN so engine not getting warm very fast?

the 480 usually is 'toasty' certainly better than teh C30

Yes, all seems ok with warming up. The water in the reservoir looks to be pretty mank, Ade has seen it and fully recommends a flush. We reckon the water is full of crud and could have possibly blocked the heater matrix. Ever since I had the radiator replaced I wasn't happy with the colour of the coolant

That sounds like the most likely explanation Rachel if all the controls in the car seem to be OK.

Good flush, re-fill with genuine coolant, and (for what little they cost) perhaps replacing the thermostat while you are in there if it's the original...soon be nice and toasty again!

David

dcwalker wrote: ↑

Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:47 am

That sounds like the most likely explanation Rachel if all the controls in the car seem to be OK.

Good flush, re-fill with genuine coolant, and (for what little they cost) perhaps replacing the thermostat while you are in there if it's the original...soon be nice and toasty again!

David

Thanks..... coolant, system flush, thermostat all ordered, getting cam belt, aux. belt and transmission oil done too while its at the garage. Its time I spent some money on the 480!

Ok, so everything has been done now. Coolant flushed and replaced, new thermostat too (along with other stuff like cam belt, drive belt and gear box oil.) Still the heating isn't as good as it should be. It is a bit better though I guess, it does get warm, but usually full heat and fan is tooooo much after a while but I now have to keep it on full heat. Also the drivers side vents blow very cool, slightly warm on the bottom one but basically cold from the top one. What could this be??

any help or suggestions?? Thank you

unless you have blown lots of leaves into the AIR side of the matrix???

I can't see how you can easily get at the air-side with matrix is situ ?

the heat should be same from all vents? especially left to right. if it was top to bottom then i'd say the sliders/flaps were all-to-pot

Leaves, very unlikely I'd say. Its doesnt really get driven a great deal, and then only really in the summer months. Never had a leaf problem before in any of my daily driven 480's. It is odd.

Thanks for your reply Alan

Has someone disturbed the pipes to vents? Had the dashboard or centre console out?

jifflemon wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:50 pm

Has someone disturbed the pipes to vents? Had the dashboard or centre console out?

by pipes you mean the 2" flexibles?, I'd assumed they would still be 'in place' if heater matrix not been moved or car taken apart for any reason, but might have fallen off, then you'd get no wind.


is there warm air at the vents under the seats (for rear seat toes)? cos they are effectively FIXED and can't 'fall-off'

so back to issues with the bowden cable/clip/flap etc ? ? ? ?

Hi guys,

No no one work has been done there at all. I will have to see if I get warm air on my toes next time it's out. Seems very odd that the lower side vent is slightly warm but the top one is cold.