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Heat blows cold air when stopped

45K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  punjayne 
#1 ·
My car is the 2004 Sorento EX 4x4. I just started using the heater again and it seems like its taking a lot longer to warm up. When the car is warm and I'm moving, it blows plenty of hot air, but every time I stop at a light, it changes to cold air. The air temp also seems to cool after I've driven 10 minutes without stopping. I thought I was low on coolant but checked it and its full. Anybody have an idea what I might be in for?
Thanks
 
#2 ·
welcome
fill out profile, please
95% thermostat or 4.5% sludge in cooling system or 0.5% water pump (probability in % based on your testimony) could you tell what the temp gauge says?
 
#4 ·
Unless you add 95% and 4.5% to get 99.5%. % is based on normal history in here of lack fluid updates. Which is for a vechicle that has not had regular coolent flushes and sludged up and junked up and telling the sensors (fan/gauge) the wrong things and clogging the stat and heatercore flow. If flushes have not been done every two years do one (not just a drain and fill either, as its too late for that) now. And see if it all goes away. or if it gets better. Then do more flushes then you do. Every two years/24,000-30,000 is best.


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#3 · (Edited)
I agree with PLP either you have a themostat stuck open or the cooling fan for the radiator is staying on all the time, is your temp gauge reading any lower than it normally does?. If not maybe the tap to open the coolant flow to the heater core when you turn on the heater may only be opening partially, if you havn't used the heater for a while they can stick. It is always a good idea to turn on the heater every once in a while to make sure the taps are free.
 
#5 ·
Thanks for your help. The needle on the temp guage stays pretty consistant right in the middle whether stopped of moving. There was one HOT (100+ plus degrees) day this summer when I had kind of the opposite thing happen with the A/C. The temp guage went way up while I was waiting for a car wash and the A/C blew hot air while stopped. As soon as I started moving, the temp went down and cold air started blowing. That was an isolated incedent and I haven't used the heat or A/C much for last 2 months.
 
#6 ·
how long does it take to reach the middle on the gauge? does it stay there on highway?
if everything is fine, the only one thing which left is the suggestion of pulsar86
 
#7 ·
It takes about 10 minutes of driving to get to the middle of the guage, a lot longer than I remember. After it gets to the middle, it takes another couple minutes before blowing hot air. I remember warm air when the needle got about 1/4 up last year.

how do i fill out a profile here?
 
#8 ·
follow the CP symbol above, or this link
http://www.kia-forums.com/usercp.php

so it looks like thermostat.
Just to confirm, no overheating? Any other problems you did not mention?

So, when the car cold, open the hood, check radiator if it is cold.
Then, start engine and keep checking radiator, temp gauge and water pipes, especially this one that goes to heater core, this one that goes to radiator and this which puts coolant back to engine (from radiator).
If all of them are getting warm = thermostat wide open.
Replace it, flush the system and recheck. And update.
 
#10 ·
I had just purchased a 04 Sorento and I will be taking it into the dealership because of this exact problem. When starting the vehicle cold, even after 20 minutes of idle running time there is no heat YET the temperature gauge is even and stays even. Only when I idle around 2000 RPMs do I get warm air or when I'm on the move. As soon as I stop at a traffic light, COLD AIR! As I just purchased this vehicle I'm taking it back to the dealership as it should be covered under their 90-day lemon law. I will report back what they fixed.

Thanks,
Chris
 
#11 ·
It turns out I've got a crack on the bottom of the plastic coolant overflow tank where the radiator cap goes and its causing a leak. I noticed a puddle the last few times I drove. Coolant is full again with extra in the car. I'm going to call the dealership Monday to get a new bottle. Should be an easy fix.
 
#13 ·
my04 sorento started the same way...there is a problem with the coolant bottle in these cars...over time they crack and start to leak...slowly at first but then get worse over time..I figured out through internet research that this could be my heater problem..sure enough I took it in last friday and the container was cracked...replacement was total 186.00 before tax.
 
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