QuestionQUESTION: I have a 97 Intrepid 4dr sedan 3.3litre 80,000 miles. No cabin heat. I replaced t-stat, checked hoses in/out of heater core, both hot, filled with 50/50, even put card board in front of radiator. Engine temp came up slightly on gauge, but still cold air from all def/heat ducts. Opened bleeder valve on t-stat housing for a moment, thinking air lock, still cold. Could this still be air locked? And does t-stat have to set to a certain mark to operate correctly? Any ideas would be a help. Thanks Rod
ANSWER: Hi Rod,
Is this the manual temp control type of unit or the automatic temp control type? The chances are that the 'blend door' which determines the flow of air through the HVAC unit is not working properly. Tell me which type of control so I can tell you about how to check that out.
On the air lock issue, that too is a possibility except that both of the hoses are equally warm which would not be the case if you had an air lock. For the record: When you refill the system start with the bleed opened and sent out through a hose to a collection pan in front of the vehicle for recycle back into the system while you put back coolant into the fill bottle. Keep filling until you get a steady flow out the bleed valve, and then squeeze the upper radiator while keeping the flow going to be sure that air from it comes out too, then close the bleed valve. Don't let the fill bottle empty out while doing this process.
Roland
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QUESTION: Hi Roland
The temp control is the manual type, along with the maual def/heat control. Access looks like a nightmare. R
ANSWER: Hi Rod,
First lets try a calibration and a diagnostics if the calibration doesn't help. To calibrate, start the engine and run it while you have the temp set to full cold for two minutes, then move it to full hot and run it for 5 minutes.
The self-diagnostic test for the '97 is dependent upon which exact control panel that you have in your '97. I have the procedure for the '94 and the '98 and the panels are different as regards the shape of the AC button and the rear defrost button. Are these rectangular or are they round in shape is what I need to know to tell which manual's text to give you.
The blend door actuator is fairly easy to change out if that proves to be the problem. It is on the under side of the HVAC unit. But more details later when we figure out what the diagnostic fault code readout tells us is wrong.
Roland
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QUESTION: Roland I did check out the 97 Dodge Intrepid that we where talking about. (no cabin heat) the rear window def and the A/C are both rectangular in shape and to the right of both.
AnswerHi Rod,
That control panel was apparently used from '93-7. I don't have the self-diagnostic instruction in digital format, only hard copy. It covers two pages of text in the manual. I would find it easier to photocopy and postal mail those pages to you rather than to type all that information. Send me a follow-up question but use the 'private' option and in the text tell me your postal mailing address.
Roland
