Need more heat

I have a 96 Honda Accord EX. I don't know why I'm not getting enough heat in the winter.

need more heat

first make sure coolant level is correct and condition is good. next...i would check for proper operation of the heater control valve. thermostat may also be a cause to the problem. as stated above to check condition of fluid...if coolant looks bad...it is possible that deposits has formed in heater core (and other parts of the cooling system). if so...flush the system out.

What does your temp gauge read when you're driving?

I was gonna comment, but you've all covered it pretty well. Only thing I can add is, with the engine fully warmed up (drive at least 20 mins) and the heat set on max, gauge by feel the temp of the heater hoses where they go into the firewall. If one is noticably hotter than the other, or even cold, the core is probably blocked. I think your car uses a vacuum controlled heater control valve. If you see that in one of the hoses, follow the vacuum line and make sure it isn't pinched or leaking.

Is your airflow sufficient? In my car (Chevy Lumina) the heater and A/C cores are "stacked", air has to blow through both. The A/C core on these can get so hogged up with algea, mold and dust that no air can get through. Then the blower works fine, but little happens at the vents. I don't know if Hondas are configured that way. I kinda doubt it.

Oh yeah. Make sure the cooling system is bled of any air. An airlock can sometimes cause no flow through the core.

What does your temp gauge read when you're driving?


The temperature gauge work just fine.

That's not what I asked. Is it reading a normal temp (needle in the middle)?