Help Heat Problems

[sstoller]

I have a 2008 Ford Edge. during the summer we had a mild anti-freeze smell if we turned the A/C temp up (warmer). We brought it to the dealer fearing that the heater core was going bad. They state that it tested ok. Since it was summer and so warm we did not really have an opportunity to test the heat.

 

Now that it is getting cooler we are finding that if the engine is warm and the heat is then turned on, it heats briefly then we pretty much get ambient air. Again we smelled some coolant odor,but again no evidence of leak.

 

We brought it back to the dealer, they pressure tested the system and declared it ok. My wife reported that it seemed better and assumed the pressure might have cleared a blockage.

 

This morning she drove to work and it was quite cool out. During her 45 minute ride she had the heat on, but no heat. The dealer wants me to bring it back again, With one car this will get expensive and very inconvenient, but then again we need heat.

 

I Googled heat problems and came up with someone saying check the cabin air filter.

 

In doing so I notice that when I change the heat mode selector, the blend door opens for a few seconds and then closes again. kind of consistent with the heat for a few seconds then ambient air.

 

I do not know the proper action of the door, ie: what should it do when, and what to look at if it is not working correctly.

 

Any help, suggestions or advice are welcome.

 

Thank you,

 

Scott

 

 

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Did you check the coolant level? I know it was pressure tested, but didn't see a mention of the coolant level.

 

Also check the coolant itself to see if it has any discoloration/floating stuff in it. If so, might be time for a flush. How many miles on your Edge?

 

And, BTW, welcome and glad to have you here.

[sstoller]

overflow bottle is within the norm levels, it is kind of dirty looking, compared to a bottle of prestone.

 

is flushing something you can do yourself on these or should I bring it somewhere? I have not flushed a radiator in almost 20 years.

 

I have 59000 miles, we bought it from a dealer at 48000 in May.

 

is there a "brain" to the blender door, or just connected to the mode switch, I am wondering if there is something i should try replacing.

[WWWPerfA_ZN0W]

Used to be you could do it with a T and a garden hose. Don't know if this is still true, here is what the service manual says:

 

Cooling System Flushing

Material Specification

Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant with Bittering Agent (US only)
VC-7-B (US); CVC-7-A (Canada); or equivalent (yellow color) WSS-M97B51-A1

Premium Cooling System Flush
VC-1 ESR-M14P7-A

1. To remove rust, sludge and other foreign material from the cooling system, use cooling system flush that is safe for use with aluminum radiators, For additional information, refer to Specifications. This cleaning restores cooling system efficiency and helps prevent overheating. A pulsating or reversed direction of flushing water will loosen sediment more quickly than a steady flow in the normal coolant flow direction. In severe cases where cleaning solvents will not clean the cooling system efficiently, it will be necessary to use the pressure flushing method using cooling system flusher. Dispose of old coolant and flushing water contaminated with antifreeze and cleaning chemicals in accordance with local, state or federal laws.

2. Remove the radiator. For additional information, refer to Radiator in this section.

3. CAUTION: Radiator internal pressure must not exceed 138 kPa (20 psi). Damage to the radiator can result.

   Backflush the radiator with the radiator in an upside-down position with a high-pressure hose in the lower hose location and backflush.

4. Remove the thermostat. For additional information, refer to Thermostat in this section.

5. Backflush the engine. Position the high-pressure water hose into the engine through the engine return and backflush the engine.

 

A good thread on this procedure:

http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/12912-coolantantifreeze-change-problems/

 

More can be found by searching the forum.

 

Remember to use the correct coolant for your vehicle!

Edited October 22, 2013 by WWWPerfA_ZN0W