It all began last winter when the rear climate system failed to blow heated air when set to heat. We took it into the dealer during the summer and they said that they had it fixed. Now that the weatherhas gotten cold again it is still blowing cold air. Unfortunately, the warranty has ran out and the problems have multiplied. You see, just about a week and a halfago my wife let me know that there is some sort of fluid leaking out of the vehicle. It’s the radiator fluid. So I tried filling it back up and that seemed to work temporarily. But now the darn front heater doesn’t work either! And we have to fill the radiator every 4 or 5 days. I’m so afraid to let my wife drive it in fear that she will blow the engine. I wanted to check here first to see if you guys might have a suggestion.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Where is it leaking from? The spots on the driveway will be a good indication. I bet you fix the leak you fix all the problems. Could be just a broken hose. If it's a radiator issue you may need to get it repaired by a raditor shop. You could of course try stop leak, they can have good results for raditor leaks. You don't have any fluid inside the vehicle do you? Good luck!

 

You are right! After I posted the original message I went outside and filled the radiator completely full and ran the engine a while. Then all of a sudden the heater in the front started working again. I then madea call to my sister-in-law's mechanic friend. He said that it is probably a leak somewhere in the radiator system. That is for sure, and it is in the engine compartment of the truck. Although, the back area of the vehicle still doesn't have heat. He said that there are two heater cores and the one for the back may be clogged or have some sort of other problem. So, I am looking for a leak, and I am looking to find out where the heater core for the back area is. When I took it in to the dealer while under warranty, they supposedly changed something called the heat actuator. Any suggestions?

 

Sounds more like you have airlock in the system and after you stop the leak (Try Bar's Stop Leak), then you need to get the air out of the whole system.

 

I agree. Don't start replacing parts and looking for other things wrong until you fix that leak. Then try asking a radiator shop or someone about purging the air from the system.

 

Well unfortunately, not being much of a mechanic and needing the problem fixed by tomorrow afternoon, I took it to a shop and they changed the water pump and the thermostat for $479.63. Who knows they may have shafted me but I guess we'll never know. Thank you so much for all of the input. I would have loved to have been able to try some of these things first. But since I'm leaving with my entire family to go from Sacramento to Oregon and then to Idaho, I needed the quick fix! I just hope with money being tight that they didn't screw me. Any how, Merry Christmas to all of you out there, and thanks again for all of your input.

Don L.