Ford Ka Heater always hot - used to be always cold!
Discussion
1999 ford ka, it stopped blowing hot air and would only blow cold. With a friend's help I managed to changed the heater control valve. Now it blows only hot! It was OK for the winter but now I need to sort it.
Any suggestions as to what the problem could be, and how I diagnose/fix it? Could it be that I replaced a faulty valve with another faulty valve (not official part)? Or another part of the control system? I'm not too hot on engines but I've got a multimeter and I'm willing to give any suggestions a go!
Cheers
Any suggestions as to what the problem could be, and how I diagnose/fix it? Could it be that I replaced a faulty valve with another faulty valve (not official part)? Or another part of the control system? I'm not too hot on engines but I've got a multimeter and I'm willing to give any suggestions a go!
Cheers
Edited by hessodreamy on Friday 25th March 19:16
Check the voltage at the plug on the valve.
It should pulse at different speeds depending on where the heat dial is positioned.
Chances are its constant in which case its the circuit board behind that dial that is goosed rather than the valve. New PCB sections are available but they aren't particularly cheap.
In a '99 Ka I'd be shutting the vents and opening the windows for summer.
It should pulse at different speeds depending on where the heat dial is positioned.
Chances are its constant in which case its the circuit board behind that dial that is goosed rather than the valve. New PCB sections are available but they aren't particularly cheap.
In a '99 Ka I'd be shutting the vents and opening the windows for summer.
Had this on the OH's Sportka. Valve had failed; a right b
h to replace. New one worked for a while now gone again. Turns out it is now the panel - the rheostat in the heat control is not renewable - gotta be a complete heater control panel at approx £150. Sod that we thought - for the last couple of years I have had an on/off rocker switch cable-tied into the ashtray (none of us smoke!) and this is wired into the feed for the valve. Switch one way - heat off. Switch the other way - heat on. Simples. We will get a panel and replace it one day - probably just before she trades it in (if she ever does) Had thought of getting a rheostat from Maplins and fitting it in place of the on/off switch but can't be ar53d and anyway OH is now well used to the switching arrangement juggled with vents & windows.
h to replace. New one worked for a while now gone again. Turns out it is now the panel - the rheostat in the heat control is not renewable - gotta be a complete heater control panel at approx £150. Sod that we thought - for the last couple of years I have had an on/off rocker switch cable-tied into the ashtray (none of us smoke!) and this is wired into the feed for the valve. Switch one way - heat off. Switch the other way - heat on. Simples. We will get a panel and replace it one day - probably just before she trades it in (if she ever does) Had thought of getting a rheostat from Maplins and fitting it in place of the on/off switch but can't be ar53d and anyway OH is now well used to the switching arrangement juggled with vents & windows.Thanks for the pointers, guys. I pulled the plug off the valve and the voltage measured 7.08V, regardless of the position of the temperature control. That's the situation you're describing, right?
So can you describe further what switch I can install to turn the heat off? What kind if switch and where would I wire it to? Would I be wiring it to the wiring behind the control panel, or directly to the wires connecting to the valve?
Cheers
So can you describe further what switch I can install to turn the heat off? What kind if switch and where would I wire it to? Would I be wiring it to the wiring behind the control panel, or directly to the wires connecting to the valve?
Cheers
To get the valve you've replaced to open and close as described in the other posters thread it just needs a 12v or zero volt signal.
They've disconnected the electrical plug at the valve and hooked up a complete new circuit to an aftermarket switch located in the car.
Simple enough to do, positive feed, fused if its coming from the battery direct, in to a to terminal rocker switch, wire off the other terminal in to on side of the valve terminals, earth the other side terminal and hey presto. Pretty sure if you get crimp on connectors intended for wiring the negative terminals on a speaker they've be narrow enough to plug on to the control valve terminals.
They've disconnected the electrical plug at the valve and hooked up a complete new circuit to an aftermarket switch located in the car.
Simple enough to do, positive feed, fused if its coming from the battery direct, in to a to terminal rocker switch, wire off the other terminal in to on side of the valve terminals, earth the other side terminal and hey presto. Pretty sure if you get crimp on connectors intended for wiring the negative terminals on a speaker they've be narrow enough to plug on to the control valve terminals.
Thanks for clarifying the required circuit. But I still can't get it to work. Is the valve open or closed at 12v? And am I right in saying that the valve should be open for hot, and closed for cold?
I've attached the valve to the battery (+ to + and - to -, in the polarity according to measuring the original voltage to the valve from the control unit), and I've left the battery detached, but still it blows hot. Is there some way to set the valve to 'cold' and leave it there?
I've attached the valve to the battery (+ to + and - to -, in the polarity according to measuring the original voltage to the valve from the control unit), and I've left the battery detached, but still it blows hot. Is there some way to set the valve to 'cold' and leave it there?
Well, you were right that it was the controller on the panel.
But you'd scared me off with the prices you mentioned so I didn't really look into getting it fixed. Turns out I Got a used control panel (the whole panel) for about £25. Plugged it in and straight away started blowing cold air. High fives and much jubilation abound!
Or so I thought.
A couple of times in the last week it started blowing hot again. Usually coinciding with starting the car ie. it was working fine, then I turned off the engine for a few minutes, restarted & it started blowing hot. So far it eventually returns to normal function after another restart or two.
Am I right in saying that the controller, and the valve are the only parts of the cabin heater system? I which case I've replaced them all. Could there be something else at play? Maybe the ignition system putting out a voltage spike which messes with the heater controller?
But you'd scared me off with the prices you mentioned so I didn't really look into getting it fixed. Turns out I Got a used control panel (the whole panel) for about £25. Plugged it in and straight away started blowing cold air. High fives and much jubilation abound!
Or so I thought.
A couple of times in the last week it started blowing hot again. Usually coinciding with starting the car ie. it was working fine, then I turned off the engine for a few minutes, restarted & it started blowing hot. So far it eventually returns to normal function after another restart or two.
Am I right in saying that the controller, and the valve are the only parts of the cabin heater system? I which case I've replaced them all. Could there be something else at play? Maybe the ignition system putting out a voltage spike which messes with the heater controller?
Petemate said:
Had this on the OH's Sportka. Valve had failed; a right bh to replace. New one worked for a while now gone again. Turns out it is now the panel - the rheostat in the heat control is not renewable - gotta be a complete heater control panel at approx £150. Sod that we thought - for the last couple of years I have had an on/off rocker switch cable-tied into the ashtray (none of us smoke!) and this is wired into the feed for the valve. Switch one way - heat off. Switch the other way - heat on. Simples. We will get a panel and replace it one day - probably just before she trades it in (if she ever does) Had thought of getting a rheostat from Maplins and fitting it in place of the on/off switch but can't be ar53d and anyway OH is now well used to the switching arrangement juggled with vents & windows.
Update. Finally got round to fitting a replacement panel. Cost? Lucky off the 'bay at £10 Buy it Now plus £5 post - arrived yesterday the day following shipping. Paid for it on Sat. Well chuffed. System now working OK.h to replace. New one worked for a while now gone again. Turns out it is now the panel - the rheostat in the heat control is not renewable - gotta be a complete heater control panel at approx £150. Sod that we thought - for the last couple of years I have had an on/off rocker switch cable-tied into the ashtray (none of us smoke!) and this is wired into the feed for the valve. Switch one way - heat off. Switch the other way - heat on. Simples. We will get a panel and replace it one day - probably just before she trades it in (if she ever does) Had thought of getting a rheostat from Maplins and fitting it in place of the on/off switch but can't be ar53d and anyway OH is now well used to the switching arrangement juggled with vents & windows.Following discovery of a post on a Ford forum, I checked the old one after spraying the potentiometer with switch cleaner and now have a working standby spare. Seems that the item is a 10k one, and they look to be available from Maplin at 64p. The centre where the spindle of the control fits looks to be slightly different but I bet it can be doctored to fit.
im getting extremely razzed off with my car..
the heater CONSTANTLY blows hot air!!... i have had the heater panel changed (not that so changed it back to original) iv had the black heater matrix thing changed today and now its blowing air out that chuffing hot it BURNS if you put your hand near it!!
i cant carry on like this
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME
the heater CONSTANTLY blows hot air!!... i have had the heater panel changed (not that so changed it back to original) iv had the black heater matrix thing changed today and now its blowing air out that chuffing hot it BURNS if you put your hand near it!!
i cant carry on like this
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME
verity93 said:
im getting extremely razzed off with my car..
the heater CONSTANTLY blows hot air!!... i have had the heater panel changed (not that so changed it back to original) iv had the black heater matrix thing changed today and now its blowing air out that chuffing hot it BURNS if you put your hand near it!!
i cant carry on like this
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME
Heater control valves in the engine bay, although it sounds like you've replaced it. Some of the pattern ones are total crap, the latest Ford spec works fine.the heater CONSTANTLY blows hot air!!... i have had the heater panel changed (not that so changed it back to original) iv had the black heater matrix thing changed today and now its blowing air out that chuffing hot it BURNS if you put your hand near it!!
i cant carry on like this
SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME
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