09 V8 Vantage - heaters/blowers

[Moonhawk]

Just wondering if this is an aspect of the car or whether something is wrong.

The heater blowers don't get very warm and aren't particularly strong either - so driving with the hood down in winter is a rather chilly affair. The blowers seem rather asthmatic - and if you have the footwell and/or windscreen on at the same time as the front vents - the front ones seem to hardly blow at all. The heat coming from the footwell when you have them turned on seems rather weak too.

Another (perhaps unrelated) problem is that the outside temperature readout on the centre console seems way off. It was reading 53 degrees today when the outside temperature was probably around 5 or 6. I have seen it do this from time to time and then it'll be correct at other times. It's almost as if it's reading the engine bay temperature rather then the temperature of the outside air. I don't know whether this reading is used to control the heaters - hence why I mention it.

[Moonhawk]

bogie said:

Is the engine getting up to full temp ? poor heater output is symptom of when the engine thermostat is faulty

The engine was at about 50% on the gauge - perhaps just under (~9 o-clock position)

[Moonhawk]

Ok - i'll give it a look. Thanks.

[Moonhawk]

Speedraser said:

The outside temp gauge only reads correctly when the car is moving -- at very low speeds or at rest, it is definitely affected by engine heat.

I was most definately moving

[Moonhawk]

Does anyone know how to do the replacement - I have got round to looking at it now and though it would be fairly accessible, but I cant seem to see where it is located.

Thanks

[Moonhawk]

johnnyBv8 said:

Hi, it's behind the front grille. It's quick/straightforward to get to it - basically remove the slam panel (the panel with the nameplate on). Then just unplug the old one and plug in the replacement.

I removed the panel and thought it would be obvious - but couldn't really see anything that was accessible without removing more stuff (e.g. the front grille or the silver bar covering the hood catch)

Does the sensor just clip on?

Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 16th January 14:36

[Moonhawk]

johnnyBv8 said:

Ambient air temp sensor is under the central panel in you pic - see arrow below.... I think I can just see the tip of it!

Ok cool - thanks. Does it just clip off?

[Moonhawk]

Hmm - still cannot find it.

edit: doesn't matter - found it. I was looking at it all along - but thought it was a bonnet close sensor

Edited by Moonhawk on Friday 20th January 15:28

[Moonhawk]

Ok - fixed and it's now reading the correct temperature.

However my problem still hasn't really been resolved.

When I switch between windscreen, front blowers and feet - something seems amiss.

If I put windscreen on - the flow through the vents doesn't seem great on the drivers side, even at full fan, however the windscreen does eventually clear.

If I then switch on front blowers whilst keeping windscreen on - virtually nothing comes out of the front blowers. The only way to get anything out of the front blowers is to turn the windscreen off - but then the windscreen mists up again.

If I put the feet blowers on - I get flow on the passenger side - but virtually nothing on the drivers side.

There must be some sort of valve/servo which controls flow to these different areas - perhaps it is faulty or sticking? Is this something than can be accessed easily or will I need to have it looked at during the next service?

[Moonhawk]

onny said:

If its low flow rate from the blower then it might be cabin filter that needs replacing as well? The filters are behind the glove box, might be worth a look.

Are they accessible without dismantling too much?

[Moonhawk]

66MK said:

Wish mine was like that! - my foot gets 3rd degree burns whilst the Mrs is still complaining she's cold!

Your heaters are working fine......that's just the way women work