AC blows cold Heat blows luke warm

[blacknblue]

First off this is my first actual post. I have been lurking around since I got my Explorer a month ago. This site is a definite life saver as I have already found the problem with my cruise control not working properly, bad brake switch. Anyways onto my next problem.

My Truck
2003 Explorer XLT 4.0 V6

The Problem
So as the title states my A/C works great but my heat not so much. After the truck gets to operating temperature I try to get the heat going but it never really gets past luke warm. If I go full blast with it then it goes back to being cold. I have noticed that my temperature gauge will creep up enough that the "Check Gauge" light comes on but it quickly falls back down to the normal range. When it jumps up there I can turn the heat on and it comes out nice and toasty but only for a couple seconds.

Initial Thoughts
Now since I have been lurking around I have seen the articles with the blend door actuator but I lack some of the symptoms like the clicking that I have read about. Like stated above the heat works at times but only briefly or just barely. Could this just be the early onset of the blend door actuator going out or something else that I have missed?

Thanks for any help that I might get.
Dustin

 

[Exproblems]

My Truck
2003 Explorer XLT 4.0 V6

The Problem
So as the title states my A/C works great but my heat not so much. After the truck gets to operating temperature I try to get the heat going but it never really gets past luke warm. If I go full blast with it then it goes back to being cold. I have noticed that my temperature gauge will creep up enough that the "Check Gauge" light comes on but it quickly falls back down to the normal range. When it jumps up there I can turn the heat on and it comes out nice and toasty but only for a couple seconds. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Make sure the coolant level is full in the expansion/overflow tank first. Then test drive and see what happens. Low coolant will cause heat loss to the heater core and cause over heating conditions. If the coolant level is low, check for leaks, because something is causing the loss of coolant from the system. If coolant level is full, you may have an "air lock" in the system which will cause fluctuating heat loss to the heater core. You need to bleed the air from the system then. With the vehicle turned off, open the expansion tank, remove the cap, and squeeze the top radiator hose numerous times to release the air from the system. Watch to see if air bubbles come up in the expansion tank. Re-cap expansion tank and take for test drive, checking for heat and temp gauge symptoms. May have to do this a few times to release all the air from the system. You could also have a thermostat problem, which will cause a jumpy temp gauge and cause over heating issue's. >You could also have a partially blocked radiator or heater core or a faulty "heater core valve" if your vehicle has one. <Check for these last. Most likely, it is one of these things. Good luck.

 

[blacknblue]

Thank you for the reply! After I posted that I started reading around some more and seen someone had mentioned low coolant. I can not tell you why that was not the first thing that I checked but upon checking that it was a little low. I will be keeping my eye out for leaks now. Again thanks for the reply!

 

[SyberTiger]

Exproblems,

Gonna change your handle to "Quoteproblems"...LOL...

FYI, you need to leave that [/QUOTE] at the end of the quoted message for it to work properly.

 

[Exproblems]

Exproblems,

Gonna change your handle to "Quoteproblems"...LOL...

FYI, you need to leave that at the end of the quoted message for it to work properly>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Why, are you having too much trouble following along with the format of my posts? I guess the arrow bars <<<<>>>>> confuse you? I know exactly what I am doing here, not my first time in a forum. FYI, If you leave the end Quote caption at the end of a message you are quoting, it won't allow you to break up the quoted post into sections for seperate comments on specifc parts of the post you are commenting on. If you leave the end quote caption, your comments and the quoted part of the message will be highlighted in blue/grey shading together. Removing it, takes care of that problem and the arrow bars are perfectly fine for seperating a quote from your new comments. Learn something new everday huh? BTW, who died and made you forum cop?

 

[Exproblems]

Thank you for the reply! After I can not tell you why that was not the first thing that I checked but upon checking that it was a little low. I will be keeping my eye out for leaks now. Again thanks for the reply!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

No problem, glad it was a simple fix.

 

[SyberTiger]

Why, are you having too much trouble following along with the format of my posts?

Not at all...I'm very adaptable...but I was just trying to be helpful in case you didn't know.

I guess the arrow bars <<<<>>>>> confuse you?

Using HTML tags makes it easier to identify who wrote what which is probably why those tags are included in the HTML language.

I know exactly what I am doing here, not my first time in a forum. FYI, If you leave the end Quote caption at the end of a message you are quoting, it won't allow you to break up the quoted post into sections for seperate comments on specifc parts of the post you are commenting on. If you leave the end quote caption, your comments and the quoted part of the message will be highlighted in blue/grey shading together. Removing it, takes care of that problem and the arrow bars are perfectly fine for seperating a quote from your new comments.

Didn't know that. You learn something new everyday.

Learn something new everday huh?

Sure do...how about you?

BTW, who died and made you forum cop?

Meh....

p.s. Good hint to the OP....Lighten up dude...sounds like you are having a bad day. Merry Xmas and all that stuff.

 

[Exproblems]

Not at all...I'm very adaptable...but I was just trying to be helpful in case you didn't know. >>>>>>>>>>

I saw the symbol, but the way you mentioned I should change my screen name, it came across as a wise a$$ comment.
You were kind of telling me what I should do rather than ask me if I knew how to do it.

>>>>>>>>>>>Using HTML tags makes it easier to identify who wrote what which is probably why those tags are included in the HTML language.>>>>>>>

I always quote the beginning tag with the persons screen name it. That is enough to identify whose post I am commenting on. Be thankful I quote the messages, many in here do not and you really don't know who they are sending a message to.


>>>>>>>>>>Lighten up dude...sounds like you are having a bad day. >>>>>>>>>>>>

Actually I'm having a bad week and half. A close, 4 months pregnant relative of mine just lost her baby in a car accident driving to work. She hit a patch of black ice and spun into a ditch, setting off the air bag which struck her in the stomach, instantly killing her baby/fetus. She is doing okay with the exception of the emotional loss. 7 cars total went off the road into the ditch in that spot that morning.

>>>>>>>>>>>Merry Xmas and all that stuff.>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks, Merry Christmas to you too! It's good to see another American besides me who isn't afraid to wish someone a Merry Christmas in public.