'02 Sebring Convertible Limited - Heater blows cool at idle

I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter that
when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the heater
drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car idles - it
comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start it in the
morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the heater never
starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start driving...

My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the '02 or is there
something wrong?

Thanks for any info!
Yves

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005, Yves M. wrote:

> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
> that when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the
> heater drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car
> idles - it comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start
> it in the morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the
> heater never starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start
> driving... My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the
> '02 or is there something wrong?

Something's wrong. Probably air trapped in your heater core and/or upper
regions of your cooling system, but could be another fault (heater hoses
improperly routed/connected, blockage in system, etc.)

DS

On Sun, 2 Jan 2005, Yves M. wrote:

> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
> that when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the
> heater drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car
> idles - it comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start
> it in the morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the
> heater never starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start
> driving... My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the
> '02 or is there something wrong?

Something's wrong. Probably air trapped in your heater core and/or upper
regions of your cooling system, but could be another fault (heater hoses
improperly routed/connected, blockage in system, etc.)

DS

Before you check for trapped air or misrouted heater hoses, check to see if
the system is full, if you are low on coolant, this is what the results
would be, no heat at idle...and you have to make sure the overflow bottle is
full
"Yves M." > wrote in message
...
> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
that
> when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the heater
> drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car idles -
it
> comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start it in the
> morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the heater never
> starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start driving...
>
> My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the '02 or is there
> something wrong?
>
> Thanks for any info!
> Yves
>
>

Before you check for trapped air or misrouted heater hoses, check to see if
the system is full, if you are low on coolant, this is what the results
would be, no heat at idle...and you have to make sure the overflow bottle is
full
"Yves M." > wrote in message
...
> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
that
> when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the heater
> drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car idles -
it
> comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start it in the
> morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the heater never
> starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start driving...
>
> My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the '02 or is there
> something wrong?
>
> Thanks for any info!
> Yves
>
>

ah, you're both right... I checked the coolant and it was a tad below min
when the engine was cold. Should have kept a better eye on that...

No the bad part - the car has the 2.7L engine that requires a "complex"
bleeding to fill the system, not like the older cars I'm used to where you
just top the reservoir...

Now the even worse part... the bleeder valve is stuck. The base turns with
it in the plastic casing... dealer tells me that the hole part ("water
outlet connector") has to be replaced at a cost of ~$100 for the part and
~$150 for labor... ARGH.

Has anyone experience with replacing these? Maxpower, I know you posted a
service bulletin in this group about the bleed procedure a ehile ago which I
found interesting, but I could not find anything about the actual part
replacement procedure anywhere. I got quite a few "ah, we replace a lot of
these" type responses from different people - even the guy at AutoZone
(which of course do not have the part) was well aware of the "issue" with
that part.

Thanks!
Yves


"maxpower" > wrote in message
...
> Before you check for trapped air or misrouted heater hoses, check to see
> if
> the system is full, if you are low on coolant, this is what the results
> would be, no heat at idle...and you have to make sure the overflow bottle
> is
> full
> "Yves M." > wrote in message
> ...
>> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
> that
>> when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the heater
>> drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car idles -
> it
>> comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start it in the
>> morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the heater never
>> starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start driving...
>>
>> My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the '02 or is
>> there
>> something wrong?
>>
>> Thanks for any info!
>> Yves
>>
>>
>
>

I have a 2000 that had the same problem. In the morning when the engine was
cold I removed the radiator cap and added about a quart and a half of
coolant. That did the job. When the engine is low on coolant the high
point of the system, the heater core, is starved.
-Bill
------------------------------
"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
.umich.edu...
> On Sun, 2 Jan 2005, Yves M. wrote:
>
>> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
>> that when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the
>> heater drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car
>> idles - it comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start
>> it in the morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the
>> heater never starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start
>> driving... My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the
>> '02 or is there something wrong?
>
> Something's wrong. Probably air trapped in your heater core and/or upper
> regions of your cooling system, but could be another fault (heater hoses
> improperly routed/connected, blockage in system, etc.)
>
> DS

I haed the same problem on my 2001. Turned out that the radiator cape
was not holding pressure so that was where the leak was occuring.

Bill G wrote:
> I have a 2000 that had the same problem. In the morning when the engine was
> cold I removed the radiator cap and added about a quart and a half of
> coolant. That did the job. When the engine is low on coolant the high
> point of the system, the heater core, is starved.
> -Bill
> ------------------------------
> "Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in message
> .umich.edu...
>
>>On Sun, 2 Jan 2005, Yves M. wrote:
>>
>>
>>>I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
>>>that when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the
>>>heater drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car
>>>idles - it comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start
>>>it in the morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the
>>>heater never starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start
>>>driving... My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the
>>>'02 or is there something wrong?
>>
>>Something's wrong. Probably air trapped in your heater core and/or upper
>>regions of your cooling system, but could be another fault (heater hoses
>>improperly routed/connected, blockage in system, etc.)
>>
>>DS
>
>
>

This is slightly unrelated, but it may be of limited interest. I fould tthat
Wal Mart (probably others as well) carries a 50-50 mixture of coolant and
water (premix) perfect for topping off a cooling system (no need to measure
in a bucket, just pour in).


"glenn beasley" > wrote in message
...
> if the valve is not leaking, dont replace it. just add to the bottle,
> using
> the proper coolant and sterile water, you dont have to open the bleeder
> screw, add to the full mark while it is runnjing, close the cap untill the
> level stabilizes, at idle just raise it to about 1500 to get it circulated
> in the system
>
> maxpower
> Yves M. wrote in message >...
>>ah, you're both right... I checked the coolant and it was a tad below min
>>when the engine was cold. Should have kept a better eye on that...
>>
>>No the bad part - the car has the 2.7L engine that requires a "complex"
>>bleeding to fill the system, not like the older cars I'm used to where you
>>just top the reservoir...
>>
>>Now the even worse part... the bleeder valve is stuck. The base turns
>>with
>>it in the plastic casing... dealer tells me that the hole part ("water
>>outlet connector") has to be replaced at a cost of ~$100 for the part and
>>~$150 for labor... ARGH.
>>
>>Has anyone experience with replacing these? Maxpower, I know you posted a
>>service bulletin in this group about the bleed procedure a ehile ago which
> I
>>found interesting, but I could not find anything about the actual part
>>replacement procedure anywhere. I got quite a few "ah, we replace a lot
>>of
>>these" type responses from different people - even the guy at AutoZone
>>(which of course do not have the part) was well aware of the "issue" with
>>that part.
>>
>>Thanks!
>>Yves
>>
>>
>>"maxpower" > wrote in message
...
>>> Before you check for trapped air or misrouted heater hoses, check to see
>>> if
>>> the system is full, if you are low on coolant, this is what the results
>>> would be, no heat at idle...and you have to make sure the overflow
>>> bottle
>>> is
>>> full
>>> "Yves M." > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> I have a 2002 Sebring Convertible Limited. I have noticed this winter
>>> that
>>>> when I sit at a red light the temparature of air coming out of the
> heater
>>>> drops considerable (when set at the warmest setting) when the car
> idles -
>>> it
>>>> comes out pretty much cool after a bit. Also, when I start it in the
>>>> morning to let it warm up, the engine may warm up, but the heater never
>>>> starts blowing warm air until I rev the RPMs or start driving...
>>>>
>>>> My '96 never did this.... did they change something in the '02 or is
>>>> there
>>>> something wrong?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for any info!
>>>> Yves
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>