How 60p bottle of liquid will make car heater work BETTER, stay warmer & use less fuel – keep it in your boot
DRIVERS are just learning of a brilliant way they can help make their car’s heating work better, stay warmer and even use less fuel.
Best of all, the little-known solution can cost as little as 60p.
As colder weather draws ever nearer across the UK, motorists will surely be keen to keep their car’s interiors as toasty as possible – especially on those bitter winter mornings.
We’ve already learned of a clever way drivers can keep warm if their car doesn’t have a working heater installed, but what if the motor’s heater is coming through somewhat tepidly?
Brilliantly, car experts at the AA have explained how a car’s heater works, why it might not be working properly, and a simple reason why that may be.
Most car heaters use coolant to warm up the interior of the vehicle, with the car’s engine heating the coolant, which is then pushed through the heater core – this acts like a mini-radiator.
Air is then pushed through the heater core resulting in hot air blowing into the car.
This explains why a car’s heating often comes through cold for a few minutes after its first start up, as the engine needs a little time to warm up to heat the coolant.
The AA states that a heating system that isn’t working properly could be due to a faulty blower motor or an issue stopping power from reaching the blower motor, although there are other possibilities too.
One simple issue could be low levels of antifreeze, or coolant, which would mean there won’t be enough hot liquid in the heater core, resulting in cold air.
Drivers can simply top up the coolant to the appropriate level, and then check to see if the heating is working properly again.
Antifreeze can be found for a relatively low price – with some products coming in as low as 60p – and we were able to find K2 Kuler Radiator Coolant Antifreeze for the low price of £1.44 for a 1-litre bottle.
Making sure your car’s antifreeze levels are topped up can even help improve fuel economy, by helping your car run at an optimal temperature.
To top up a car engine’s coolant, it’s simply a case of opening the reservoir cap – be careful the engine is not too hot and make sure to use a cloth wrapped around the cap to open it – and add it to the fluid level.
Why is my car's heating not working?
As well as a low levels of antifreeze, The AA claim there are three other reasons why your car's heating might not be working as well as it could be.
Damaged wiring
A damaged wire is a fairly simple fix, but if the car’s heater is unresponsive then it might be possible that a short-circuited wire or blown fuse is the cause.
Faulty heater fan
It’s possible that a car’s heater is working, but only until the hot liquid reaches the heater core.
If the heater fan is broken, then it won’t be able to blow hot air into the car’s interior. This could be down to a mechanical failure or electrical problem.
A faulty or damaged thermostat
A common reason for a car heater not working properly is a faulty or damaged thermostat.
This could actually lead to greater problems, including no coolant reaching the radiator and the engine overheating, causing a potentially critical issue.
This comes as drivers have been urged to keep a cheap item in their car to help them keep warm this winter.
Better yet, this gadget doesn’t waste any petrol on heating and can be bought for just 79p.
Also, an item from The Range that only costs £1.29 can get rid of condensation from car windows in seconds.
Homewares store The Range is currently selling a microfibre demister pad from Carkit for the rock-bottom price of £1.29.
Elsewhere, a beloved family-run garage that’s been serving its local community for nearly a century has closed its doors for good.
R Jackson Motors in Herne Bay, Kent, has been a staple on Bullockstone Road since 1932.