Heater core ??

[mrjlube]

Hello all My 2021 escape woth 130,000 miles is in the dealer for no heat. They call yesterday and tell me heater core is completely plugged. How can a 2 year old car that has been very well taken care of and coolant flushed at 50,000 miles be plugged?? $2,000 to replace....***? This thing is killing me. Already replaced transmission at 125,000 miles now there changing it again to due it being faulty....lol this is crazy. What do you all think about this heater core issue??

 

[MParr]

With 130,000 miles on a two year old car, it might be time to trade.

 

[mattd]

Did it originally come with the orange coolant? There was an issue clogging heater cores with that coolant and then switched to the yellow.

 

[Lubener]

Both heater hoses should be very warm. Make sure the condition is not a blend door or heat control valve, whichever your setup is. If it is proven the core is blocked, I would try reverse flushing the core through the heater hoses. Hard to believe a 2021 core would be blocked already.
A second opinion should be seeked out.

 

[SHOZ]

You can try to back flush though the heater core hoses with city water.

 

[bmod305]

Every Ford my family has owned (only three, my kids bought them-I would never own a Ford) has had plugged up heater cores. Every single one was full of casting sand. Granted, they were all 2005 to 2012 cars but they all had the same issue. My son's 2005 Sable had to flushed every fall due casting sand.

I don't believe it has anything to do with the coolant, especially a two year old car. The orange coolant issues are pretty well done with the closed systems of today. My neighbor is a big Ford fan and a HD equipment mechanic who does side work. He does a ton of work on flushing Ford heater cores due to casting sand. Most of the work is in the fall due to a no heat condition.

Today's cars have the heater cores buried in the dash with huge bills to replace. Years ago, I replaced one in a 1981 Escort-remove the two hoses clamps, open glove box, remove access door and replace. Easy as a cabin air filter. I would see if you can access the heater hoses and back flush. I have no idea if you even see them in an Escape.

Dave

 

[zzyzzx]

I would also want to verify this myself and would also backflush. If the heater core is not leaking, it doesn't need to be replaced, only diligently backflushed. The dealer just wants to fleece you.

 

[atikovi]

I'd drive it down to south Florida and sell it there before spending $2000 to replace it.

 

[KYMISTWALKER]

Currently flushing a heater core on a Chevy express van
one hose was warm the other not, I flushed both hoses on the core with a water hose put it back and my heater is getting kinda hot
My temp gauge is running a little above 150

Is this the normal temperature

 

[Sedin26]

Here’s a South Main Auto video where the dealer wants $2k to replace a heater core and he flushed it with CLR.

 

[KrisZ]

If the heater core is truly plugged the first thing I would look into is what coolant was used when it was flushed at 50k miles. Could be formula incompatibility issue as the cause. Other cooling system components may be next.
The heater core may be still saved by back flushing with a hose. But don't expect a dealer to do this. You either have to DIY or find an indy that would do this.

Otherwise I would verify that it is actually clogged, could be a blend door issue.

 

[SHOZ]

When i flush I take both hoses off and connect another with a funnel. Then drip through a citric acid solution. A gentle back flush with a garden hose followed by a blow out with the air hose.

 

[GMBoy]

First why was the coolant flushed so soon?? That is a long life coolant. My guess is they used the wrong coolant which was not compatible and that plugged things up. Call the Ford help number is all you can really do and hope they offer some assistance otherwise I would do what the others recommended being flushing it yourself and hope for the best.

 

[Nukeman7]

This Lisle tool works quite well if you have a compressor.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Any updates, Mrjlube? Did the dealer replace the heater core, or did you take other measures?

 

[KYMISTWALKER]

Fixed it with a simple water hose flush,,I went both ways on both hoses 15 minutes

 

[mrjlube]

Any updates, Mrjlube? Did the dealer replace the heater core, or did you take other measures?

Dealer ended up changing heater core...never ends.

 

[Warstud]

 

[Exhaustgases]

Now I'm curious about how much the transmission fiasco cost you?
Isn't this thing still under warranty or oh, the magic 100K mark it ends?

 

[mrjlube]

Now I'm curious about how much the transmission fiasco cost you?

Isn't this thing still under warranty or oh, the magic 100K mark it ends?Out of warranty transmission was $7000. This things killing me