My Car is a 2005 WRX My Problem: In order for my heat to work I have to be moving. Sitting still at idle will only be cold air, never hot air. Is this normal or does anybody know what could be causing this.
Also, be sure to find out if there's a bleeder valve in the cooling system. It might seem full but have air bubbles in it.
This will sound goofy to all of you probably, but on my old Eclipse, when the water pump was getting old it wouldn't throw heat at idle, either. Had to be revving the engine. Replaced the pump and it worked fine after that. In summation: See if it blows heat if you're just revving it to like 2500 and holding it?
You are asking the heater core to take 5 degree air and make it 80 degree air with very little coolant moving through it at idle. Not gonna happen. This isn't a new thing. I've noticed this in my Subarus for the last 12 years. Even getting on the freeway makes a very noticeable difference in heat output from the HVAC system.
i checked my coolant and it looked good, tomorrow ill see if it could be the water pump. and piddster, i was thinking along those lines myself so its good to know that possibly nothing is wrong.
^^ that can also be a possibly, although normally when factory thermostats fail they fail closed, but cant rule that out.
well just because the temp seems fine you cant rule out the thermostat, when you drive around especially in cold weather like this it might never even spike. why dont you drive the car around for awhile and then feel both your upper and lower radiator hoses to see it they are both hot.
