As you all know the winter is coming up shortly and the weathers going to change drastically..My vehicle which is a 96 Maxima, blows air but not hot air..I was told I might need to change my thermostat...I was wondering if thats accurate? If not, what should I check or change? Thank You..

 

check the coolant level and condition, have the radiator cap pressure checked ( jiffy lube or the like have testers ), check for leaks, especially very small ones. with engine cold take the rad cap off , start the engine & check the coolant for flow. there should be NO flow, if there is, the thermostat is stuck open and not allowing heat to build in the engine, replace it. if NO flow, let it run till hot/warm. turn on heat, in a minute or so both heater hoses should be hot. if only one is hot, you have possible clogged heater core. you could flush the system to clear clog or if bad enough you'll need to replace heater core. hope some of this helps.

 

how long does it take the car to fully warm up?

Do you get hot air after your car is fully warmed up?

 

I am having a similar problem. When I start the car, everything runs fine. The temp. guage in the car gets up to about half, which is where it always sat, and it blows hot air. Once I start to go, the temp. drops dramatically and the car blows cold air. I have changed the coolant, the radiator cap, and checked the hoses. The thermostat was the only "easy" thing I did not change. It will be cold soon, and with a new baby it would be nice to be warm. If anyone has any other ideas, I am sure they would help.

 

I had a 95 maxima with a similar problem, my heater core was clogged, I would just try flushing your radiator and see if that helps.