my heater blows only cool to cold air. and sometimes for a short spurt will blow out some hot air. ive noticed also that my engine temp keeps rising and then settling. seems to happen when i have the heater on.

my guess is somethings wrong with a fan or belt?? no clue tho. perhaps ill check my coolant level but i dont see why that would cause my current problems? anyone who had a similar problem or knows whats going... please help. thanks

 

If you have air in your system it can cause these symtoms.

 

More than likely, low coolant level.

 

clogged radiator, clogged heater core and/or low coolant. When was the last time you flushed the system?

 

Clogged radiator for sure -- you will need to fix the over heating issue first before attacking the heater.

Verifying a clogged radiator is pretty simple, remove the radiator cap, open the radiator drain plug, the coolant should come out real fast and towards the end drip. If the drain is slow and intermittent taking a very long time, you have a clogged radiator.

If you determine a clogged radiator, replace it along with upper and lower radiator hose, pressure clamps, new radiator cap, and also the thermostat. Go with OEM long life Nissan coolant.

Total cost would be around $300. Radiator -- 150, Thermostat and metal gasket -- $25, Hoses and clamps -- $50 and coolant $20.

 

If his coolant level is low, he'd have the exact same symptoms. That's the same thing I get every day, because my rad is cracked.

 

Very true man . I didnt think about that .

 

True, but I would think he would have done that cursory check by now by checking the overflow tank level now and then. FYI, identifying a cooling related issue is one of the hardest and most painful. You will start with the radiator and end up with a sensor -- thats how bad it can get..

 

.

 

id start with a thermostat though IMO to me it sounds like a sticky thermostat

 

Should never throw parts at the problem unless you've done at least the basic of troubleshooting...in this case, checking coolant level.

 

Yes and as stated try to jack the font of the car up remove the radiator cap and run car. this will assit in tryng toremove any air fro your coolant system also.

 

The cause for the heater not working is that you have Low coolant and that's another reason why your car is over heating fast.
Try to check the radiator on the day your car has not been started-up or touched yet, then you should check your resoivor and the radiator then you should see the coolant flow line. If it's which it probally is just top it off untill the resovior gets the coolant to the max line.

 

air pockets will have the same symptoms bleed and try that 1st off.

 

as of now i cant seem to find the leak. i topped off the coolant and it seems to be disappearing. did this twice. so def something is wrong. sigh

 

keep putting in coolant, crank the engine and keep filling!
If your coolant is dissapearing that fast and it aint drippin on the ground your motor wouldve died on you already, so keep on filling

 

Does your exhuast smell at all?

 

my exhaust...? it always smells. why would my exhaust be related to my cooling issue?

anyways i just dropped off the car with a mechanic. he topped off my radiator with coolant (i suggested that he use some water but hes like its okay) so later ill prolly add some to the reservoir. will this work?

he couldnt find a leak. he thinks its the thermostat, but we'll see in a bit.

 

Coolant in exhaust = bad hg. Thats all.

 

i paid $40 to the mechanic to put my car up and check it out. (kinda expensive) he said hell deduct that amount if i get my car fixed from him

he said the result was a leaking water pump. so i gotta pay for water pump + about 5 hrs of labor (his estimate). any thoughts? im kinda of hesitant of dropping my car off with him. im thinking maybe i should take the $40 hit and go elsewhere? let me know your thoughts

 

If he is charging 5 hrs labor for the pump, u might else do it urself, if you are not inclined to DIY, take it to the dealership. They will do it in less hrs since they have been doing this all along. Get the pump online from www.autopartswarehouse.com or callup DaveB and get OEM.

Shop around you have time to fix it. Just keep topping the overflow tank till you settle with the right person for changing the pump.

BTW, how many miles on the motor.

 

125k on the motor

 

if your water pump was leaking then if memory serves you should have some ****ed up looking oil because the water pump is internal, i'd be hesitant to let him touch the car without getting a second opinion.....

 

There's a weep hole and passage designed to keep coolant from entering the oil in most cases. Only if both o-rings failed should they mix, or if coolant was leaking from the weep hole and the outer o-ring failed.

 

^^^^
yea thanks, but id still have someone else check it out before you decide to do the pump IMO...

 

Odds are very good it is the water pump. I had situations myself and with friends cars the same problem, no heat and engine overheating. Also leaking through the weep hole. Take a good look and see if it is leaking. After 10-12 years it is not unusual for a water pump to fail. Even if the water pump has not failed (unlikely) if you plan to keep the car for any lenght of time it would not be a total loss if it was changed.

 

how can i solve this?

 

I'm in the market for a 4th gen and I'm starting to wonder how common or widespread this issue is? A lot of people seem to be having this overheating... should I be concerned?

-Evan

 

.

It's not unusual for a water pump to fail at 8-10 years on any car. Generally a well cared for Maxima is as reliable as any Toyota, Honda ect. All 8-10 year old cars will have issues. If you do not want any problems you need to by new or newer car. I purchased my Maxima almost 10 years ago and have been very pleased with it. I expect it will do just fine for another five years if I decide to keep it that long.