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wmj5299usa
Novice
Nov 16, 2008, 5:26 PM
Post #1 of 16
(14874 views)
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2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Heater problem-heater works fine on open road
in traffic at light -air gets cooler-accelerate and heat returns
VEHICLE HAS 58000 MILES
PUR NEW IN DEC 2004
ADDED NEW Radiator cap,thermostat was replaced ,also replaced coolant-
mechanic is advising to replace water pump because of wear and not moving enough fluids
any help is appreciated
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way2old
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 16, 2008, 5:38 PM
Post #2 of 16
(14856 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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I agree with your mechanic. If impellers are worn, the pump can not pump enough coolant at idle to keep the heat up to normal temps.
Being way2old is why I need help from younger minds
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wmj5299usa
Novice
Nov 16, 2008, 6:08 PM
Post #3 of 16
(14855 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Thank you, wise one.I felt pretty good about his assesment but wanted a second opinion.You have been extremely helpful.
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wmj5299usa
Novice
Nov 17, 2008, 11:57 AM
Post #4 of 16
(14846 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Back to square one.Finished installing new water pump and absolutely no change in heater temperature.heater is fine when in service on highway,any slowdown causes drop in temperature.OLD water pump seemed fine(no wear on impellers)
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 17, 2008, 5:39 PM
Post #5 of 16
(14843 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Although this is a Tom question, vacuum loss or faulty blend door actuator?
Loren
SW Washington
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 17, 2008, 6:20 PM
Post #6 of 16
(14840 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Self portrait !
No Tom and Kitty don't have all the answers. Generally this would be a water flow problem and may still be. What probably would be noted is WHERE the heat went as input hose should be hot to touch and return cold if it transferrred all that was available. Coolant should win the transfer battle and have enough to return warm coolant still with just a heater core.
Thnking??????? At speed there's a lot more flow and temp of coolant is probably at it's most as allowed by thermostat. The "residence" time of air matters too. I think available heat has been transferred and a return hose will be found cool/cold in this car. They are usually designed to limit pressure from water pump using a few concepts - smaller hose to inlet, retriction in the inlet hose, water flow regulator (AKA-Heater Control Valve if used) in line on inlet hoses. Return line must have a clear path back to engine with little restriction. Just maybe return gets some problem or pressure slowing the flow at lower rpm.
Hoses just might have a flaw in them. If all items flush thru properly both ways it kind of rules that all out.
Question for this is does the temp remain constant or fluctuate. I'm wondering if prescribed leakage past thermostat allows engine to run too cool at lower speeds - complete "I dunno" so far and would be checking temps all over this thing to see and feel what temps are where??
T
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Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran
/ Moderator
Nov 17, 2008, 6:27 PM
Post #7 of 16
(14836 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Self portrait? I knew you had to better looking than Kitty!
Loren
SW Washington
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wmj5299usa
Novice
Nov 21, 2008, 5:49 AM
Post #8 of 16
(14821 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Tom or whomever, on highway at normal speed the heater is perfect.As soon as you start slowing down there is a temperature drop,when you come to complete stop the air is cool and continues on cool until you accelerate.sittin and idling the car has 1 hose hot and the other hose is cool. If you accelerate the cool hose becomes warm again.My mechanic said the only thing left is the heater core .In early morning start ups the defroster will not melt ice on windshield.You must scrape windshield or sit in car and press accelerator.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Nov 21, 2008, 7:05 AM
Post #9 of 16
(14820 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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I'm not ready for a heater core just yet as this works "perfectly" as you said with RPMs up.
Flow isn't adequate OR the engine is ridding itself of heat too easily elsewhere??
Tests:
1. Check upper hose right after thermostat upon cold start up. It should stay dang near COLD till gauge starts to read a credible temp on dash gauge. The idea of a thermostat is to lock coolant inside engine - allow mixing within engine (the bypass system) and allow whatever temp of coolant available to heater core. That hose frequently will begin near waterpump - may or may not have a water flow regulator on way to core and be unrestricted for return. Some engines use the heater core as a bypass for the engine. This bypass thing is about keeping the engine ONE uniform temp, side to side, front to rear which is imperitive for even expansion of metal and not allowing a hot spot at a distant corner from the water pump which is always working BTW - not just when heat or engine is hot.
1a. If upper hose gets even slightly warm a few inches away from thermostat towards radiator then I'll declare the thermostat is leaking past itself too much. In colder weather it doesn't take much radiator with an idling engine to stay cold. Engines generally make abundant heat such that a heater core alone won't prevent it from reaching a normal operating temperature.
2. Does this engine read a "normal" operating temp and stay there? It should reach a spot in normal range and stay there the whole time it's running. Only minimal variations are acceptable - usually too hot for a moment before fans can catch up, at start up after short shut down, or perhaps a sudden slowdown (from hwy speeds) to stop in traffic on hottest of days with A/C having been blasting.
NEED TO KNOW THIS AS FOR THE MOMENT I SUSPECT THERMOSTAT IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR DEFECTIVE if temp won't stay put.
You notice the temp drop of hoses to core so heat gets exchanged but we still don't know if volume is the problem or the heat went elsewhere - meaning not inside the car.
YOU or mechanic need to follow the path of heat available from heater hose where it starts at engine, see if there's any obstruction or device along the way that might be faulty. I'd try flushing the core just to satisfy myself but I'll bet it's fine. It must flush from first hose at engine to open last connection to engine for return hose to verify the hoses (never seen one faulty but could) do carry coolant and force them both directions. It's possible that multiple ply hose can separate inside and unseen causing blockage
***********
Oddities for this complaint: Anti-freeze 100% pure - not mixed with water! EG is a terrible heat exchanger which is why all say mix 50/50 --- some less! Subnote: 50/50 will read -34F protection - lower(colder) #s not wanted.
Other work: If something else has been done and too much gasket sealer plugged an item this could be trouble.
Thermostats: Ones mounted vertically on engines or hard to get at can fall out of place when assembling causing too much cooling - mentioned earlier.
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It's possible that the core is truly plugged up but this is dang early for a 2005 model vehicle IMO. Have you followed coolant change schedules since new? If clogged with corrosion debris it would likely show elsewhere too.
Keep at it and as said - not ready for the heater core yet!
T
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hubbardk
New User
Jan 9, 2009, 9:32 AM
Post #10 of 16
(14589 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Hey. I was just wondering if you ever got that heating issue sorted out. I have a 2005 Altima 2.5L with the exact same problem. (And it's really cold here in January!)
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ara
New User
Jan 16, 2009, 6:16 AM
Post #11 of 16
(14555 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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My 2005 altima does the same thing. I can go outside 10 mins before I leave to start the car for it to be warm for my 2 small children and warm air doesn't blow until I'm half way down the road. My temp gauge is in the middle. It's a pain in the you know what! I bought this car 3 months ago and regret it. Why isn't nissan responsible? I'm horrified to know that so many people are having this issue. I will show this forum to my husband. Thanks.
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Charlean
New User
Jan 16, 2009, 8:55 AM
Post #12 of 16
(14545 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Hey Ara and wmj5299usa, I'm new to this forum . . . u are absolutely correct, Nissan shld do something about this. I'm having the same issue as we speak. I too, feel better to know that there are others who are hvng the same issue and that I'm not hallucinating. I hv a 2005 Nissan Altima 2.5 - the heat inside was very comfortable at the low setting and now I find myself hvng to blast it at hi and still isn't hot, but lukewarm. When I'm at a stop light, it cools and when I accelerate, it goes to lukewarm. I never had to adjust the temp to hi, always low. I had my radiator hose replaced b/c of leaking and thought that wld fix the heating issue. When I left the dealer after the hose was replaced, my heat was where it was suppose to be at a low setting. After a few hours, unfort., it went back to being lukewarm. They did pressure test which was fine, but noticed that the lower hose wasn't getting as warm as it shld; therefore, they suggested that it could be the therm. This wld cost $243, so I purchased the part ($25) from Nissan and dropped it off at another place this morning. B-4 they installed the therm. they did their own testing and called me a few minutes ago to tell me that they don't think it's the therm. They suggest that I wait until the weather breaks and they'll do another test on it to see if anything has changed. They mentioned that as long as I'm getting some air and the guages inside is normal, to hold off . . . no use in spending money on something that may not fix the problem.
If you have your car checked out, plz let me knw what they suggest.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 16, 2009, 10:56 AM
Post #13 of 16
(14539 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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Just a thought on this:
If this is somewhat common to this exact car and engine then it could be a design flaw.
BTW: Many cars and I'd bet this one included are made for both right and left hand drive. Heater cores are normally placed on the right side of interior where in the US a passenger would sit such as to allow more room for driver controls and heater box designs could be (don't know all for sure) mirror imaged to fit either drive type and should be.
Perhaps this car has a VERY long path of heater hosing that isn't adequate or waterpumps that could be enhanced to remedy the problems - IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN EXTREMES. I have a hard time believing that in moderate conditions this would apply as I'd think the flaw would have been noticed before production of so many vehicles.
As said - just a thought,
T
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Charlean
New User
Jan 16, 2009, 5:01 PM
Post #14 of 16
(14529 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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I contacted Nissan today and informed them that there are multiple people having this same problem . . . hopefully, they will look into it. In the meantime, I am scheduled to get a diagnostics test done next week if money allows me to . . . we'll see
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Mar 7, 2011, 7:30 PM
Post #16 of 16
(13729 views)
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Re: 2005 Nissan altima 2.5
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This thread is a year and a half old. Please check dates before posting. We don't address more than one vehicle in a question anyway. please start a new one of your own.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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