Fork KA - Flashing Temperature Light/Heater not working

OddballJamie

facade wrote: »

As Strider says, they used to be called idiot lights because they duplicated a gauge on the dash, e.g. low fuel comes on when the fuel gauge is reading zero, oil light when the oil pressure reads zero, ignition light when the ammeter read discharge etc.

They were to draw your attention to a problem that you should already have spotted by scanning the dials- hence the term "idiot light"

Nowadays, with no dials except a speedometer and fuel gauge, they are the first line of defence, and are called "warning lights"

But old habits/names die hard

That would explain it then, however the KA doesn't have a temp gauge, when ours went the light flashed on then the fan kicked in then I heard a gurgling sound all within a few seconds. Stopped the engine straightaway of course.

I had to use a bluetooth OBD scanner to read the temperature when we were trying to figure out the issue.

Prothet_of_Doom

I check the coolant level, oil, brake fluid, and Power Steering Fluid, plus tyre pressures, on a weekly basis, on all three cars in our household.

Why doesn't everyone? You have a car worth £XXXX, which is possibly the second most valuable thing you own, and you wait for warning lights to come on ? Why?

OddballJamie

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

I check the coolant level, oil, brake fluid, and Power Steering Fluid, plus tyre pressures, on a weekly basis, on all three cars in our household.

Why doesn't everyone? You have a car worth £XXXX, which is possibly the second most valuable thing you own, and you wait for warning lights to come on ? Why?

I check the levels every time I wash the car which was only a few days before, unfortunately some things just happen. The only tell with ours would've have been the heater not getting warm, which as it was spring/summer we had it set to cold anyway.

moneysavvy35

Thanks for all your comments. Unfortunately I'm one of those women that have no clue's about cars. Do they have a absolutley idiots guide to ka car maintenance?

Thanks for the links posted - I also followed the you tube link on how to check coolant, which I'm gonna do know -I'll check my handbook and report back what I find. ps my KA is a 2003

OddballJamie

Ours was a 2003 too, duratec engine.

Can't remember how much of the HCV you can get to without taking the cowling off, if you can reach the right hand pipe, switch the heater dial to middle and you can feel a pulse if it's working.

Also if the coolant is really low be careful when filling it back up to avoid airlocks in the system.

moneysavvy35

OddballJamie wrote: »

Also if the coolant is really low be careful when filling it back up to avoid airlocks in the system.

OK just checked. The coolant is very very low so maybe this could be the problem, I also noticed that smell when I was looking around in thier. Its all abit complicated but I am trying to understand whats going on. So I'm going to halfords now to buy some coolant - is this whats refrd to as 'antifreeze' or is coolant just what I ask for. I also read I need to do 50% coolant 50% water.

I stated earlier I only realised my heating wasn't working once the colder evenings came a few weeks ago, but someone told me the fuse may have gone..once I have added the coolant should this rectify the problem, or does that then mean that if the heating does not come on it could mean its the heating valve thing?

Thanks

ps had a service in Januay - the car only does about 3000 miles per year if that - maybe the mechanice did not add it.

OddballJamie

When we fixed the KA we had, we used water first to solve the problem, then bought 5l bottle of antifreeze/coolant from ECP for about £6. Drained it and filled it up fresh with the reservoir cap open until the thermostat opened.

Do you know anyone mechanically minded who can take a look at it for you?

OddballJamie

Just thought, any obvious leaks from around the radiator or any pipes look loose?

Prothet_of_Doom

OddballJamie wrote: »

I check the levels every time I wash the car which was only a few days before, unfortunately some things just happen. The only tell with ours would've have been the heater not getting warm, which as it was spring/summer we had it set to cold anyway.

I know that in spite of the weekly checks things go wrong, like the temp sensor on my wife's car failing, so that the temp gauge was showing normal, and the fan didn't come on. Luckily there was no damage. She report that the bonnet was making gurling noises and the bonnet was "red" hot.

moneysavvy35

OddballJamie wrote: »

When we fixed the KA we had, we used water first to solve the problem, then bought 5l bottle of antifreeze/coolant from ECP for about £6. Drained it and filled it up fresh with the reservoir cap open until the thermostat opened.

Do you know anyone mechanically minded who can take a look at it for you?

Thanks for that....Just ran it up to the mechanic & he just basically done what you did above....looked in the coolant thing and said "yeah its bone dry" so he filled it up with water and told me to run the engine with heating on high at full blast - the heating came on straight away. he said its all linked so keep an eye on the water level and if it drops/temp light comes on then its obviously a leak.

He said water will keep in going for now as its fairly mild but once it starts getting really cold will have to put the antifreeze in. I'll check on it in a couple of days - hopefully this all thats the problem, he did say it does evaporate over time.