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Vauxhall Zafira Heater - no heat

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Tron[ADS]

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Oct 22, 2004, 4:53:36 AM10/22/04
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Its years since I have needed to do any kind of car maintenance, but I have
a heater that doesnt get hot...what would be best to check first ?
All I know so far is that there is plenty of fluid in the heating system, no
leaks, pipes get hot, temp guage reads correctly, and the radiator fans
arent stuck on.

We don't have the Haynes manual, so any help gratefuly received.


Will Reeve

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Oct 22, 2004, 5:21:10 AM10/22/04
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May be stuck electronics not opening the air mixing flap. Not sure on the
Xafira but on my Vauxhalls these are servo driven, with the ignition on you
can hear the flaps track the control knob as a sort of whirr.

Other option is a blocked heater matrix, check this by getting under the
bonnet when hot and checking the return pipe from the heater matrix, should
be nice and toasty.

I hope it's electrical as changing a heater matrix is the worse possible job
you can do on a Vauxhall. I would rather change a head gasket!

Will


Tron[ADS]

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Oct 22, 2004, 6:27:33 AM10/22/04
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"Will Reeve" <wi...@reeve.org.uk> wrote in message
news:4178d108$0$47983$ed2e...@ptn-nntp-reader04.plus.net...

Thanks for the quick reply....When you move the air from cold to hot, you
can sort of identify that there is a different flow of air coming through,
could that indicate the latter rather than the former problem perhaps ?


Alan

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Oct 22, 2004, 10:30:35 AM10/22/04
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>
> Thanks for the quick reply....When you move the air from cold to hot, you
> can sort of identify that there is a different flow of air coming through,
> could that indicate the latter rather than the former problem perhaps ?
>
Not really - this confirms that the air flaps are working, but there is
probably a water valve also.


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Anthony Britt

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Oct 22, 2004, 10:53:29 AM10/22/04
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"Tron[ADS]" <ukblo...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:4178ca89$0$118$65c6...@mercury.nildram.net...

Do you have air conditioning on your vehicle? If you do, then there is an
additional valve in the coolant circuit to the heater matrix. This valve
stops flow of coolant through the matrix when the heat control is set to
fully cold. It is a round disc shaped object, about 2" dia., with a single
vacuum pipe comingout of the top, and is mounted on one of the two coolant
pipes where they run through the bulkhead (engine side) and into the heater
box. Try disconnecting and plugging this vacuum hose and seeing if the
heater then works. If it does, then the vaccum control system for this
valve has a fault. If it doesn't, then either the valve is stuck or there
is a blockage or air lock in the heater matrix or pipes to it.

HTH

Anthony
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Tron[ADS]

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Oct 23, 2004, 5:12:42 AM10/23/04
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"Anthony Britt" <anto...@8msn.com> wrote in message
news:J99ed.3148690$ic1.3...@news.easynews.com...

Ill have a look at that later, its my in-law's car.
Thanks all.


Tron[ADS]

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Oct 23, 2004, 1:33:04 PM10/23/04
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Ive had a chance to take a look at the Zafira now, rather than relying on my
in-laws description of it.

I am leaning towards thinking it might be the servo on the air mixing flap,
as when I move the heat control, it makes what I would describe as a
constant "whirring" noise, like its trying to do something but sticking.
As soon as I return it anti-clockwise to the full cold position, this noise
stops.

So, If I am to take a look at replacing this, how easy would it be to get to
this.....should I advise them to buy me a Haynes manual so I can have a go,
or is this still beyond an amateur (ie me).

Thanks again.....


Will Reeve

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Oct 23, 2004, 5:12:53 PM10/23/04
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Get a TIS cd off ebay for a few quid and print out the relevant bits! May
just be a plastic lever broken.

Will


cozz...@gmail.com

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Feb 6, 2018, 2:20:15 PM2/6/18
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Cursitor Doom

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Feb 6, 2018, 4:40:09 PM2/6/18
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On Tue, 06 Feb 2018 11:20:13 -0800, cozzie522 wrote:


Sounds like an airlock in the heater circuit. If you remove the pipes
from the heater matrix unions and they're bone dry, you'll know for sure.




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Tim+

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Feb 6, 2018, 4:44:02 PM2/6/18
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Cursitor Doom <cu...@notformail.com> wrote:
> On Tue, 06 Feb 2018 11:20:13 -0800, cozzie522 wrote:
>
>
> Sounds like an airlock in the heater circuit. If you remove the pipes
> from the heater matrix unions and they're bone dry, you'll know for sure.
>
>

As the message was posted in 2004 I think the Zafira will have met its
maker long ago.

Tim

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