# Heating Issue



## Obs (Oct 10, 2005)

I've got an '04 altima, and seems to have the issue of once the car is heated up, the heater runs fine, however, when I stop (at for instance a streetlight) I start blowing cooler / cold air.

Ideas?


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## skippymud (Aug 6, 2004)

Obs said:


> I've got an '04 altima, and seems to have the issue of once the car is heated up, the heater runs fine, however, when I stop (at for instance a streetlight) I start blowing cooler / cold air.
> 
> Ideas?


Pls read my entry, title is '04 Maxima heating issue

have you found an answer on your end?

Ken [email protected]


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## Mr Cancun (Dec 9, 2005)

*Same problem with 2003 Altima*

My wife's 2003 Nissan Altima blows cold air at stop signs & sometimes hot air when she drives. The car is not even 2 years old & has only 30k mileage. She mentioned the heat issue last winter but our winter time is not very long here and she survived without little heat. But yesterday we had an ice storm....

I think Nissan knows they have a problem.
http://www.nissanhelp.com/ownership/bulletins/nissan/2002/NTB02-047.htm

As of today(after the big freeze), she took the car into the dealership that she bought it from and had to pay $100 to get it fixed(they say this is NOT a coverd item). Now realize that the heater has never worked right from day one PLUS she paid over $1,200.00 dollars for a "Security Plus" warranty that was sold to her by the salesman saying that "it covered EVERYTHING except tires & batteries and oil changes." She found out different today..

The Nissan shop did bleed the air bubbles out & it seems to be working (it has been 8 hours since). My problem is shouldn't this be covered in the basic 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty or ATLEAST in the overpaid Security Plus VPP ?? She is NOT a happy camper(nor I). Any thoughts on a resolution?? Looks like the dealership will get there money back from Nissan by submitting a PO. I think I am more mad about the principle of the problem not being covered by the dealer as it should have been at no extra cost and is the warranty a REALLY good investment. If you search the internet you will find many people who are experiencing the same problem.


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## DatsunZ (Dec 5, 2005)

Mr Cancun said:


> My wife's 2003 Nissan Altima blows cold air at stop signs & sometimes hot air when she drives. The car is not even 2 years old & has only 30k mileage. She mentioned the heat issue last winter but our winter time is not very long here and she survived without little heat. But yesterday we had an ice storm....
> 
> I think Nissan knows they have a problem.
> http://www.nissanhelp.com/ownership/bulletins/nissan/2002/NTB02-047.htm
> ...



This is what I WILL DO if I am in your case. I will politely ask the dealer for an appointmen with the Nissan rep when he/she comes to town. Here is your argument. Simply put, you car soemhow has a huge enough volume of air trapped in the cooling system/circulation and a part of it ends up trapped inside your heater core and even when hot coolant is circulating, that air bullble does not come through or it comes in and out and you are having irratic heating. The question for the rep is how did the air pocket/volume/'huge bubble' get into the system if NOT from the factory unless you have run the radiator very low once from a loose hose or something unusual. In theory, the system from day 1 ex-factory is full and a sealed system with bleed off through the radiator cap via a small hose to a recovery tank so that when warm, the coolant expands has a passage to let out the excessive volume and when cooled at shut down will contract & draw back some. It is always a solid passage of liquid as long as your always keep your recovery tank full within the mark to neve let the hose end open to air. You get the point now, NO AIR CAN BE INTRODUCED. It is like you have a mouthful of water and push in and out through a stra into a cup filled wiht water. Granted that the water when first filled at the factory still has some air to be boiled out, that small amount will bleed out to teh radiator cap & escape with expan/contract action through the small hose. All in all, you are seeing a coolant system inthe Altima which is not very efficient in getting rid of air if a big pocket is trapped. If they want to design an ideal system, it costs more. Look at the repair procedure!!! It has too many trapping places. in conclusion, the only place to introduce that big a pocket is the FACTORY fill due to some error or due to repair after assembly provided that YOU have never run low on the recovery tank!!! 

Anything is whether you have replaced a rad cap under warranty? Some caps are faulty from factory and leaks. Your radiator coolant level could have been low and more and more air occupy the upper part of the radiator and some eventually get circulated and trapped. When the dealer gave you a new cap, of course, these green horns will never even think of bleeding. There is your air pocket. The symptoms is in your heat. 

Only Nissan's own data may review if air pocket can be trapped in their cylinder head. If they can, you have regional overheating of the head and usually accelerated wear for the region. It won't die at 30K but may not live to 100K!!!


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## Mr Cancun (Dec 9, 2005)

*Still working*

Thanks Datsun Z that might be a game plan. So far , the heater is working like a champ. Cannot complain there after a few days driving. Just would like to find out now what this warranty does cover.


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