NorthEast freezzing Heater questions

[RS4Taxi]

GM,


I have a 2008 RS4, First year with the car so its the first winter. I think I'm in need of a new heater core or is it just been that cold out.

I don't have any chemical spill or odor in the cabin, but my concern is that I don't start to feel luke warm heat until the 7K warning goes away.

Once temps are near 180-190 Ill have a good amount of heat.

Normal? can you test heater cores?

[Audibot]

Have you gotten a coolant flush recently? Or previous owner did? If so, there may be air trapped in the heater core (which has its own bleeder). If you're not comfortable doing it, find a good shop or someone in the area who can.

Definitely not normal -- my A4 (B7) starts spewing heat out at ~110-115 degrees and progressively increases as the coolant temperature increases.

[crumbta]

^^ this. You also might want to check the coolant expansion tank for condensation after you've gotten the car to op temp and then shut it off. Hopefully your expansion tank is clear.

But you should have decent heat once the coolant needle moves off the lowest (far left) line.

[Tugboatguy]

Once it warms up is the temp gauge sitting steady at operating temp, if your stopped or on Hwy?
My S takes quite a long time to pump out warm air when the temp is down around freezing, the aluminum block sucks up a lot of the heat before it starts to stabilize and starts to pump out at the dash (had the car since new) If one of your thermostats is partly open that will cause it to take even longer to warm, that's why I ask about your gauge. The heater core on the RS,S,A4 is mounted in the center stack of the dash, you pull it out through an access beside the gas peddle assembly no pulling the dash out to get at it:-)

[Sales@DriveAuto]

I would also suggest bleeding it first (and/or flushing the system if its never been done).

[RS4Taxi]

Thank you ill take a look at it over the weekend.

[CoreyRS]

I flushed the core on my A4 and it blows nice and hot. $50 in parts and coolant to do the flush in your driveway is a pretty easy fix.

[TarlCabot]

Mine... with all new fluids starts kickin out warm air before i even leave the driveway, idk about the RS4, but i would imagine cooling/heater system would resemble if not the same design...

[Audibot]

I flushed the core on my A4 and it blows nice and hot. $50 in parts and coolant to do the flush in your driveway is a pretty easy fix.

My brother had to do this in his Allroad (the C5s and B5s have a known issue on this). He used a garden hose with some type of cleaner to flush gunk out of the heater core. After this process a couple times, he drained it all and refilled with new fluids and has had heat since.