Dealer can't find out why I have no heat!!!!

[70383roadrunner]

My 89 E34 535I just stopped throwing heat yesterday. I get cold air blowing out all the vents in dash and floor. I can still direct the air where I want but no hot air. I took it to the BMW dealer. They had it all day. The service advisor called me and asked me what I had recently replaced on the car. The tech wants to change the thermostat. The car is not running cold or hot and the temp is right at the 12 o'clock position where it should be. I said go ahead and change the thermostat but if that is not the problem I will not pay for it being I changed it last year with a factory part I told him last year I replaced the radiator,all the hoses,the thermostat,the aux water pump and the heater solenoid. I also told him that the problem is most likely one of the stepper motors in the console heater box. He did not say if they got that far but what the hell. They charge a diagnostic fee $135 so if you have to take the console apart to find the problem that's not my problem.

If you guys can give me any info on what to tell them to look for I would appreciate it. I already told them to look at the stepper motors.

[russiankid]

Are you sure you don't have air in the system? It may be something else but I would first check to make sure the system is bled correctly.

[70383roadrunner]

You know. That's an interesting thought. I replaced the radiator last year and had great heat all last winter. A couple weeks ago I get a low fluid warning on the radiator. I had to put in about a quart of antifreeze and I know I don't have any leaks in the system. But why would I have heat all last winter and not now if there was air in the system?

[4500 RPM]

You have it at the BMW dealer? Holy moly...sounds like a blunder of epic proportions.

Find an indy mechanic, many of the techs at the dealer aren't as skilled with older cars like these.

[Jcbe34]

You have it at the BMW dealer? Holy moly...sounds like a blunder of epic proportions.

Find an indy mechanic, many of the techs at the dealer aren't as skilled with older cars like these.

Yep.. More often than not older cars that come in will be handed off to a low-end technician because the writer doesn't want to trouble the big $$ techs with BS that may not pay good money. Not saying that about you, but I've written service for a while and it happens.

[Binjammin]

I wonder if maybe your heater valves have gone bad.

[russiankid]

I wonder if maybe your heater valves have gone bad.
I thought the same thing but he said he replaced them a year ago.

[70383roadrunner]

I wonder if maybe your heater valves have gone bad.

Brand new Bosch heater valve summer '07.

[ross1]

$135 diagnostic fee and they want to change the thermostat because the gauge sits exactly where it supposed to.
For a $270 consulting fee suggest they check if the heater hoses are hot. If so look into stepper motors and airflow within the car, if not maybe check the heater valve and it's controls.
F#$#ing nit wit parts changers, helpless without their diagnostic machines.
Thermostat,,... where do they grow these fools?

[70383roadrunner]

I had to laugh to when the service advisor said the tech wanted to change the thermostat! My take on this so far is this. If they go into the heater box and check the stepper motors like they should they have most likely blown through their diagnostic fee and they know if they open that up it will cost them even more. I assume that removing the console and lower dash is not a 20 minute job.

[zubbie]

Installed new heater valves here but had constant heat. The wire that controlled them had frayed and failed.
I also had a rubber piece plugging the heater core (dead heater valve)

dealer Monkey's should be shot with a ball of their own shit

[Binjammin]

I assume that removing the console and lower dash is not a 20 minute job.

Actually... I could probably pull all that AND the dash in a half hour.

One test you can do yourself is find the hoses that go into the heater core through the firewall. Feel them to see if they're hot. If they are, you know the problem is under the dash, stepper motors or whatever. If they're cold, then you're either looking at a problem with your HVAC head, your heater valves, your HVAC final unit, or an air pocket.

[tonyroc14]

i still think an air pocket is a fesable idea

[fc3stech]

Yep.. More often than not older cars that come in will be handed off to a low-end technician because the writer doesn't want to trouble the big $$ techs with BS that may not pay good money. Not saying that about you, but I've written service for a while and it happens.

thats funny at my dealership all the older cars automatically go to the older more experienced techs and they like those tickets because they will usually get decent pay from them unlikely of the new warranty paid cars


roadrunner for you car not blowing hot air, I some how highly doubt its a air pocket, these cars are quick to overheat with that much air to cause no coolant into the heater core. I belive it to be the blend door/steeper motor or the IHKR control panel itself. also on a side note on most bmw models the heater valves are designed to fail open so that there always flowing coolant when not powered on. In other words when you turn maximum cold the heater valve is powered shut to stop coolant recirculation from the heater core

[70383roadrunner]

Well my hat goes off to you guys especially Tony and Russiankid. At the end of the second day I got a call from the dealer. Turns out I really lucked out!!!!!!!!! They bled and bled the system and that was the cause. Air in the hoses. Asked what the damage was and he told me only the $135 diagnostic fee. Thank god!!!!!

[Blauanzug]

That is 135 you didn't have to pay..... but tough luck...

[zubbie]

That is 135 you didn't have to pay..... but tough luck...
although it's better than the alternative.....

I wonder where the bubble was for the previous year???

[russiankid]

although it's better than the alternative.....

I wonder where the bubble was for the previous year???

it could have just been circulating around. But then one fine night it got blocked the flow.

I know the no heat issue from experience.:shifty

[nmp411]

Congrats on getting it fixed!
Now how about some pics of the e34 and the roadrunner?

[70383roadrunner]

I totally agree about the $135 fee but who was to know what was wrong. I had no issues with heat last winter. No overheating during the summer either. And yes the alternative could have been much worse. You have to wait untill next spring for pics of the roadrunner. I put it to bed yesterday for the winter.

[nmp411]

You have to wait untill next spring for pics of the roadrunner. I put it to bed yesterday for the winter.

Dang it! I love those cars. I saw one on Barret Jackson earlier today. Very classy muscle car.

[70383roadrunner]

Dang it! I love those cars. I saw one on Barret Jackson earlier today. Very classy muscle car.

I see your in IA. I lived there for 7 years in Davenport.