The heater core is located inside your vehicle. Typically it is located on the passenger side, underneath the dashboard. In order to produce warm air for your cabin, coolant (which is heated up by the engine) flows through the heater core. The blower motor blows air across the heater core, the air gets warmed up, and it’s that air that is sent through the vents and into your cabin.

At our Berkeley auto repair shop, we are highly experienced at diagnosing and repairs of automotive heating systems. If there is a suspicion of a heater core leak, we will pressure test the system to verify if it is leaking or not. Naturally, we will also check other components - sometimes what at first blush looks like a heater core problem could be something much simpler, like a blower motor issue.

If it turns out that the heater core is indeed the culprit, we will replace it and fill the radiator with the proper mixture of coolant/water, and bleed air from the system. We will then check for leaks, and turn on the engine to get the system working. We will test airflow at different temperature settings to make sure the heating system performs according to manufacturer specifications.

To keep the heater core from clogging up, we recommend regular maintenance, including coolant replacement every 25,000 – 40,000 miles. Coolant replacement removes contaminants that could clog up the heater core.

So what are the symptoms that could indicate a heater core problem?

• Coolant leaking into the car (from under the dashboard)
• Cold air coming from the heater, or not as hot as you expected
• When heater is turned on, steam coming from vents

If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s time to bring your vehicle to Berkeley Bob’s. Our technicians, certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE), will perform a root-cause analysis of your vehicle’s heating system to determine the reason for the heating problem. Once we identify the root cause, we will let you know what remedy is recommended and the time frame for the repairs.

• All work performed by our technicians is covered by warranty, and you can expect:
• Original Equipment or better quality parts
• ASE nationally certified technicians working on the heating system
• Same day service in most cases
• 3 year / 36,000-mile warranty on parts and labor.



All of us are looking forward to meeting you and your vehicle. You can make an appointment on our website, or simply call us at the shop – we are happy to be of service.