IanB Posted September 28, 2011 Share Posted September 28, 2011 Dealer flush worked, heat is back on both sides now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CzarDestructo Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 Had the same problem as everyone is describing with my 2008 Legacy 2.5i limited. Has the dual climate control and just shy of 100,000 miles. Absolutely no heat on the passenger side but the heat worked great on the drivers side. It developed after I had my radiator replaced (whacked a big chunk of ice on the highway) and the meat head I brought my car to didn't replace the radiator fluid and put the old gunk back in. Anyway, I brought it to my usual mechanic and he did some research on the matter. He ended up emptying my heat core, blocking one hose and filling it with CRL. Literally the household cleaner you can get at any super market. He let it sit for 20-30 minutes then flushed with light compressed air then hooked up hose and flushed with water in both directions multiple times. The heat works flawless now, way cheaper than a heater core job Hopefully it will last! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN 2.5i Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 Bumping this, I kind of slept on this over the summer, but now that fall is coming, it needs to be dealt with ASAP. I think I'm going to let the dealer flush, and ask them to keep the coolant conditioner out of the mix, hopefully that will get some heat back in the passenger side and prevent it from clogging up again. I may be adding the coolant conditioner back to mine... I've developed some sort of minor leak somewhere, can't tell where it is because I think it's just burning off as it weeps out. My thinking is that it could be an external head gasket leak I'm going to add the coolant conditioner back and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nnintendo Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Thank you CzarDestructo, I had my mechanic follow your intruction and I have even heat now. much cheaper than removing the dash to get to the heater core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I may be adding the coolant conditioner back to mine... I've developed some sort of minor leak somewhere, can't tell where it is because I think it's just burning off as it weeps out. My thinking is that it could be an external head gasket leak I'm going to add the coolant conditioner back and see if that helps. my 2.5I was dissappearing coolant .. turns out gunk in the rad cap .. Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN 2.5i Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 my 2.5I was dissappearing coolant .. turns out gunk in the rad cap .. Could you smell it in the engine compartment or outside? I'm still not sure of where the leak is. May need to get the system pressure tested. Added the 'coolant conditioner' today, one short trip this evening so far. Will monitor over next week or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakee.e Posted January 13, 2012 Share Posted January 13, 2012 Got this problem in my shop, fairly simple, clogged heater core, flushed with hi-pressure steamer, took 10 min, problem solved, good heat on both sides. My pleasure;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 jsut flush entire cooling system with water and CLR a few times .. also reverse flow to your heater core .. ie switch the two hoses. . Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meier motor sports Posted January 27, 2012 Share Posted January 27, 2012 Been there, done that, got the T-Shirt. Well, in this case, the jacket. Blows cold, no change in outlet temp on the passenger side regardless of vent outlet position. (Floor, defrost, etc). did i miss where you said the drivers side is hot warm or cold? never mind. read the rest of the thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 of coarse its safe to run tap water in a modern engine. its all i do and its all that is done in brazil and other ountries that dont have freezing temps. clr mixed with water .. your not goin g to run pure clr that would be expensive. yes i have run about a cup full of clr in many cooling systems. dump prestone out run water with clr drive it around for a day not to let freeze tho and then flush it out with tap water bunch of times Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 my passsenger side heats less now so i may do the clf flush at some point too Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upshiftn Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 will having my shop install a new a/c plate and radio unit (heater core?) take care of all the above? will i / should i still do the flush? my suby dealer made the suggestion of replacing the a/c and radio unit... my symptoms are: passenger side gets cold gradually after a bit of driving, originally noticed after about 30 mins of driving, while the driver's side stays warm. today it got colder quicker and again only on the passenger side. It's fine right on start up but shortly after it turns to cold. thoughts? is the heater core the same thing as the a/c and radio unit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 no ,, they jsut want to change the controler to charge you lots of money .. take it to a normal garage and ask them to flush the coolant system. and swap the hoses around on the heater core to reverse the direction of the fluid travel to get the crap out of it. Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upshiftn Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 no ,, they jsut want to change the controler to charge you lots of money .. take it to a normal garage and ask them to flush the coolant system. and swap the hoses around on the heater core to reverse the direction of the fluid travel to get the crap out of it. is that a timely matter? are the heater core hoses easy to get to or does the dash have to come off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 there under hood next to the brake master and booster take litterally 30 seconds to switch them .. Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssbtech Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 Flush and backflush just the heater core. Doing the whole cooling system won't effectively clear the heater core. Worked like a charm for my car. Even cars with the single zone manual controls effectively have a "split system". Air for the passenger side vents is drawn through one half of the heater core, the air for the driver's side is drawn through the other half. Just look at part number 21 in the diagram in the first post of this thread. You can clearly see that it seperates both halves of the air box. My theory was that the coolant conditioner plugs up the heater core, starting with the passenger side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upshiftn Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 ok so should i just have them replace the heater core and do a flush and be done with it? or not even bother with the flush if i get the heater core replaced? i now have to reason with them for why their diagnosis is complete shit, which is what I thought from the beginning. on a side note, would a failing cruise control require a "reflash" or a replacement of a the cruise control module? cause they claimed it needed a reflash but i find that ridiculous when it can be set initially but then coasting causes it to disengage. thoughts on both these matters mainly the first? thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 ^ using some sort of pump or machine or funnel or garden hose the above independantly flushing of heater core is probably the best and quickest Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upshiftn Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 or not even replace the core and just do the flush... sorry forgot to add that last option in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssbtech Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 No need to replace the core just yet. I requested my dealer to "flush the cooling system". This did not take care of the issue. I then had them flush and backflush the heater core and this cleared it right up. If that doesn't work then you might be looking at a new core or further investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgrix Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hey guys, I've had the same issue now for a while. While tonight I finally took my glove box out to put in a new cabin filter in I noticed the problem which I'm sure you guys are all suffering from. The mode door actuator of the HVAC is spazzing out underneath the dash. which is on the side to the passenger. So if it doesn't open I`m guessing ...only cold air you will get from the blower motor behind the glove box. If you guys want I'll take a video tomorrow of the actuator quivering not making a full cycle. then everyone can take the glove box out and examine there own cars. I to had the dealer tell me all kinda weird crap as well. I recently did the timing belt with water pump thermostat and coolant flush which did absolutely nothing and I doubt its the heater core. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdhIH73Rs50&context=C43e5317ADvjVQa1PpcFMaYQMUlVrpUxz38Mf8l5vFCbuvcw1KPVk=]05 subaru LGT mode door actuator malfunction part #1 - YouTube[/ame] [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2scXrmkYOtg&context=C47f344eADvjVQa1PpcFMaYQMUlVrpU9S0KI6UASTVWHT4pZBzKoU=]05 subaru LGT mode door actuator malfunction part #2 - YouTube[/ame] note: what tipped me off to look was this has been going on for over 6 months and I was starting to get a tapping noise (which you can't really hear in this video) from behind the dash very quite tapping noise you could only hear when idling and if you were actually listening for it. I unplugged the harness going to the mode door actuator and the tapping is gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SesnaBlue Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 I had same issue after a coolent line blew, I took it to mountain subaru gurus, simple fix, fill the block side first it bubbles and bubble hides in heater core. Just fill block first then the rest of the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_ster Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hey guys, I've had the same issue now for a while. While tonight I finally took my glove box out to put in a new cabin filter in I noticed the problem which I'm sure you guys are all suffering from. The mode door actuator of the HVAC is spazzing out underneath the dash. which is on the side to the passenger. So if it doesn't open I`m guessing ...only cold air you will get from the blower motor behind the glove box. If you guys want I'll take a video tomorrow of the actuator quivering not making a full cycle. then everyone can take the glove box out and examine there own cars. I to had the dealer tell me all kinda weird crap as well. I recently did the timing belt with water pump thermostat and coolant flush which did absolutely nothing and I doubt its the heater core. note: what tipped me off to look was this has been going on for over 6 months and I was starting to get a tapping noise from behind the dash very quite tapping noise you could only hear when idling and if you were actually listening for it. I unplugged the harness going to the mode door actuator and the tapping is gone. ^yes but there is a simple test everyone can do to determin if the heater core is blocked. set to full hot with fan low or off. let car run at operating temperature. the heater core will "heat soak" non blocked parts will heat up the blocked parts. then full blast fan. and right away put your hands on the vents. if you get a few seconds of hot on the troubble some side then it cools down you know its the heater core. Now that's thinking out of the boxer! fyi all 05 + legacy's have built in code reader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoctorLGT Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hey guys, I've had the same issue now for a while. While tonight I finally took my glove box out to put in a new cabin filter in I noticed the problem which I'm sure you guys are all suffering from. The mode door actuator of the HVAC is spazzing out underneath the dash. which is on the side to the passenger. So if it doesn't open I`m guessing ...only cold air you will get from the blower motor behind the glove box. If you guys want I'll take a video tomorrow of the actuator quivering not making a full cycle. then everyone can take the glove box out and examine there own cars. I to had the dealer tell me all kinda weird crap as well. I recently did the timing belt with water pump thermostat and coolant flush which did absolutely nothing and I doubt its the heater core. note: what tipped me off to look was this has been going on for over 6 months and I was starting to get a tapping noise from behind the dash very quite tapping noise you could only hear when idling and if you were actually listening for it. I unplugged the harness going to the mode door actuator and the tapping is gone. Yes please. I want to see how to fix my door issue. I only have heat and AC blowing to my face but no where else. ANd I have the dual HVAC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDN 2.5i Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hey guys, I've had the same issue now for a while. While tonight I finally took my glove box out to put in a new cabin filter in I noticed the problem which I'm sure you guys are all suffering from. The mode door actuator of the HVAC is spazzing out underneath the dash. which is on the side to the passenger. So if it doesn't open I`m guessing ...only cold air you will get from the blower motor behind the glove box. If you guys want I'll take a video tomorrow of the actuator quivering not making a full cycle. then everyone can take the glove box out and examine there own cars. I to had the dealer tell me all kinda weird crap as well. I recently did the timing belt with water pump thermostat and coolant flush which did absolutely nothing and I doubt its the heater core. note: what tipped me off to look was this has been going on for over 6 months and I was starting to get a tapping noise from behind the dash very quite tapping noise you could only hear when idling and if you were actually listening for it. I unplugged the harness going to the mode door actuator and the tapping is gone. GT has electric controls... For the 2.5i, and where this thread really applies, we have manual or cable driven actuators. Yours may have been a distinct problem, but with the same/similar symptoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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