[2000dakotav8]

Well ever since i got my dakota it has been blowing cold air. I checked the coolant level and it was good. I flushed the heater core and it didnt make a difference. The fan blows fast its just not blowing hot air. I tried the ac and it blows the same temp as if i had the heat on. Im not sure why the heat is the same temp as the ac. Could the thermostat be stuck open? It takes about 10-20 minutes to reach 180 degrees. The engine temp never goes past 190.

Any help will be appreciated

 

[niebs]

possible the t-stat is stuck open. it should open at 195. but even at 190 you should feel some heat come out the ducts. i would look into then blend doors being stuck. check all the vac lines uner the glove box and all.

 

[2000dakotav8]

I was probably going to change the thermostat anyways since they are not that expensive... And when you say check the vac lines under the glove box, do i check and see if they are clogged?
Thanks for the reply

 

[MartyG]

In all probability, you have a bad heater core. Just search "heater core" on this site, and you will learn of the infamous Dakota Heater core. It is a BI...CH! But, before you go there, as Niebs suggested, check the vacuum line going to the control panel. It is a very small vinyl line, coming through the firewall at the sponge where the heater hoses come through. From there, it goes, through several reducers, to a vacuum port on the back center of the engine. If that vacuum line is disconnected or damaged, then your heater/AC operation will be fouled up. But if it's OK, then search on heater core, and shake your head!

 

[2000dakotav8]

Alright thanks guys!

 

[63jazz]

hi guys I am new here I got a 2001 Dakota just replaced the heater core and I am only getting heat on the driver side vents at idle and the passenger side is cold but when I drive the passenger side gets hot when I stop it gets cold again their is no air in the coolant system and the blend door is working it driving me nuts can someone help please.....

 

[MartyG]

hi guys I am new here I got a 2001 Dakota just replaced the heater core and I am only getting heat on the driver side vents at idle and the passenger side is cold but when I drive the passenger side gets hot when I stop it gets cold again their is no air the coolant system and the blend door is working it driving me nuts can someone help please.....

The good news is that the hard part is behind you, i.e. the heater core replacement. There is only one source of heat for the cab, that is the heater core, and it feeds both the driver's and the passenger's sides. To have heat on one side and not the other has to be that the ducting was reinstalled incorrectly after the heater core was replaced. It all gets jammed in place when the dash is put back. However, the box has outputs for each side. Sounds like the passenger side outlet is either not installed correctly or blocked by something. You should feel heat on both sides, even at idle, when the blower is working. You should feel the force of the blower motor. Something might be happening with the vacuum servos also, based on the idle/driving difference. You may have to loosen (but hopefully not have to fully remove) the dash to see what's going on.

 

[63jazz]

Thanks for the help its weird it feels like the blower is pushing the same amount of air on both sides, the truck temp is fine when I drive that's when heat gets hot, but I will do what you suggested thanks again.....

 

[Radio]

Well ever since i got my dakota it has been blowing cold air. I checked the coolant level and it was good. I flushed the heater core and it didnt make a difference. The fan blows fast its just not blowing hot air. I tried the ac and it blows the same temp as if i had the heat on. Im not sure why the heat is the same temp as the ac. Could the thermostat be stuck open? It takes about 10-20 minutes to reach 180 degrees. The engine temp never goes past 190.

Any help will be appreciated

There's a heater control valve that opens and closes to make heaters work. It opens and closes to let water from your radiator pass through the heater core. Use to be done by cable in the old days but now it's done vacuum. For what ever reason it is not working. Your heater not working has nothing to do with your thermostat or heater core. You have a bad control valve or broken vacuum line to the valve or a broken circuit if the vacuum operates by wire. EDIT: btw, a bad heater core means it leaks and nothing else. And even if it leaks it still works as long as there's water from the radiator passing through it. And as far as it being a thermostat it would have to be stuck closed not open. Stuck closed the water would never pass through the engine much less the heater core. And you would certainly know if it was stuck close because your engine would over heat very quickly. No offense to any and all welcome opinions, just trying to help. I could be wrong too, lol.

 

[dangoff68]

Where is heater control valve located (not in engine compartment I've looked) my AC on my 1999 works great but barely blows any heat seems like only on low speed higher speeds cools back down. Flushed no change think heater core may be plugged up truck has 316,000 miles on it and looks to be original.

 

[Paul]

I am driving my 4th Dakota. All of my Dakota's have had similar heat issues. Flushing and back flushing the heater core helped some but didn't do much when the temp is single digits.
What worked on my 94 was to aggressively flush the ENGINE BLOCK. It worked well on my 94.
200,000 miles on a 20 year old is fairly low miles .
My 98 has had the cooling system flushed and back flushed twice . Now the heat is ok if the temp is 40 but not 4. "Evaporust" makes a cooling system deruster that I think I will try it can't be used below freezing and I plan to leave it in for a week and a couple hundred miles.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

Check the resistor beside the blower motor under the glove box. Mine has failed twice in three years. It’s just two screws and a 25$ part. Not sure if that’ll help anyone. Just thought I’d throw my two cents in.