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Need help smoke comming out of vents when the heater was on

Old Mar 13, 2009, 06:32 PM
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Need help smoke comming out of vents when the heater was on

I turned my heater on and a lot of smoke came out of the interior vents what's wrong???
Old Mar 13, 2009, 06:33 PM
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Does it have a sweet smell?
Old Mar 13, 2009, 06:58 PM
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Smells like electrical smoke like something fried
Old Mar 13, 2009, 07:00 PM
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I would be very cautious until you find the issue. An electrical fire is no laughing matter.
Old Mar 13, 2009, 07:13 PM
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Hmmmmmmm very strange. Only when the heat is on? If its only when the heat is on there are only two things I can think of. 1. Your heater core is leaking. 2. Dust or other foreign objects made their way through your cowl, past the blower motor and snuck past the blend doors for the heater and got burnt up. A cabin filter fixes that...

If it happens all the time then it is very likely a wire is shorting to ground and its burning up the harness. Remove the radiator cap (when its cold, obviously) and see how low your coolant is. If its pretty low you know your heater core is leaking. If its not, then be cautious. You'll probably have to pull the dash otherwise.
Old Mar 13, 2009, 07:14 PM
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Ok if someone can help that knows what's wrong or has had this issue it would be really helpful
Old Mar 13, 2009, 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Epix_
Hmmmmmmm very strange. Only when the heat is on? If its only when the heat is on there are only two things I can think of. 1. Your heater core is leaking. 2. Dust or other foreign objects made their way through your cowl, past the blower motor and snuck past the blend doors for the heater and got burnt up. A cabin filter fixes that...

If it happens all the time then it is very likely a wire is shorting to ground and its burning up the harness. Remove the radiator cap (when its cold, obviously) and see how low your coolant is. If its pretty low you know your heater core is leaking. If its not, then be cautious. You'll probably have to pull the dash otherwise.
Thanks I installed a mini battery today could that have caused it volts are normal 14.5 when running
Old Mar 13, 2009, 09:12 PM
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No. Its probably heater core leaking. Is it smoke or steam(how fast does it dissipate)? Does it do it when the car is cold? Anything electrical smoking enough to make it through the vents wouldn't last very long before it actually caught fire or you had other symptoms of electrical failure.
Old Mar 13, 2009, 09:46 PM
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If you even think there is a 1% chance that it could be an electrical fire, GO AND GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!!!! and stash that dude in your car.

I have seen a friend stand helpless and watch his car burn to the ground from a similar situation.

A few bucks for a fire extinguisher can make the dif between a bit of cleanup and wire replacement, and a completely burnt shell of a car that costs you everything you have.

It is the worst WORST kind of fail to loose a car knowing something as simple as a in car extinguisher could have saved it!
Old Mar 13, 2009, 11:18 PM
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It's definetly the heater right now no air blows hot or cold I have no ac or heat the car was in storage for a year until today I drove 2 hours around tonight no smokesomething hvac wise shorted out any ideas?
Old Mar 13, 2009, 11:21 PM
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coolant is full and good to go by the way nothing is leaking.
Old Mar 13, 2009, 11:25 PM
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Originally Posted by biggie5252
No. Its probably heater core leaking. Is it smoke or steam(how fast does it dissipate)? Does it do it when the car is cold? Anything electrical smoking enough to make it through the vents wouldn't last very long before it actually caught fire or you had other symptoms of electrical failure.
i would have to agree with biggie, sounds like a heater core symptom, which sucks, i'm sure it's not an easy fix.

can you make a video of the "smoke"? it would be helpful.
Old Mar 13, 2009, 11:38 PM
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it doesn't smoke anymore, it shorted out smoked a lot and stopped working all together. Now its not smoking and no heat or ac. nothing blows out of the vents no air at all.
Old Mar 14, 2009, 04:51 AM
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Ah storage - a rodent could have climbed up into your car and made a home in the wiring/chewed on them. They are attracted to the electric hum.

Check fuses, but my guess is something ate wires. When you turned on the fan, the exposed wiring touched something and fried it (smoked). Thats why the fans worked then. But now since the wires have fried - nothing works. Or the outside chance a fuse popped - saving a fire.

You might want to go to a audio shop or dealer. They can check all the wiring to see where it is messed up.

ktk and I share the worried on an electrical fire. I have seen cars go up from them.
Old Mar 14, 2009, 07:30 AM
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^^I was just thinking the same thing about the rodent.

and x2 on the fire extinguisher. Ive had a buddy watch a low 9 sec mustang motor burn up.

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