Constant Hot Air

[B.J]

HI GUYS

AS A NEW MEMBER HELLO TO YOU ALL AND HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME.....

I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A STREETKA ON AN 2003 AND HERE ARE THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS

1) CANNOT CONTROL THE HEAT COMING INTO THE VEHICLE FROM HOT TO COLD ALWAYS WARM AIR COMING IN / AIR CON DOES COME ON WHEN PRESSED BUT ONLY COOLS DOWN SLIGHTLY DOES NOT GO ICE COLD. AM GETTING A TAD HOT!!!!! NO WARNING LIGHTS ON DASH BUT ENGINE DOES SMELL HOT.

2) WHEN USING CENTRAL LOCKING ALL WORKS OK AND THEN APPROXIMATELY 20 TO 30 SECONDS THE INDICATORS START TO FLASH BUT NO AUDIABLE NOISE, IF I LOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY ALL IS WELL NO PROBLEMS.

3) RADIO/CD NO ABLE TO PICK UP ANY RADIO STATIONS.

WELL HERE IT IS WILL AWAIT YOU RESPONSES

CHEERS JOHN....

[btmaldon]

The heating issue is most likely the heater control valve need replacing. Common issue on most Fords that have that type fitted. They are about £36 from a main dealer and relatively easy to fit.

Lokks like somebody has disconnected the siren to your alarm as it keeps going off. It is only active when locked with the remote, thats why you dont have an issue when locking with the ky. Most likely cause is the switch under the bonnet. Take it apart, clean the connections as they get rusted up, reconnect and then spray with ignition sealer. Not sure where the siren is to reconnect though.

Radio may just be a case of the aerial lead not being connected properly

[B.J]

THANX FOR YOUR RESPONSE WILL LOOK INTO ALL THE ISSUES CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE THE SWITCH FOR THE ALARM IS UNDERNEATH THE BONNET, ALSO ON THE ISSUE OF THE ENGINE SEEMS TO RUN HOT BUT WITH NO PROBLEMS AT MOMENT DO THESE KA'S TYPICALLY RUN HOT???

DOES THE HEATER CONTROL VALVE HAVE WATER INSIDE?

THANX JOHN.........

[btmaldon]

The switch on my wifes SportKA is in the top right hand corner of the engine bay as you lookfrom the front of the car. It has a rubber boot on top of it which gets pushed down when you close the bonnet.

The HCV has two hot water pipes running to it. One from the back of the engine and the other one goes to the thermostat housing. There are another two shorter pipes on the other side of it that feed to and from the cars heater. It is usually the solenoid in this that gets stuck open, therefore constantly feeding hot air into the car.

The HCV may also be causing your car to run hot, or your thermostat may be stuck as well or you may have an air lock. I would fix the HCV first and take it from there. If the car was getting too hot, the light on the dash would come on.

If you lived nearer to me I could have had a look at it for you.

Good luck with it and keep us updated.

[B.J]

Ok thanks for your reply got my hcv through the post so am gonna fit this tomorrow and see what happens, as for the switch underneath the bonnet I have found this it does move up and down as you say can it be taken apart to clean it will the rubber boot come off havn't tried yet as I dont want to tear it, and if I did have an air lock in the system how do I remove it???

thanx John............

[btmaldon]

As far as the switch goes I havent taken it apart on ours. The rubber boot should come off but the issue is most likely the connections underneath it. Try pulling the wireing connector off and give the contacts a good clean.

As far as air locks go the system is self bleeding. Once you have replaced the HCV and topped up the coolant, start the car with the cap off the expansion tank. Let it run for a couple of minutes and put the cap back on. Keep the car running till it gets up to temperature and check that the main hoses to and from the radiator are pressurised. They should be fairly hard and not spongy. Switch off, let it cool down, and top up if necessary. Then just keep an eye on the level for a few days.

[B.J]

OK THE STORY SO FAR HAVE CHANGED THE HCV VALVE AND HEY PRESTO WE HAVE HEAT CONTROL FANTASTIC NO LONGER ROASTING MYSELF TO NEAR DEATH, GOT A NICE BRAND NEW ONE OFF eBay £14.99 FREE P+P. TESTED BEFORE FITTING IT TO SEE IF IT OPENED AND CLOSED JUST TO MAKE SURE ALL IS OK.

THE RADIO WAS JUST THE AERIEL LEAD NOT CONNECTED SIMPLE FIX.............

THE PROBLEM WITH THE ALARM STILL ELUDES ME HAVE TRIED BOOT MICRO SWITCH SEEMS OK HAVE ALSO TRIED SOFT TOP MICRO SWITCH THIS ALSO SEEMS TO WORK JUST GOTTA TRY THE BONNET SWITCH WILL CLEAN IT UP AS SUGGESTED.

WILL ALSO ATTEMPT TO CHECK FOR ANY AIR LOCKS AS SUGGESTED.

APPART FROM THAT ALL SEEMS GOOD.

MANY THANX TO BTMALDON FOR ALL YOUR HELP AND SUGGESTIONS CHEERS MATE..................... ;)