Truck heater problems

This is not what I need after spending over a grand to fix the blend doors…

I have intermittently been hearing a gurgling sound coming from my dash when I first turn the 06 ram 1500 on. The other day I drove 20min to meet someone and once I parked the heater started blowing cold air. Once I was driving again the heat was fine. Since then I have noticed that the heat sometimes cuts out when I stop in a parking spot and stand still at idle. Sometimes turning the fan off and on again will make the heat work while still parked. Today was the first time the heat didn’t work while driving (engine was warm) to the store. After I got out of the store the heat came on fine in the parking lot and worked fine driving.

Please tell me I just need to change the blinker fluid or something simple…

Have you checked coolant level?
Is engine running hot or cold?

What Mark said.

Check coolant level,
I would go for a flush as well as a thermostat change. If you are near the metro I am 1 hour north and could help you out.

I just had my radiator and heater core flushed on my ’14 Dodge this morning.

Thanks! The coolant tank is definitely low and I need a flush anyway – the engine temp has been running dead center on the gauge as it always has since day one. I don’t have any leaks – is this something that can just happen (they check every oil change I believe)?

I’ll try the thermostat if needed. Looks like it’s just 2 bolts on the side of the engine.

When the engine is cool open your radiator cap or Reservoir and let it run for a while till burps out all the air bubbles in the system while your heater is on hot and high. Then top all coolant off

Sounds like it is low. The big question is where did it go, it had to go somewhere, leaked out or is burning it.

Just because the tank on top is at the level its supposed to be doesn’t mean that the radiator isn’t empty or low? If it’s gurgling that means it’s low on antifreeze.

Do you have the hemi in your truck? Those flappers don’t have much to do with it not heating. Sounds more like mine and probably head gasket? Mine doesn’t show any leaks either but I think it’s going out the exhaust?

The blend doors were a separate (expensive) issue that I dealt with when the second one broke a couple months ago. Largely why my mind went all stupid and angry when the heat acted up and I didn’t even check the coolant but worried they would need to get in the dash again.

It was low coolant, just need to wait and see if it is a larger problem now. Frankly, I’ll take a head gasket over going in the dash.

Yes I definitely agree with you. If it’s like mine it’s worse in the winter. Summer I just check the radiator every so often to make sure it’s not low.

I’ll be the 19th guy to say it, your coolants low.

I know all too well about losing coolant…I’ve had multiple quick connect fittings fail and had a cracked coolant tank when Ford was going through the cracking issue in 2011 on their F-150’s…luckily a friend works for the secondary molding company who makes em and he hooked me up!

Bearcat89 wrote:

When the engine is cool open your radiator cap or Reservoir and let it run for a while till burps out all the air bubbles in the system while your heater is on hot and high. Then top all coolant off

X2

Make sure you leave the cap off till the engine is at regular operating temperature. Also once it is warmed up run engine at a fast idle to pump all air out and circulate coolant.

The gurgling is caused by low coolant level, but if your truck is anything like my 2000 Silverado, it is a sign of a slowly leaking water pump.

The gurgle sound is air in the heater core. The core is the highest point in the system.

If you bleed the air out using the return hose on the core you can get it to work again for a while.

Eventually the water pump will get bad enough that you will see a drip under the truck when it is sitting.

I just had the water pump and thermostat replaced at Master Care Automotive in Pine River. It was about a $350 bill.

Hope this helps. My heater works great again…

I would definitely check the water pump over good. Look for any spots that look like it’s leaking. I’ve had two Rams and have had to put water pumps in both of them.

Thanks again – as is often the case I got lots of good valuable ($$) advice and a fix. I don’t see any leaks around at the pump and everything is working fine.

I have a suspicion that when they took out the whole dash unit to fix the blend doors, which involves disconnecting the heater core, they did not flush/burb the coolant system or add more fluid which might be where the extra fluid went. I had the gurgling for a while after that repair and eventually the heat issues. Unless I see the coolant drop again I will go with that theory.