Common Commercial Truck Heating Problems

Common Commercial Truck Heating Problems

Commercial trucks often have heating problems that require attention. Heating problems cause breakdowns that keep you off the job until the completion of repairs. There are many reasons why your truck could be having heating issues. Understanding them will help you better take care of your vehicle.

That’s why Stronghold Trucking put together the following informative guide to assist you in identifying and fixing common heating problems.

Thermostat

The thermostat is a valve between the engine and the radiator. Whenever the engine coolant is heating up too much, the thermostat will open so the coolant can enter the radiator and cool down. A faulty thermostat that doesn’t perform this basic function causes the engine to overheat.

Signs of this overheating include a higher than normal temperature gauge reading, a sudden temperature change inside the cab, coolant leaking,  malfunctioning heater, and rumbling noises. Thermostats should last about ten years, but the only way to fix a faulty one is to replace it.

Blown Head Gasket

This common commercial truck heating problem happens for several reasons. A cylinder can overheat because of a bad injector. Improper engine timing can result in a spike in pressure. There could also be too much fuel in the engine or the coolant passages could be plugged up.

Signs include white smoke or steam coming from the engine or the tailpipe, coolant bubbling inside the radiator, milky white discoloration of the oil, and general engine overheating that causes the temperature gauge to suddenly rise. The vehicle’s engine could last up to a month depending on how bad the damage is, but it’s best to get a new head gasket as soon as possible.

Radiator Cap

The radiator cap not only serves as a plug to close the radiator after replacing the radiator fluid, but it also acts as a pressure relief valve, making it an important part of your vehicle that can cause heating problems if it is faulty.

Often overlooked as a cause of overheating, a bad radiator cap can result in major engine damage. Signs of a bad radiator cap include leaking coolant, white streaks on the radiator, reservoir overflow, rupturing radiator hose, overheating engine, and air inside the cooling system.

To prevent these problems, always inspect your radiator cap and replace it immediately if it’s faulty. It’s an inexpensive part that will save you a lot of money by simply replacing it rather than allowing it to cause even more expensive issues. Never overlook it because even a small unassuming part can be the cause of your truck’s overheating problem.

Coolant Leak

Coolant is necessary to prevent your engine from overheating. That’s why a coolant leak is not a good thing. The most obvious signs of a coolant leak are finding puddles of coolant under your vehicle or discovering that your radiator or expansion tank is low or dry during an inspection. Other signs include coolant warning lights, rusty radiator, leaky hose or cap, and bubbles in the radiator.

If you can identify where the leak is coming from, you may be able to temporarily seal it off yourself using Flex Seal. But make sure you get it properly sealed by a mechanic as soon as possible.

Water Pump Failure

The water pump circulates coolant through the engine block. A faulty water pump that fails this task can cause piston failure, blown head gaskets, and cracked cylinder heads. That’s a lot of potential money loss. So, you need to replace the water pump immediately. Signs of water pump failure include whining noises in the engine, coolant leak, overheating, and corrosion.

Truck Heater

Maybe your truck engine is not overheating, but you are freezing inside the cabin. A faulty truck heater is the likely culprit here unless you just didn’t turn the heater on because you like colder temperatures. However, if you did try turning it on and it didn’t come on or it shut down somewhere along the road, there are several reasons why your heater is malfunctioning.

Thermostat

Once again, that pesky thermostat is not properly controlling coolant flow through the radiator. Warm air won’t come out of the vent if the coolant can’t heat up. Luckily, thermostats are cheap and easy to install.

Coolant

You might not have enough coolant, which could indicate that you have a leak. Find the source of the leak and seal it up yourself or have a professional do it. Once you have enough coolant again, your heater should work like normal.

Controls

Perhaps the problem is that the heater controls are not functioning. You can press the buttons or turn the knobs all day without getting even a wisp of warm air. That doesn’t necessarily mean you have a malfunctioning thermostat or another kind of mechanical issue. It could be that you need new controls or they need to be reconnected. It could even be an electrical problem.

Heater Core

An old or faulty heater core may be the cause of your heater issue. The heater core is basically a device behind the dash that takes heat generated by coolant flow and pumps it into the cab through the vents. Over time, the heater core can become rusty or clogged, preventing air from flowing as freely. You might be able to fix it by flushing out the passageways or you may need to replace it entirely.

In addition, valves inside the core can get stuck in the closed position, requiring you or a mechanic to open them up.

Preventing Heating Problems


The best way to prevent heating problems of any kind is to regularly inspect your equipment and perform routine maintenance and cleaning. Parts don’t last forever, so they will eventually fail one way or another. But they can last much longer if well taken care of. Beyond that, simply watch out for signs of malfunction and get any problems fixed early before they become major problems that cause more damage and cost you more money.

Stronghold Trucking Repairs Heating Problems

Stronghold Trucking is ready to help solve your heating problems. Our team has the experience and skills to handle any job and we will work hard to get your truck back in good working order. Need on-site repairs? We can come to you! Call us at 914-235-8280 or visit our website today!

We proudly serve Westchester County, Putnam County, Dutchess County, Orange County, and the New York City Metropolitan area.

 

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