'95 Pathy in snow, I'm giving up...

[prginocx]

Traction was OK, especially with chains on the front ( Is it ok to put them on the front ? It seemed to work better on 2 icy hills in particular ) but the damn heater just doesn't get hot enough...Since it keeps snowing, the heater doesn't melt off the windshield fast enough.

 

 

I didn't really know what was wrong until I finally gave up and brought out my Primary RV, a '94 Chevy truck, 4X4, 350V8. I didn't even need chains at all after I put two sandbags in the back. Why is the heater in the Nissan so weak ? It took like 30 minutes to melt the snow right around the wipers. The damn chevy truck almost melted ME out of the cab, it was sooooo warm, I could only use the fan set to 3 instead of HI.

 

I wonder if my heater core in the Nissan is plugged up ? Shouldn't it get hotter than that ? Don't some people in Canada use Pathfinders ?

[here4now]

Based on my limited experience (1 week) the pathfinder heater is severly underpowered for the cold we have been having. (I'm in chicago and we have been negative lately). My minivan actually has been better in the snow :-\

[95champagnepath]

I'm up in mn and have been in the negatives for a couple days now. As long as I give it 15 min or so to warm up my heater works fine. I rarely have trouble with it not heating up or not defrosting

[jpawela]

my heater was stuck on my 350mile journey yesterday. it's was got so hot i had to run with the sunroof open. people kept looking at me in the snow storm.

 

have you tried cleaning out the blower motor?

[5523Pathfinder]

Yep check the blower motor and case for leaves and stuff. See it here...

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=7466

 

My heater works great. A little slow when cold, but get moving and it cooks me out. Also make sure you have the mode door to fresh air and not recirculate. Have you had the cooling system serviced or checked recently? T-stat replaced?

[fleurys]

With temperature ranging from 0 to -24C for the last 2 weeks or so, I can confirm you that the heater of the pathy is more than capable (I don't know if the R50 has the same heater core as the d21...)

Edited December 22, 2008 by fleurys

[BowTied]

Do a coolant flush. Change the thermostat to a 190°F (I bet the problem is that yours is stuck partly open) and change the rad cap to a new one (if yours is old). Check the blower as noted above.

That should fix it.

[ticker]

I can't belive nobody commented on the first part of this post. My 95 was awesome in the snow. It always felt like I was velcroed to the ground, never had any problems as far as traction went. How are your tires?

As far as the heat goes, I was never overly impressed with the defroster and heat output, although it wasn't any worse than any other vehicle I have owned. It definately improved after cleaning out the blower motor case.

[Kingman]

Tires have very much to do with getting around in the snow, and weight distribution, which I hear the pathfinders are great for. My front tires are like slicks they're so bald, the thing would barely move an inch in the snow and ice. I see other vehicles with nice beefy tires crawl right around just fine.

 

My heater is also the hottest of any vehicle I've been in, so hot that if you hold your hand to the vent on full hot, it'll almost burn.

Edited December 22, 2008 by kingman92010

[prginocx]

Ok, you guys have convinced me, there is something wrong with my heating system. ( Please God, not the heater core plugged ). I will have to dig into it and check it out.

 

There is a lot of air coming out, it just isn't very warm even after 10 minutes. The blower is kinda noisy on the high setting, like BRRR GRRR BRRR GRRR BRRR.

 

I just dread having to swap out the heater core, in addition to Purcha$e price from the Stealership.

 

I don't understand what he said about the Radiator Cap ? Is there some new one I should try ? Should I ask the Dealer about that ?

Edited December 22, 2008 by prginocx

[shift220]

The heat in my 96 R50 is pretty darn good but it takes a little longer to warm up then my Sonoma. Like everyone else said, you probably just need a flush and make sure your fan isn't clogged.

 

On the other hand, the weight distribution of these Pathfinders makes them top notch in the snow! Tires will make the biggest difference as others have said.

[Kingman]

Ok, you guys have convinced me, there is something wrong with my heating system. ( Please God, not the heater core plugged ). I will have to dig into it and check it out.

 

There is a lot of air coming out, it just isn't very warm even after 10 minutes. The blower is kinda noisy on the high setting, like BRRR GRRR BRRR GRRR BRRR.

 

I just dread having to swap out the heater core, in addition to Purcha$e price from the Stealership.

 

I don't understand what he said about the Radiator Cap ? Is there some new one I should try ? Should I ask the Dealer about that ?

 

I think the fan noise is just from being old and a little loose I know mine sometimes makes noise so if i hit the dash hard enough it shuts up

 

As far as buying from the stealership goes...did you check online, parts stores, and junk yards first?

 

The radiator cap holds 13lbs of pressure in the system to keep everything flowing properly. If its rusted or worn out, it doesn't do its job and the liquid doesn't flow properly. Of course, a bad radiator cap usually, not all the time, causes overheating.

 

Also, what does your temp gauge read at?

 

I'd do a coolant flush and replace the thermostat first for sure.

Edited December 22, 2008 by kingman92010

[adamzan]

I can't belive nobody commented on the first part of this post. My 95 was awesome in the snow. It always felt like I was velcroed to the ground, never had any problems as far as traction went. How are your tires?

As far as the heat goes, I was never overly impressed with the defroster and heat output, although it wasn't any worse than any other vehicle I have owned. It definately improved after cleaning out the blower motor case.

 

I agree, my 95 is amazing in the snow, just today my friend wanted to show me where he was going to have his bonfire party, and we had to take an old (read never plowed) farm road. The snow drifts were 3 feet high in some spots, put her in 4x4 and she plowed right through it!

 

Prginocx, I live in Canada and it gets pretty darn cold here, like -20 is the norm in January. I let the pathy run for 5 mins in the driveway to get the oil circulating, then I drive her easy until it reaches full temperature. By the time I'm out of my neighborhood, the heater is blowing pretty hot.

 

I also have a "winter front" on my truck which keeps the heat in better.

[91PathSE]

my 91 is awesome for cold/snow.

[ctpathy]

I have a 95 and my son has a 91 both heaters work great. and

we are in newEngland

[GrimGreg]

Ok, you guys have convinced me, there is something wrong with my heating system. ( Please God, not the heater core plugged ). I will have to dig into it and check it out.

 

There is a lot of air coming out, it just isn't very warm even after 10 minutes. The blower is kinda noisy on the high setting, like BRRR GRRR BRRR GRRR BRRR.

 

I just dread having to swap out the heater core, in addition to Purcha$e price from the Stealership.

 

I don't understand what he said about the Radiator Cap ? Is there some new one I should try ? Should I ask the Dealer about that ?

 

 

Remove your glove box (feel for 2 little tabs on the bottom hinges, they pull out), then remove the metal plate behind the glove box (4-6 phillips screws), then remove the resistor (little metal/plastic thing dead center with a wire sticking out of the back) you should be able to see if there is any crap clogging things up from there.

[kneedeep]

something might be wrong with your truck, it has been -25 to -35 Celsius where i am and my 95 pathy has been starting like a champ/pumping out great heat and getting around in the snow and on the ice for 3 weeks with no issues.

 

I did put some cardboard b/w the condenser and rad and i plug in the block heater at night, plus I am rolling on Nokian vatiiva tires- but theses things should go without saying when the temp drops and the snow flies.

 

 

it has been stupid cold here now for 10 days straight!!

[nunya]

My 88 has awsome heat as long as I'm not at idle, something prolly clogged, just been keepin him tached up a little if I am stuck in 1 spot too long.

[BowTied]

I don't understand what he said about the Radiator Cap ? Is there some new one I should try ? Should I ask the Dealer about that ?

 

 

Sorry if I mislead you there. The cap has little to do with cold, it keeps your system pressurized to increase the boiling level of the coolant during the summer. My point was that it sounds to me like you are due for some cooling system maintenance and a new cap should be part of that.

 

Specifically to the point of no heat - 99% it is your thermostat is sticking open. Very common. Get a new stat - do not buy a cheap one - (and gasket) put in and I bet you are good to go. Take note of your temperature gauge reading before and after (at full operating temp) and I bet you notice a difference there too. THe guage should always be near the middle.

 

While doing this inspect the coolant colour - if it is dirty/gooey/cruddy/ not nice, it needs to be flushed or this WILL hapen again. In fact if it is really bad it can be restricting flow to you heater core. A flush is not that expensive compared to replacing your heater core. Generally if the heater core is not leaking, it should be fine, just flush it.

 

Cleaning out the fan is a good thing to check, but you mentioned that you are getting lots of air, just not hot air, so I figure it is the stat.

Let us know what works.

Edited December 23, 2008 by BowTied

[BowTied]

Ok, I just thought of something - do you have A/C? Make sure there aren't any little valves that cut-off or by-pass flow to the heater core that are not working... I don't know if your system would have that or not...

Edited December 23, 2008 by BowTied

[MY1PATH]

Traction was OK, especially with chains on the front ( Is it ok to put them on the front ? It seemed to work better on 2 icy hills in particular )

when using chains on a 4x4 or AWD vehicle it is reccomeded to use them on the front for maximum braking ablity (all weight goes foward onto them) and handling (cuase you steer with those wheels)

 

 

Do a coolant flush. Change the thermostat to a 190°F (I bet the problem is that yours is stuck partly open) and change the rad cap to a new one (if yours is old). Check the blower as noted above.

X2 on the coolant and blower but 190 thermo?

the oem is 170(IIRC) and nissan offers a 180 to boost your heater. unles its always below 20 there I'd think twice about running a 190 thermo on an engine designed for 170.

my heater has been working fine here but we haven't got too far below 20 yet and our short "cold winter" is about to end here.

 

I can't belive nobody commented on the first part of this post. My 95 was awesome in the snow. It always felt like I was velcroed to the ground, never had any problems as far as traction went. How are your tires?

tires tires tires. I had some uniroyal laredos which lasted me a long time. I never had any complaint about them, good in the snow, dirt, mud, gravel, stopped on wet pavement and quiet on the higway. when those wore out I got so Pathfinder A/T's for cheap untill I can afford other tires. yeh, I almost got stuck on the plow pile infront of our driveway. they fill up with snow and don't eject it. tires make all the differance.

[RedPath88]

Yep check the blower motor and case for leaves and stuff. See it here...

 

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=7466

 

My heater works great. A little slow when cold, but get moving and it cooks me out. Also make sure you have the mode door to fresh air and not recirculate. Have you had the cooling system serviced or checked recently? T-stat replaced?

No matter what you do, make SURE you follow that link and clean out motor case!

 

Same story here, my 88 is bit slow when cold but once moving it will over heat the occupants!

[here4now]

tires tires tires. I had some uniroyal laredos which lasted me a long time. I never had any complaint about them, good in the snow, dirt, mud, gravel, stopped on wet pavement and quiet on the higway. when those wore out I got so Pathfinder A/T's for cheap untill I can afford other tires. yeh, I almost got stuck on the plow pile infront of our driveway. they fill up with snow and don't eject it. tires make all the differance.

yup, I just changed the 4th and final tire on my pathy yesterday. it made a world of difference in traction. I can now easily go places in 2wd that I had trouble doing in 4wd earlier with only 3 newish tires (ok, new to me).

[prginocx]

My temp guage has always been near the bottom, except on the hottest days of summer when it approaches the center. I thought that was normal. In this cold weather, it takes about 10 min for it to move to the Normal position, which is about 1/8" from the bottom line.

 

I do have AC BTW.

[audiwhore]

My temp guage has always been near the bottom, except on the hottest days of summer when it approaches the center. I thought that was normal. In this cold weather, it takes about 10 min for it to move to the Normal position, which is about 1/8" from the bottom line.

 

I do have AC BTW.

 

Mine too.