Defrost rarely works,wet floor boards,steam stuff from vents

[KissMyDrums]

1999 S 70 (Wife's)

Problems;

1. Defrost rarely works. She says she has to wipe windshield with rag.

2. Heat sometimes doesn't get hot.

3. Wet floor board on passenger side.

4. Oh and weird steam looking stuff sometimes comes out of AC vents. What's that all about?

I am wondering if part of it is just the heater core.

Anyone got or know of a write up on this stuff?

Thanks a lot.

[jblackburn]

Your heater core is quite dead.

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.ph ... e-install/

It's really one of the easiest repairs you can do on one of these cars - just get a big sturdy trash bag to catch the coolant.

[jblackburn]

#2 sounds like it is in need of a new thermostat too.

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/2009/0 ... 0-or-xc70/

[jimmy57]

Volvo gives you car with a sauna feature and you want that feature turned off?
They develop brakes that squeal as a pedestrian warning because they had the vision to know someday people would be walking distracted using cell phones.....we complained!
They makes door panels that self-restyle over time so the car gets new touches of style with age with nothing required on our part....we complained!
They knew the world would suffer greatly when no one knew how to solder electrical items and gave us relays, abs modules, and other items to ply our skills on...we complained!
Such a misunderstood company.

[jblackburn]

I was following someone in a parking lot once with my old squeaky brakes who was talking on a cell phone. I barely touched the brakes, and SQUEEEEEEEEE. She literally dove behind a car for cover, and I almost died laughing.

[adk793]

The problems you are having are mostly caused by a failing heater core. This is like a mini radiator that is installed in the center between the driver n passenger footwells sort of behind the radio area. In most cases when this happens, actual core has to be replaced. This can be a pretty cheap repair if you do it alone but expensive if you go through a mechanic.
If you pull back the carpeting on the sides of the foot wells in the area i described, you will see a box like cover and inside of it is the heater core. Also you will be able to see streaks from the coolant leak when you pull the carpet back.
In terms of changing it, you may not necessarily have a large amount of coolant loss but a decent amount may leak out when you pull the heater core out, which can get a bit messy, so you will need a plastic bag to catch it; which is one of the reasons it might just be easier to drain it all. Then you will unscrew a few bolts on the heater core housing and open it. the core will come down and out. This step isnt that hard. Then work in reverse, but the new core back in (make sure you connect the hoses), replace the gasket, close the housing and put the carpeting back. Remember to check your coolant level and add some if you are low.

This isnt a very complicated repair but it may take 1-3 hours, depending on how skilled you are. The part itself runs for $150 from IPD (http://www.ipdusa.com/Volvo-S70V70-P80/ ... -368-3084/), plus some coolant and the o-ring so itll run you like $175. But a mechanic will charge for 2-3+ hours of labor, especially because some say that you need to remove the dashboard for the heater core repair but its deff not true. dont go to a mechanic if he says this.
So its either $175 DIY or $500 more or less if you have it done by a shop.
I recommend going to an independent volvo mechanic and use OEM parts, or those sold on ipd.

[Kirby J]

Do you park your car under a tree? You could have clogged underhood drains, and a clogged AC drain under the center dash. This will allow rain water to come inside the car through your air vents and literally fill up your HVAC system. I am talking a couple of gallons of water! This will produce all of the symptoms you are describing. If you are smelling and seeing antifreeze inside your car, it is your heater core. But if it is plain water in your floorboards, and there is no antifreeze smell, and you are detecting no loss of coolant, it might just be your drains. Lift your hood, and see how much debris there is along the bottom of the windshield under the windshield wipers. You should find two drain holes. If they are blocked, that could be your problem. One acorn will block this drain. (ask me how i know) AND/OR if your AC drain line is blocked, over time that will fill up your system with water as well. Clear the drains and your problem might be solved.

Kirby J
93 945 394K
99 V70 180K

[KissMyDrums]

Great. Thanks for all the help. I will do it this weekend.

Any ideas about the steam like stuff coming out of the AC vents? It smells weird too.

And yea she has been losing a lot of coolant over the past few months. We were putting some in every few days.

[jblackburn]

Any ideas about the steam like stuff coming out of the AC vents? It smells weird too.

And yea she has been losing a lot of coolant over the past few months. We were putting some in every few days.

Think of it like a small pinhole crack in your radiator. It's under such high pressure and hot that it just escapes as mostly steam rather than liquid.

Definitely heater core. I used a Behr replacement ordered from FCP Groton - free shipping on ground orders; not sure how long that would take to get to Texas though.

Make sure you replace the O-rings on the connections to the core as well. Do NOT use the FCP Groton ones for that - they LEAK!

[januwan]

especially because some say that you need to remove the dashboard for the heater core repair but its deff not true.
I would love to see the write up. I was under impression that you must remove the dashboard.