96 Taurus Heat Gauge & Heating Problem

[katalinagirl]

I just bought this vehicle and noticed right away that the heater works at times and then it all the sudden decides to blow only cold air when in the Heat position and the engine is warm and has been running for sometime. Temp gauge reads normal, but when stopped at a light or sloww traffic, the gauge will start to climb, when I start driving at higher speeds, it all the sudden goes down to the middle. Is this a possible water pump problem or the heater core. I'm not certain what exactly is going on here. I just bought a thermostat to replace the old thinking this might resolve the issue but being that there are two issues going on here I'm not all to certain that this is the actual problem. I will replace it anyway but would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience and what the resolution was. Is it possibly the water pump or is it the heater core, thermostat or all three. What step should I take first here. Will taking this to have the system flushed out cure the problem? Do they flush out the heater core as well when they do this? Thanks in advance....

[katalinagirl]

I have since read most of the relating threads in regards to the same if not very similar issues. I will check into some of the resolutions tomorrow to see if any are successful. Anymore suggestions is always greatly appreciated......

[michaelh5645]

I also have the same problem! Save your money getting the thermostat replaced. The radiator needs to be flushed anyway because they are notorious for clogging up, however, it won't solve the problem. I told the Ford service department about my problem and all they did was change the thermostat and flush the radiator (400 bucks). I still had the same problem with the temperature gauge spiking up and down. By the way, it also fluctuates when I am driving down the highway and it drives me crazy. Months later I took it to Firestone after the serpentine belt broke driving down the highway. I asked them to check out the temperature fluctuation and they said that it was probably the thermostat. (here we go again) They flushed the radiator and changed the thermostat, however, it still didn't solve the problem (another 230 bucks). Then a Volkswagon mechanic I talked to months later (I was doing a cardiac stress test on him and I told him about the problem with my car) said that there is a sensor inside the radiator that needs to be checked. So I am gonna leave it up to him to fix it.

[KimMG]

As far as temp fluctuating, have the radiator checked for cold spots. This will tell you if the radiator is partially clogged. The heater core needs to be flushed separately from the rest of the cooling system. Clogged up heater cores seem to be a common problem with Fords.

[joe92k1500]

I would agree with KimMG. The heater core needs to be backflushed on its own. When the system is refilled, make sure the coolant tank stays full. Sometimes not enough coolant is put back in and the system will suck in air when the engine begins to cool down. That will cause the temp to flucuate. When the car is hot, the coolant level should be at the hot level on the tank. If not Fill it up to that point. Hope that helps.

[katalinagirl]

Thanks for all of the replies with information! I actually bought a thermostat and gasket to begin with and had taken my vehicle to a mechanic friend of mine. As I suspected this corrected the gauge fluctuation problem and it no longer heads North towards the overheat. My mechanic friend also informed me that it is notorious in Fords, V6 or higher, that they run a bit above the normal line for heat activity but if it is up high and close to the overheat area that is a problem.

As for the the #2 issue, fluctuation in my heater going from Hot to Cold inside the vehicle, I will assume it is the heater core either being clogged or more likely it is the flipper that lets the hot water through the core. When I really need heat it goes cold on me, and when I don't need it it is nice and toasty warm, go figure. It seems that the change will happen after the car has been powered off and then back on. I haven't had the reverse flush on the heater core just yet, no time, but will sometime in the next week or so. I will post the outcome results for others with similar problems.........again thanks