Hot air vents out under the dash of my alto! please help

sunil.nv · 23rd February 2009, 22:52

Hello Everyone,

I am new to Team BHP and this is my first post. For me its been like a virtual "Dargah" where almost all queries about a car gets answered. This unique site has helped me zero down on my options fitting in to my first car and thats an Indica Vista. And exactly 2 days before i could go and book it! my father in law drops a bomb. He wants to leave his Alto with me for the next 5 months till he is away on an international trip and shattered all my plans.. atleast some of them. Parking is an issue for me and hence i have to wait for my vista.. But my problem is not that.. He got the alto serviced and i was all set for a trip to Guruvayoor this coming weekend and i realised that as soon as i power in the car hot air seems to vent out underneath the dashboard. I checked if the AC unit was switched on but no it wasnt. But I havent tried switching it on either.. the car is 5 years old but has only done 11K kms.. any suggestions?

Please Help.

Regards,
SN

HappyWheels · 24th February 2009, 03:20

Some more basic checks:

A/c unit is off, but did you check if the blowers are off?

Also, did you check the setting on the blower vent (the one which direct the flow to dash, windscreen or foot)?

tamojoym · 24th February 2009, 09:43

I had similar kind of problems in my Esteem .The culprit being the rubber stopper that holds the wires going in from inside the car to the engine bay area .Once that was fixed .Problem was sorted out .

wanderernomad · 24th February 2009, 10:17

Check for gaps and plug holes between the wall separating the engine bay from the paasenger cabin.

Jaggu · 24th February 2009, 10:20

Move the air flow knob from footwell to the dash and you will be fine. Move the AC temp knob to max cool and see if the hot is turning to cold in few secs.

dushmish · 24th February 2009, 12:44

Hey Sunil! Refer to the manual of your car. The aircon/heater has some amazing functions. Very few people use any of them. You can actually set the aircon such that the vent on dash will throw cool air and the ones facing in footwell will blow out hot air. This helps manage temp in car the way a climate control does. If you have little babies or elderly people who are sensitive to extreme temps, knowing the functions on aircon can come very handy specially during change of season.

filcord · 24th February 2009, 22:01

first check if the temp setting on the blower is set to hot. If it is not, then the culprit is the linkage between the lever on the dash and the actual vent. In other words it remains open, allowing hot air from the heater core to enter the car. A mechanic should be able to fix this in 30 seconds.
had this problem on my escort, just after it was given for servicing.

sunil.nv · 26th February 2009, 10:54

I want to thank each one of you for your time and patience.. And you were right Jaggu the knob was set for the inflow of air .. i turned it back to the circulation mode and now its fine.. I just hope the alto holds on to the trip to guruvayoor :-)

cheers!
SN

23rd February 2009, 22:52	#1
sunil.nv BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 59 Thanked: 10 Times	Hot air vents out under the dash of my alto! please help Hello Everyone, I am new to Team BHP and this is my first post. For me its been like a virtual "Dargah" where almost all queries about a car gets answered. This unique site has helped me zero down on my options fitting in to my first car and thats an Indica Vista. And exactly 2 days before i could go and book it! my father in law drops a bomb. He wants to leave his Alto with me for the next 5 months till he is away on an international trip and shattered all my plans.. atleast some of them. Parking is an issue for me and hence i have to wait for my vista.. But my problem is not that.. He got the alto serviced and i was all set for a trip to Guruvayoor this coming weekend and i realised that as soon as i power in the car hot air seems to vent out underneath the dashboard. I checked if the AC unit was switched on but no it wasnt. But I havent tried switching it on either.. the car is 5 years old but has only done 11K kms.. any suggestions? Please Help. Regards, SN
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 03:20	#2
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	Some more basic checks: A/c unit is off, but did you check if the blowers are off? Also, did you check the setting on the blower vent (the one which direct the flow to dash, windscreen or foot)?
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 09:43	#3
tamojoym BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 69 Thanked: 27 Times	I had similar kind of problems in my Esteem .The culprit being the rubber stopper that holds the wires going in from inside the car to the engine bay area .Once that was fixed .Problem was sorted out .
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 10:17	#4
wanderernomad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Chandigarh Posts: 2,534 Thanked: 1,276 Times View My Garage	Check for gaps and plug holes between the wall separating the engine bay from the paasenger cabin.
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 10:20	#5
Jaggu Team-BHP Support Join Date: May 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 20,215 Thanked: 15,907 Times	Move the air flow knob from footwell to the dash and you will be fine. Move the AC temp knob to max cool and see if the hot is turning to cold in few secs.
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 12:44	#6
dushmish BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Mumbai Posts: 418 Thanked: 82 Times View My Garage	Hey Sunil! Refer to the manual of your car. The aircon/heater has some amazing functions. Very few people use any of them. You can actually set the aircon such that the vent on dash will throw cool air and the ones facing in footwell will blow out hot air. This helps manage temp in car the way a climate control does. If you have little babies or elderly people who are sensitive to extreme temps, knowing the functions on aircon can come very handy specially during change of season.
	() Thanks

24th February 2009, 22:01	#7
filcord BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: goa Posts: 996 Thanked: 67 Times	first check if the temp setting on the blower is set to hot. If it is not, then the culprit is the linkage between the lever on the dash and the actual vent. In other words it remains open, allowing hot air from the heater core to enter the car. A mechanic should be able to fix this in 30 seconds. had this problem on my escort, just after it was given for servicing.
	() Thanks

26th February 2009, 10:54	#8
sunil.nv BHPian Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 59 Thanked: 10 Times	Thank you folks! I want to thank each one of you for your time and patience.. And you were right Jaggu the knob was set for the inflow of air .. i turned it back to the circulation mode and now its fine.. I just hope the alto holds on to the trip to guruvayoor :-) cheers! SN
	() Thanks