Cold cabin

[Adam1440]

My W210 E320cdi seems to take ages to warm the cabin on these cold mornings - 15-20 minutes of driving to get it comfortably warm and at least 5-10 minutes to fully clear the screen, even with the heater on full and the fan at full blast.

Is this usual or could there be a fault somewhere?

 

[gurpz]

Check you cabin/pollen filter it may be blocked or may not have been changed in a long time. Also your car should be fitted with a heater booster the switch will be in the ash tray

 

[Tinkerer]

If the engine temp is lower than 80-90C after 15 - 20 mins I would also consider changing the stat.

 

[Troon]

What does your temperature gauge say? If your thermostat is broken and stuck open, your engine won't be getting up to temperature which will prevent the cabin heater working.

The gauge should read between 80-90°C within 10 minutes or so of starting.

Edit: huh? Huge delay in posting for some reason, so Tinkerer beat me to it by 9 mins...

 

[Adam1440]

If the engine temp is lower than 80-90C after 15 - 20 mins I would also consider changing the stat.

I'll check but I think it sticks around 60C or so. I was wondering about the thermostat...

Ta.

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

Pretty sure this is the one for your car.......

VERNET Mercedes-Benz | Euro Car Parts UK

I see you're a new memeber so don't know if you are aware but our friends at ECP give forum members a 25% discount.

Just use MBCLUB25 at the checkout.

 

[Adam1440]

Pretty sure this is the one for your car.......

VERNET Mercedes-Benz | Euro Car Parts UK

I see you're a new memeber so don't know if you are aware but our friends at ECP give forum members a 25% discount.

Just use MBCLUB25 at the checkout.

I didn't know about the discount - thanks very much. Will check the temperature next time out.

 

[Adam1440]

OK, 30 minutes continuous running this morning, 13 miles, temperature never got above 55C or so. Does this confirm it's a thermostat problem?

 

[markjay]

On a previous car, when driving in sub-zero temperatures on motorway (usually at night), the engine struggled to get to operating temperature. But if driving in slow or normal traffic, the engine should reach normal operating temperature (80 to 90 degrees) within 5 minutes or so, even on a very cold day.

So depending on where and how you drive the car, the slow warming may or may not be an actual problem, and if so then as others said it is most likely to be the thermostat.

If the thermostat is fine, then some recommend the old taxi-method of partially blocking the radiator with a piece of cardboard... though personally I never warmed-up to this idea. In the olden days you could buy thermostats with different temperature rating (open starting / fully open) and thus adjust the engine running temperature this way, but I am not sure if this still applies to modern MBs.

But the good news is that if the engine does not get warm - for whatever reason - then the cabin won't get warm either, and this means that there is probably nothing wrong with the heating system as such.

The reason I say 'good news' is that access to some of the heating and ventilation system's components will require the removal of the dashboard, which is quite labour-intensive, so best avoided if at all possible...

 

[Merc Owner 2B]

OK, 30 minutes continuous running this morning, 13 miles, temperature never got above 55C or so. Does this confirm it's a thermostat problem?

I'd change the 'stat at this stage. Markjay makes some good comments but change the 'stat before you go any further. I'd also change the anti-freeze as you don't know how long it's been there or it's strength.

 

[Diesel Benz]

OK, 30 minutes continuous running this morning, 13 miles, temperature never got above 55C or so. Does this confirm it's a thermostat problem?

Definitely the thermostat, a common issue with CDIs (at least CDIs).

 

[Aerialmark]

My W210 E320cdi seems to take ages to warm the cabin on these cold mornings - 15-20 minutes of driving to get it comfortably warm and at least 5-10 minutes to fully clear the screen, even with the heater on full and the fan at full blast.

Is this usual or could there be a fault somewhere?

Funny that happened to me today in my 320cdi,It had just been through its mot (and passed :bannana then as I was driving over to see Ian at 124 works and went down the motorway (about 25 miles) the temp gauge dropped to 40 on the dial and the heater started to blow luke warm air, I am hoping its nothing serious as it was fine for the mot and nice and warm when I set off ! By the way it never gets above 60 or 70 should it ?

 

[nigel cross]

It should run between 80--90

 

[Adam1440]

Thermostat changed, problem solved. Running at 80-90C within 10 minutes and toasty and warm too.

Thanks to all.

 

[Indigo Mercedes]

i think you may not be putting the EC button on, if the red light is not on it means the air-con is on.