Heater Core Removal

Before you dive into the heater core removal procedure, we offer the following tips and recommendations that can save you a lot of frustrations later. We recommend that you spend a couple of minutes here first before you proceed to the model selection page. 

1.  Please remember that although a typical heater core removal and replacement is not overly difficult for the average home mechanic, it will probably require several hours to complete. On some vehicles it may even take a couple of days, particularly if you have never replaced a heater core before. The recommendation here is that you should arrange for alternate transportation during the repair procedure. Your vehicle will not be drivable once you begin the heater core removal procedure. 
 

2.  Make sure that you have your replacement heater core and all other parts and accessories that you will need to complete the job BEFORE you begin.  Once you start, you will not be able to use your vehicle. While you probably won't need all of the following items, it is good to consider whether it might be time to replace some of the following items before you start to remove the heater core: 

  •  
    • Heater Core 
    • Heater Hoses  
    • Heater Hose Clamps 
    • Heater Hose O-Rings
    • Heater Hose Removal Tool 
    • Cooling System Cleaner 
    • Cooling System Flush Kit (Installs in heater hose) 
    • Coolant (Refill the cooling system with a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and high-quality anti-freeze with corrosion inhibitors.) 
    • Thermostat (if you experienced any indications of engine overheating or inadequate passenger compartment heating prior to the heater core failure.) 
    • Radiator Hoses 
    • Foam Seals (to seal/prevent air from flowing around the heater core instead of flowing through the core) 
    • Any other parts that may need to be replaced while you have the system dismantled: 
      • Heater Blend Door/Actuator 
      • A/C Evaporator Core 
      • Other parts particular to your model

3. DO NOT install a used heater core or you WILL be repeating the job very soon. New heater cores are relatively inexpensive and I can assure you that the small amount you would save by using a used heater core is not worth the effort of replacing it again when it fails shortly after replacing it with a used core.

4. Keep in mind that there may be other (and better) heater core removal & replacement procedures than the procedures that we have included on this website.  We acknowledge that the procedures we provide may not be the best or easiest procedures for your particular vehicle. We encourage you to provide feedback on ways to improve our procedures for the benefit of others who will use the procedures in the future. We will update our procedures to incorporate valid recommendations.

5. While most procedures can be done by one person, some steps will be much easier with the assistance of a helper. This is especially true if the procedure calls for removing the instrument panel (dashboard) from the vehicle. Most dashboards are too heavy for one person to handle. You don't need the added expense of other equipment damage or medical bills simply because you didn't plan for that extra set of hands when needed. 

6. You will remove MANY screws, bolts and parts during the heater core removal process. The goal is to replace the heater core and put everything back in exactly the same place from which it was removed. The easiest way to do this is to make sure each step of your procedure is numbered (1 through ??.  Review your procedure and identify each step that tells you to remove a screw, bolt, part, etc.  Prepare plastic bags with labels (sandwich bags and masking tape will work for screws, bolts and other small parts.)  Mark each label with the number representing the step in the procedure where that bag will be used. (For example, if step 12 says to remove 3 screws....place the 3 screws in the bag labeled #12.) When you reverse the procedure to reassemble everything after replacing the heater core, when you reach step 12 simply install the 3 screws in bag #12 into the screw holes identified in step #12 of the procedure.