How would you rate the heating system in Fit???
 

Thought I'd get input from those with 1st generation Fits since you have seen a few winters by now. How do you find your heating system, especially if you're in colder climates?

My usual routine is to park with temp to max, fan to 0. Start up car, drive away (low engine temp light on). When low temp light turns off, set fan to 1. Once I feel hot air blowing out, I'll set to 2. Oh and usually I only use the vent setting or vent/feet (once air is hot) unless windows are fogging up, then set to windshield setting.

We've gotten a few 2 degree Celcius days and I've had my '09 Sport for 6 weeks now so can report on something odd. My prior car was a 2004 Mazda3 Sport, so another small car. I realize that heat is drawn from the engine to warm up the passenger cabin so until the engine is warm, no heat! However, once my Mazda3 started blowing warm/hot air, it STAYED that way and the temp did not fluctuate unless I switched the temp control/fan speed.

What I've noticed on my '09 Fit Sport is that the engine will warm up and blow hot air, but if I slow down, the air then blows cooler. If I STOP and idle (say at a set of lights), within 1 minute the air is blowing totally cool. I can feel it go from hot to warm to cold within that span of time. I monitored the temp closely this AM (now at 1 degree Celcius outside) to be sure I wasn't imagining this. No, every time I slow down, I can feel a perceptible lowering of the temperature of the air being blown into the cabin (left it at maximum heat, fan 1 all the way on my 40 km commute/45 mins). I timed it when totally at a stop...within 1 minute max, the air is totally cold.

Now my winters here in Sudbury typically run in the -20s to -30s (Celcius) range so this is a MAJOR problem. Sure, the cabin warms up once the car is moving fast but surely the temperature should STAY warm once the engine is fully warmed up, right? As I stated above, that's how my Mazda3 worked. Ok, a bit larger than the Fit but still not a huge vehicle...

Has anyone noticed this? I want some input before I book an appointment with my dealership. I'm wondering if maybe there's inadequate insulation of the engine compartment to account for the drastic cooling at lower operating speeds??? Any other ideas???

I can't say I've noticed that problem with my GD. I'm only in New England so we don't see winters that cold generally. But I don't recall the car ever cooling down when I've stopped moving. Usually I find I have to turn the heat down after it really gets warmed up otherwise it gets too hot for me.

Thanks! That's what I think that once the engine is warmed up and has pushed hot air into the cabin, it shouldn't then start pushing COLD air if I slow down/idle (with temp dial to max, fan at 1-2). Just doesn't make any sense to me...

i think it might be because you have the "fresh air" setting on. When it is set on this, the faster you go the more airflow comes in, giving you more warm air. But when you're satationary the air is not moving so the fan does all the work. Dont feel the "air" but rather feel the vents themself. I seemed to notice a similar problem and that was my conclusion to it

Couple other threads point to this being a defect of my heating system. Trying to book an appointment with Honda now. See here:

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/gene...-problems.html

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/2nd-...ates-alot.html

I can't see, even if my setting is on "fresh air" vs. "recirculate" that the air would go from hot to warm to cold depending on how fast the car is going. My Mazda3's heating system got a tad less hot/slower, but never started blowing COLD air. Must be a defect otherwise I'll be freezing this winter when our temps hit our usual -20 to -35 Celcius!

I agree the fresh air setting may be it, but that should still bring in hot air. What happens is the blower pushes air across the heater core, so even at idle the engine coolant is still hot, and should bring in hot air. Unless there is a door/flap somewhere that is not set right and is pulling in air from the wrong spot. Something is definitely wrong though for sure so get that Fit into the dealer.

Booked tomorrow at 2h30 PM. More people are thinking it's a coolant issue so I'll let everyone know what the final issue/resolution is when I bring it in....

If its a coolant issue thats not good at all either. it could be creating hot spots in the engine which is a much bigger deal then just a bad blend door or something that I was thinking of. Low coolant can cause the same issue too, but it would have to be significantly low.

Oh oh.... :hyper: great, now paranoid and worried! Well, not much I can do until the Honda techs look at it tomorrow. :(

I wish you luck. Hopefully it's nothing too serious. I don't really have any complaints about the heating...although i don't like how the defroster has to be a/c.

When the temp was below 0 deg F (what is that, approx -16C?), the civic wouldn't - couldn't - keep warm at idle. The block was too small, the motor wasn't burning enough fuel, and the heater was sucking enough heat out to close the T-stat. The temp needle would go down slowly and in about 10 minutes it would read C, there's no more heat and I had to shut off the fan. That, or recirc with the AC on, that would prolong the cooling effect but couldn't always prevent it.

We'll see about the fit. Smaller motor, uh oh.

Good luck figuring it out, it really shouldn't cut out heat as soon as you stop. The engine block does hold some heat in it!

Hey, Jason, how the hell would we know anything about the heating system? We live in Southern California! ;) Just playing with you, friend!

I did however, live in northwestern Minnesota for two years. You haven't tested a heating system until you live in that kind of climate.

--Barry

haha yeah this is a conclusion from like 1 cold morning... the only time my car was cold.. does anyone else think the Fit stays warm alot? like cali-weather people

when you are at a stop, the engine is idling, and the water pump is moving a lot less water around, as well as the engine is not making as much heat, it is normal to feel a slight difference, but it shouldn't go cold... even with it being that cold outside,
..interesting....not sure about that, i would have to go with what was said above, that the engine is just so small, i cannot compete with that kind of extreame temperature outside,

in that kind of temperature, i would keep the air on recirculate.

Problem (maybe) resolved!
 

Ok, just got back from 2 hours sitting at the Honda dealership. I explained my exact issue with the heating system. They ended up "bleeding" the block heater. Exact words on my invoice are:
OPS10 BLEED THE SYSTEM ALL OK
4ITECH 1.20
,,,,,4191 no heat repaired b.h added new a/f

So, end result was an issue with my freaken block heater! For back story, the first remote starter they installed ended up being defective and I went 5 DAYS without my car (driving an '09 LX loaner) while they ordered/installed a second unit. Not having much luck with darn accessories!

Small consolation that it was NOT a problem with the car itself or the coolant system...phew! Can't test today since it is freakishly hot around here and will be so for the rest of the week. I'll report back if the problem is REALLY fixed once we get back to normal temps around here...

Wow. You're here too?

Dang! My one refuge...

When i drove my Fit in about 30 degree F weather, the temps would fluctuate. When idle the temp would drop - regardless of fan speed/fresh/circulate. It would get nice and toasty if I can keep the speed up.

More thorough explanation to heating issue/resolution
 

Doing some googling since now my curiosity has been peaked as to how my heating issue was linked to my block heater. Most 'block' heaters consist of small electrical heating elements mounted into a replacement 'frost plug' installed on the engine block. The heating element reaches into the cooling jacket surrounding the cylinders so that it is directly immersed in the coolant full-time, whether the unit is ever plugged in or not. When the block heater is plugged in, the element begins to heat the coolant. Since warm coolant rises, this creates some movement of the coolant to warm the whole block/head.

Found installation instructions here: http://www.jayhondaaccessories.com/Accessory%20Installation/2007/Fit/Engine%20Block%20Heater.pdf

I have found a partial workaround: Leave the fan on 0, but turn the dial to defroster and set the lever to fresh air. Anytime you're moving, hot air will move up to the windshield, without turning on the A/C compressor.