Source
r/Dodge•
youngphi

I have an '08 caliber, need help replacing the heater core. Please!

Ok so, I live in Ohio now and can't live without heat in my car, I received my new heater core today and will be replacing it tomorrow. I have never done this before and ... Well, I don't know how to do this. I have a basic idea of how to do it but if any of you could provide me with an Official 'how to' I would be forever grateful. Thank You!

Posted Jan 9, 2015, 9:08 PM UTC

43
arachnopussy•

IMHO, a heater core is one of those things where if you have to ask, you're probably not equipped to handle. For most vehicles, you have to completely disassemble the dash (and half the interior to get to it) and then you have to be able to properly drain and fill your coolant. You'll have to know how to disassemble your radio, electronics, airbags, ductwork, and controls - without breaking all the myriad little connectors and clips and plastic doohickeys - and put it all back together again.

A Haynes manual or similar would walk you through it, and you probably wouldn't need special tools, but this is more work than you're going to get written up here.

I mean, have you ever tore apart a dash before and have you replaced a radiator? Because that's exactly what you're dealing with, a small radiator buried in the deepest levels of your dash.

2
whodeeya•

Yup, this is a really big job, if you are going to try it, go to an auto parts store and get the Haynes manual. Good luck.

2
lackoflife73•

My uncle cousin and I changed the heater core in my old blazer and it took us a couple hours. It was a major pita. The whole dash had to be removed. We also had a Haynes book and my uncle owned his own garage for many years and had done the same thing on the same vehicles before. If you haven't done anything like it before, especially in our Ohio winter right now, might be worth paying someone to do it imo.

1