Thermal part failures do not only occur in the summer - inefficient demisting, unpleasant smells in the cabin, general lack of performance, a blower motor failing in the winter? All of these and front end crash damage are possible throughout winter months, and workshops should be prepared for these repairs and service opportunities year round.
It is uncomfortable to live without heating throughout the winter, waiting for temperatures to increase. Working with the AC system, a vehicle’s heating and cooling can be affected by AC failures, no matter what the season. The heater core is necessary in winter to heat and demist the cabin, and is one of the main thermal repair opportunities in the winter with main failure causes include leaking or clogs that may occur if the coolant is not checked and/or changed regularly. Furthermore, as a vehicle’s AC system is utilised year round, the AC compressor can fail at any time – it’s then necessary to repair, even in the winter months.
As for maintenance products, there is no particular period to service a car even when it comes to AC components. The receiver drier filters the refrigerant to capture small debris and moisture. Saturated with a small volume of water, it must be checked and changed regularly (every 2-3 years and each time the system is opened). The cabin filter purifies the air coming into the cabin, and efficiently retains small particles of pollution in the atmosphere. It’s necessary to change it every 12 months (10,000 miles) – every 6 months with urban use. Particle cabin air filters remove particles from the air too large to pass through the filter. Activated carbon air filters are more effective and retain smaller particles of pollutants, chemicals, gases, cigarette smoke and other toxins.
Besides general part failures and maintenance/service opportunities, in front end crashes, the main heat exchangers (which are located at the front end of the vehicle) are often directly impacted. Rain, snow and ice on the road, as well as shorter daylight, are all factors that can increase the number of collisions that occur in the winter months. Parts affected by crash damage include:
Condenser: transfers the heat of the refrigerant to the incoming air flow. This changes the state of the refrigerant as it comes from the compressor as a hot gas to a cool, high pressure liquid (condensation).
Radiator: designed to transfer the heat of the coolant to the incoming air flow.Available in cross-flow or down-flow configurations, their brazed aluminium construction provides superior heat transfer capacity and low pressure drop for optimised cooling system airflow.
Cabin air filter: Cabin air filters remove contaminants from the air that come from the outside of a vehicle into its cabin. They were originally designed to remove solid contaminants like dust and soot from circulating inside your vehicle, but now also absorb gases and odours.
Charge air cooler: used to cool air coming from the turbocharger before entering the engine, to ensure the air is returned to a lower temperature for an improvement in engine performance, as well as a reduction in both fuel consumption and exhaust emissions.
Heater core: transfer heat from the engine coolant to the passenger compartment to warm passengers and defog/de-ice windows. Delphi's one-step brazing process and use of long-life alloys results in reliable, durable heater cores with excellent resistance to corrosion.
For more information on how Delphi can help your garage/workshop prepare for this winter season, and thermal activity throughout the year, please follow the links below for a range of technical tips, product information and marketing support. Trust the company that makes the parts cars are born with. Prepare to repair with Delphi!
Thermal Tech Tips
Products & Service Solutions
Delphi’s Technology Tip of the Rally: Thermal
Winter Campaign Brochure
Why choose Delphi? For parts with the highest OE engineering standards from the company that makes the parts cars are born with.