[BeachBumm]

I was driving the other day - about 45° outside.

I turned on the heater about 9 miles into my drive (since it didn't kick in at the regular 2 mile mark). The heater only blew cold air the entire 9 miles. Almost like air conditioner air.

I went into a store for 10 minutes and when I returned to my car I restarted the car and heater. The heater came on instantly. Nice and warm.

I drove about 3/4 mile and parked with the motor off for about 5 minutes. When I restarted the car, the heater blew cold air. I drove for 9 miles back home with cold air blowing the entire time.

Today I drove the car and the heat came on about 2 miles into my cold morning drive.

Can anybody tell me what might be happening?

 

[jcanoe]

I was driving the other day - about 45° outside.

I turned on the heater about 9 miles into my drive (since it didn't kick in at the regular 2 mile mark). The heater only blew cold air the entire 9 miles. Almost like air conditioner air.

I went into a store for 10 minutes and when I returned to my car I restarted the car and heater. The heater came on instantly. Nice and warm.

I drove about 3/4 mile and parked with the motor off for about 5 minutes. When I restarted the car, the heater blew cold air. I drove for 9 miles back home with cold air blowing the entire time.

Today I drove the car and the heat came on about 2 miles into my cold morning drive.

Can anybody tell me what might be happening?

Let's assume that you have read the Owner's Manual. How did you have the climate control set? Auto ? Cabin Temperature? Economy or Max electric heat?

 

[BeachBumm]

Cain temp has to be at 85° or HI to be comfortable. My Audi sets at 73°° for a nice warm ride.

I typically have it set on Eco, but I tried it on Eco & on Max. Both very cold.

Ditto on Auto, on & off.

 

[CatsAreGods]

Try hitting the big "arrow pointed towards person sitting" button.

 

[BeachBumm]

I've tried the Big arrow and the foot arrow. Still was cold.

 

[jcanoe]

I've tried the Big arrow and the foot arrow. Still was cold.

Preconditioning while plugged in would help pre-warm the cabin but since you don't yet have a Level 2 EVSE the 10 minute preconditioning cycle would drain some of your battery faster than the Level 1 EVSE could supply power to recharge the battery.

Try setting the climate control system to recirculate so the heater does not have to work as hard heating cold air from outside the cabin.

Also, start out using the Max electric heat instead of Economy as this will heat up the cabin faster. You can switch to Economy mode once the cabin has been heated.

Use the electric seats and the heated steering wheel if your Volt has this feature. The power required to heat the seats and steering wheel is a tiny fraction of the energy needed to run the electric heat. 45F is not particularly cold so maybe a heavier jacket, hat and gloves would help too.

 

[BeachBumm]

I get all that, but 'why' would it be blowing COLD air (not luke warm air) sometimes and not other times. Typically, within 2 miles the heater is working like a car heater. This has been working like an air conditioner.

 

[lagagnon]

At 7 deg C outside temperature, cold cabin at 7 deg C from sitting outside all night:
1) temperature set to HI or at least 25 deg C
2) controls set to "Auto"
3) controls set to "Max"

you should get heat blowing within 1 minute or even less. Do not use "Eco" until cabin gets to a decent temperature.

If you don't get that response take it into the dealer as something is not right.

 

[jcanoe]

I get all that, but 'why' would it be blowing COLD air (not luke warm air) sometimes and not other times. Typically, within 2 miles the heater is working like a car heater. This has been working like an air conditioner.

You don't feel warm air blowing from the vents because you have been trying to warm up the cabin with the electric heat set in Economy mode. This limits the power used for the electric heat so it takes a long time to heat the cabin, so long that you don't actually notice the cabin temperature is slowly rising. Use Max with the cabin thermostat set to 85F or all the way to HI and also be sure to select the cabin air recirculate button on the dashboard. Watch the kW display on the driver information center. It should rise from the nominal 0.5kW (when the Volt is powered on, parked) to 7 or 8 kW when the electric heater unit is running at maximum. If you don't see an initial power usage of at least 4kW when the electric heat is running on Max something is wrong with your Volt's heating system.

 

[Sheldon]

I had a similar incident - where the heat wouldn't come on, but acted normal as soon as I restarted the car. I assume it is some kind of software glitch. It hasn't happened since.
http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?309634-max-heat-usually-works-fast-but-...

 

[wws]

If you are not using AUTO mode, it will be blowing air regardless of temp of the heater core. AUTO will typically wait for things to warm up before automatically increasing the fan speed.

Also be sure that either ECO or MAX is selected. Otherwise you'll just get "fan only" with no heat. (Some folks on the facebook group have been confused by this...) And yes, ECO takes longer (e.g., uses less power) to warm up than MAX. In the mean time, be sure to turn on the seat and steering wheel heaters. They get warm very quickly.

 

[BeachBumm]

If you are not using AUTO mode, it will be blowing air regardless of temp of the heater core. AUTO will typically wait for things to warm up before automatically increasing the fan speed.

Also be sure that either ECO or MAX is selected. Otherwise you'll just get "fan only" with no heat. (Some folks on the facebook group have been confused by this...) And yes, ECO takes longer (e.g., uses less power) to warm up than MAX. In the mean time, be sure to turn on the seat and steering wheel heaters. They get warm very quickly.

Thanks very much. I'll try it.

 

[supchrgamx]

2016 volt
op code 2810015
hvac system control module reprogramming
the heater now kicks ass
-30 and I can have the drivers window cracked 3/4 inch and still stay warmish
I can now say the car is a keeper
-30 and I can keep it on auto and just adjust the temp setting
now I'm glad I bought it and did not lease
final payment next month

 

[BeachBumm]

2016 volt
op code 2810015
hvac system control module reprogramming
the heater now kicks ass
-30 and I can have the drivers window cracked 3/4 inch and still stay warmish
I can now say the car is a keeper
-30 and I can keep it on auto and just adjust the temp setting
now I'm glad I bought it and did not lease
final payment next month

Were you having the same problem as I wrote about and now, by using "op code 2810015" all is good? Did the dealer come up with that fix?

 

[supchrgamx]

it was all over the place , sometimes working , sometimes not
always fiddling with the controls
never consistant
now it works beautifully
I complained , dealer found and installed update

 

[BeachBumm]

it was all over the place , sometimes working , sometimes not
always fiddling with the controls
never consistant
now it works beautifully
I complained , dealer found and installed update

I made an appointment to have them look at it. The guy in service told me they haven't had a Volt in "yet" with this problem. I'll tell them the code #. Thanks a lot.

 

[hellsop]

I made an appointment to have them look at it. The guy in service told me they haven't had a Volt in "yet" with this problem. I'll tell them the code #. Thanks a lot.

But GM wouldn't have a fix if it hadn't happened before at least a few times...

 

[wws]

But GM wouldn't have a fix if it hadn't happened before at least a few times...

I've found that the typical dealership service writers have a retained memory of what I tell them of about 30 seconds. I have to dictate and watch them type up the service order to make sure it describes exactly what I want and the symptoms I've noticed. Even then, sometimes it will get messed up.

 

[BeachBumm]

I've found that the typical dealership service writers have a retained memory of what I tell them of about 30 seconds. I have to dictate and watch them type up the service order to make sure it describes exactly what I want and the symptoms I've noticed. Even then, sometimes it will get messed up.

I typically get to know the mechanic who works on my cars. In the case of the Volt - there is only one mechanic who repairs them at my local dealer. That's good for me because I like to get friendly with them and usually that leads to the availability to call him for minor questions, and to give him kudos so he does a great job for me. I've had good luck with that system. I hope the shop layout is such that I can slip back there like I belong there! Makes communication easier.

 

[peejays16]

Beach Bumm: The idea of it seeming like air conditioning is not an exaggeration. I have a 2018 Volt and the EXACT same thing is happening to us. I try warming up the Volt first, but the issue is that even if it does warm up, about 5-10 minutes into the drive it suddenly begins to kick out air conditioned air? Yes, we have tried all those things that were mentioned. The heater is inconsistent.
Also, Beach Bumm, do you find that there is outside air blowing in on the driver's side? Almost as if it was coming through the door somehow?