Help needed for interior heater failing to work

I have to apologise - I'm new to this and have no idea where to post this.

I bought a landrover freelander 1 5 months back to find the thermostat had been externally bypassed. So the temperature gauge doesn't work - didn't see that being a problem but now think there is an air lock in the cooling system ( i think) and also the internal heating does not work anymore.
I have to unplug the external fan as it constantly runs and drains my battery so not sure why that is either. So it's plugged in when driven but unplugged when parked.
I haven't got a clue where to even start and haven't the funds to call a mechanic - but it gets kinda cold with the windows down trying to demist the windows when driving
Can someone help?? X

Moved in here fer ya

xtreaclex said:

I have to apologise - I'm new to this and have no idea where to post this.

I bought a landrover freelander 1 5 months back to find the thermostat had been externally bypassed. So the temperature gauge doesn't work - didn't see that being a problem but now think there is an air lock in the cooling system ( i think) and also the internal heating does not work anymore.
I have to unplug the external fan as it constantly runs and drains my battery so not sure why that is either. So it's plugged in when driven but unplugged when parked.
I haven't got a clue where to even start and haven't the funds to call a mechanic - but it gets kinda cold with the windows down trying to demist the windows when driving
Can someone help?? X

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Hi and welcome.

You might want to post which engine you have....

1.8 petrol
v6 petrol
L series diesel
TD4

Manual/auto

year?

Oh shoot forgot that bit lol - it's a 1.8 petrol 2000 reg manual 2 door hard top convertible x

you have a bleed valve on the top hose that goes into the back of the heat ,you will see it in the engine bay at the back, have your engine hot and the heater settings on hot and while it is ticking over open the valve, not to much though as you might drop it ,keep it open until all bubbles have disappeared. hope this helps

Hi there - ill have a look and see what you mean. I took some pics of it as the guy I bought it off has completely thrown me at what he's done to bypass the thermostat.
Ill put them in an album on my profile so you can see. X

First thing I would be doing would be to rip that fan abortion off,

Then test and replace as necessary the original fan switch. Don't worry about the missing fan -it was built that way.

I like to where possible use the original systems on vehicles - the manufacturers spent hundreds of thousands on research and development.........

I would also replace the original thermo stat. Bleed the whole system and see where you are from there.....

It should give a baseline from which to work and any other problems etc can be sorted from that point.

Is it that the temperature guage does not work at all or that the temperature does not reach much above the bottom of the guage? Without a working temperature guage, diagnosing cooling system problems is going to be much more difficult and on the K-series engine you need to be keeping an eye on it as it could be the first sign of a head gasket failure (which could ruin the engine is not spotted in time).

If the Thermostat has been bypassed or removed, you would still expect to get some heat from the internal heater, even if it was mediocre?

As ZDomZ suggested I would leave the fan off, you don't need it this time of year unless you get stuck in a traffic for a long time.

The temperature gauge doesnt work at all only found out after 4 hours of travel to pick it up. He said the temperature gauge was playing up and that the fan wouldnt come on until the car was almost over heating.
Completely out my depth as never come across this before - surely you would replace the theromstat if that was the case?
The internal heater worked a week ago.

I would suggest you get the temperature guage sorted as soon as you can - I don't know the K-series engine that well but usually it's just a matter of replacing the sensor or a broken wire to it. It may be a common Freelander fault for other reasons - hence I would search the forum carefully.

With regard to the heater not working now - have you checked the coolant level since it stopped working?

Right ive bled the air coolant value and topped up fresh water - the heater worked 1 week back but just before it died it stopped working then you woukd drive down road for 5 mins and it would kick in ( not before a wet sleeve trying to demist the window)

Did you need to add much water to top up the coolant? One potential cause of the problem you are describing is the head gasket could be leaking which allows exhaust gas into the cooling system which can stop the heater working by either causing an air lock. You really need to get the temperature gauge working as the engine could be overheating.

If you start the car and just leave it ticking over without driving or revving it - do you get any heat after 5 mins? I am assuming the heater fan motor is working okay?

Be careful with thal bleed valve - if the engine gets up to temperature - you will burn your fingers trying to open/close it by hand. I'd open it with the engine cold and not running first and bleed any air out. Doing it with the engine not running is all I've ever had to do in the past - maybe a couple of times turning the engine over in between.

I presume doing it with the engine running is the recommended way - but do it first with the engine off as it will free the valve up if it hasn't been touched for a while and be easier to work with with the engine running. Just be careful not to get burnt.

Unless you got the car rediculusly cheap, I'd try and get your money back because it sounds as though it hasn't got much life left in it if you don't resolve these cooling issues. I'd suggest there were ongoing overheating issues which is why the previous owner has made all sorts of botch jobs to try and mask them to to sell the car.

I take it you've had it for 1.5 months or is it 15!

I dont know if the motor is ok...just find it hard to find the issues because of the dipstick who had it before hand... the interior heating through the air vents when you can have it blowing on 1 or 4 just wont work noe at all...

Oh sorry had it nearly 5 months but had no problems at all to begin with x

As you can see ive pulled this out to look and the light doesnt work on the console either - so could it be fuse to the center console and if so which one lol

Just looked at the album on your profile and notice something your car really should have.

Your 1.8 petrol appears to still have the old style internal thermostat and should be fitted with the external one. Land rover recommended this to help against the issues of overheating with the k series engines

Do you know if your engine is fitted with the later multi layer head gasket.

When the engine is running have a feel of the two hoses going into the cabin. (Ones you bleed) and see if they are getting hot 1 should.

I only have the external thermostat thats above the fan in engine bay ( as far as I am aware)- and I wouldnt have a clue if its multi layered :-/

xtreaclex said:

As you can see ive pulled this out to look and the light doesnt work on the console either - so could it be fuse to the center console and if so which one lol

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So could it be a fuse that has caused the heater to stop working x