[frank_d]

Hi All, on cold days (even in the 20's), my 2015 accord simply will not warm up and start blowing warm air to the front defroster until the car is driven for a while. The temp gauge just won't move if the car is left to idle. I brought it to be checked and they assured me it was all working fine. My 2010 accord would warm up in all winter conditions and blow warm air just sitting in the driveway idling, but not the 2015. I think the thermostat is stuck open. Any thoughts? Is it just normal for this car not to heat up while idling?

 

[WABOOM]

Not normal. Need T-stat. Easy to replace.

 

[Severin]

It may not be the thermostat. On every car I've owned there is always a secondary electric motor controlled valve that opens/closes the flow of coolant from the engine to the heater core; these get stuck or the actuator breaks. The reason for this valve is to not take heat away from the motor when it needs it to heat up (for emissions & efficiency). This valve is usually located under the hood on one of the two coolant lines running to the heater core.

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[WABOOM]

Did you read the OP?

 

[Severin]

Did you read the OP?

Ha, overlooked that. However, it could be that a coolant temperature sending unit that is bad. The valve to the heater core won't open unless the engine tells it that it's warmed up.


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[slimm1469]

Don't waste fuel and dirty the air. Let it idle for 30sec then get in and drive normally. My 10-yr old Accord blows warm air after about 3 city blocks on below freezing mornings.

 

[RickBlaine]

Go to Google.

Type: "Driveaccord.net 9th Gen does not warm up at idle"

Happy reading!

 

[DARKART]

I only idle mine long enough for the windshield defogger to melt the ice layer the rear defogger to clear the rear.

 

[glanzera21]

To be honest, I believe this is a normal characteristic of the car especially if it's a 4 cyl. I typically don't leave the car to idle (best just to get in and start driving) but when I do and the temps are below 32-ish, the needle doesn't move. Not even a tad until I start driving and it's been that way since it had 14 miles on the odo.

A few times when the temperature was -15 or so, it took over 5 miles of driving for the engine to reach normal operating temperature. It's my understanding that new engines are designed to be as thermally efficient as possible which increases fuel mileage. The downside is that they tend to be slower to warm up.

In college I had a 95 civic and the thermostat failed and was stuck open. It was pretty obvious. In winter, the car never warmed no matter how much I drove. If I turned into the wind, I could watch the needle actually fall while driving.

 

[WABOOM]

Not normal. All 4 of the 4 cylinder Accords I have owned will be at about halfway to normal operating temperature after 10 minutes sub freezing. 15 minutes they would almost all the warmed up in winter. When it's -15°F in Minnesota ... YOU DO start your car 15 minutes before you leave.

 

[glanzera21]

Not normal. All 4 of the 4 cylinder Accords I have owned will be at about halfway to normal operating temperature after 10 minutes sub freezing. 15 minutes they would almost all the warmed up in winter. When it's -15°F in Minnesota ... YOU DO start your car 15 minutes before you leave.

You're speculating. We don't know anything. We don't know the temps, we don't know the length of idle time, we don't know the vehicle mileage let alone the type of engine. Blatantly declaring that the thermostat is faulty is pretty short sighted... especially when it's well documented that newer Honda engines take longer to warm up than in the past. Google thermal efficiency and do some reading when you have a spare minute.

I've never idled after a cold start for more than 2-3 min (even when it's -15) because it increases engine wear and wastes fuel. What I can say is that this car absolutely takes longer to warm up than any car, including two Hondas, that I've owned previously.

To the OP, if the car reaches it's normal operating temperature within a few min of regular driving and stays there, it sounds like everything is working as it should.

 

[Miker]

Hi All, on cold days (even in the 20's), my 2015 accord simply will not warm up and start blowing warm air to the front defroster until the car is driven for a while. The temp gauge just won't move if the car is left to idle. I brought it to be checked and they assured me it was all working fine. My 2010 accord would warm up in all winter conditions and blow warm air just sitting in the driveway idling, but not the 2015. I think the thermostat is stuck open. Any thoughts? Is it just normal for this car not to heat up while idling?

How long are you letting it idle?

1,2,10,20 minutes?

The Earthdreams versions of engines (4 and 6) are much cooler running than previous engines. It takes,what seems like forever, to get the engine warmed up when performing idle relearn, coolant burping, etc IF I let the V6 simply idle. I mean to say at LEAST ten minutes. That is why they say to run engine at 3000 rpm to get it to temperature fast in that situation.

Have performed this MANY times and it is not a bad thermostat as I can OBD the temperature and it gets up to 195+ only after 10-12 minutes. Rev it to 3K and zip,zip it's at temperature within 3-5 minutes. Ambient temps about 35-40F.

As stated start the car, idle for 30seconds to a minute until the tach drops once from high idle, then drive like a sane person. Usually within under 5 minutes the hot air is blowing, temp up to operating range even at 20F and below.

the 2013 did this from new but that's the way these engines go.

As far as the frigid Minnesota temps I still only let it idle for a couple minutes until off high idle then drive slowly to get everything toasty warm.

You also might want to check to be sure you have no air pockets and coolant is up to level.

 

[emeron]

The temp gauge just won't move if the car is left to idle.

Is this a sudden change in car's behavior, or has it been this way always? Only a minimum amount of fuel is processed (burned) during idle, it will be a while before the needle moves.

I had an old car that one day had a thermostat failure. I would have to drive it under load (on the highway) for half an hour before I saw the needle move a little, now that's a reason to suspect a thermostat.

 

[WhiteOrchid]

Love it when the OP never bothers to come back and share more information.

Anyway, I don't know if we are talking I4 or V6, but my V6 coupe starts blowing warmish air within two blocks of my house. I typically start it. let the idle settle and drive, no fuel wasting long idles in the driveway. I was actually pleasantly shocked by how fast it starts blowing warm air in the first Winter I owned the car.

 

[Miker]

Love it when the OP never bothers to come back and share more information.

I wouldn't fault the OP for not immediately replying. Not every poster visits the site daily, or hourly for that matter, as many of us. It doesn't appear to be a ridiculously urgent request anyway just an inquiry.

All in due time the OP will reply.

 

[6shifter]

Oops Wrong Button

 

[6shifter]

I live at 9110' Summit County Colorado, land of perpetual winter. Not uncommon to have -20 or below nights and highs in single digits above zero in winter.
I start my car, scrape the windows and drive, take it easy first minute or two. Get some RPM's in the motor and it will start to make heat, at idle it will take forever and just waste gas.