It is in the heater box assembly which has to be removed to get to it that is if it has not got a removable plate where the heater pipes go through the firewall.
Heater core is located under the dash board, as Jenkins said you need to remove the dash board amd all other panel to access it, you will have to spend at least 2 hours to remove them if you're not familiar with it, becareful not to break plastic locks and tabs. Get your self a service manual for your car and it will be a great help.
pop the trunk and right behind where the lights are pull the carpet
down and their will be of the following depending on the trim.
You will either see the light sockets themselves that you can twist and pull to change the bulb, or you will see the plastic nuts/screws that you can remove to remove the entire assembly in order to access the bulbs.
If it's your 3rd brake light, the screws to access the housing are located in the upper part of the trunk
The heater core costs about $42.00 at several parts stores....the labor? Well...very good guess is $89.00 per hour to start and depending on what garage you go to...$90 and up.
I could email you the steps to do the job yourself, but I can tell you it is a REAL pain...the entire dash must come off...
Here is a little bit of the steps just to give you and idea:
Disconnect the battery ground cable.
Drain and recycle the engine coolant.
CAUTION
Never open, service or drain the radiator or cooling system when hot; serious burns can occur from the steam and hot coolant. Also, when draining engine coolant, keep in mind that cats and dogs are attracted to ethylene glycol antifreeze and could drink any that is left in an uncovered container or in puddles on the ground. This will prove fatal in sufficient quantities. Always drain coolant into a sealable container. Coolant should be reused unless it is contaminated or is several years old.
Remove the instrument panel. Refer to Section 10.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the junction block splash shield.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the bolts and disconnect the cable ends from the starter relay.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the junction block bracket.
Disconnect the heater core hose couplings.
Remove the retaining screw and remove the A/C plenum demister adapter.
Disconnect the vacuum line from the A/C plenum demister adapter.
Remove the heater core bracket.
Remove the 13 plenum chamber top retaining screws.
Remove the plenum chamber top.
Remove the blend door assembly from the case.
Remove the heater core. To install:
The installation is the reverse of the removal.
The above is to JUST remove the heater core....this part of how to GET to the heater core:
If equipped, remove the floor console assembly.
Remove the lower steering column cover bolts and the cover.
Remove both front door scuff plates.
Remove both side cowl trim panels.
Disconnect the electrical connector from the Brake Pedal Position (BPP) switch.
Remove the radio ground and the GEM/CTM ground bolts.
Disconnect the left side instrument panel main wiring harness connector.
In the engine compartment, remove the bulkhead wiring harness connector bolts and disconnect the wiring connectors.
In the driver’s compartment, release the 6 locking tabs and remove the bulkhead electrical connector from the instrument panel.
Disconnect the air bag diagnostic monitor electrical connector.
Disconnect the inertia fuel shutoff switch electrical connector.
Remove the right side ground bolts.
Disconnect the right side instrument panel wiring harness connectors.
Disconnect the electronic blend door actuator electrical connector.
Disconnect the climate control head vacuum harness connector.
Remove the steering column opening cover reinforcement nuts and the cover reinforcement.
At the base of the steering column, disconnect the air bag sliding contact and the anti-theft sensor electrical connectors.
At the steering column, disconnect the remaining electrical connectors.
If equipped with a transmission range indicator, remove the bolt and disconnect the cable.
Remove the steering column-to-instrument panel nuts and lower the steering column.
Remove the right side front fender splash shield screws and move the shield away from the panel.
Disconnect the antenna cable from the antenna base.
Remove the instrument panel relay cover and disconnect the autolamp sensor electrical connector and/or the sunload sensor connector.
Remove the glove box.
At the passenger’s air bag module, remove the screws, disconnect the electrical connector and remove the air bag module.
Place the air bag module in a safe place with the front facing upward.
Remove the right side assist handle screw covers, the screws and the handle.
At both doors, pull back the weatherstrip seals and remove the windshield garnish moldings.
Remove the instrument panel reinforcement bolt below the left side corner of the glove box.
Through the air bag module opening, remove the instrument panel bolts.
On Expedition, remove the upper instrument panel cowl covers and bolts.
On Navigator, remove the instrument panel defroster grille assembly and the instrument panel cowl top bolts.
At the relay bracket, remove the instrument panel bolt.
At the lower left side of the cigar lighter, remove the instrument panel bolt.
At the both sides, remove the instrument panel-to-cowl side nuts.
At the steering column opening, remove the instrument panel bolts.
Remove the upper instrument panel floor brace bolt.
Using an assistant, remove the instrument panel.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the junction block splash shield.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the bolts and disconnect the cable ends from the starter relay.
If equipped with the 5.4L 4V engine, remove the junction block bracket.
Compress the holding tabs and disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core.
Remove the air conditioning plenum screw and the air conditioning plenum demister adapter.
Disconnect the vacuum line.
Remove the heater core bracket screws and the bracket.
Remove the 13 heater housing plenum camber cover screws and the heater housing plenum chamber cover.
Remove the blend door assembly from the heater housing.
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Probably needs a heater core replacement. Check and make sure your coolant level is good. There are two hoses that enter the passenger side firewall. With the engine at operating temperature feel both hoses. If both are about the same temo the core is fine. If one is hot and the other is cool then heater core is clogged and will need to be flushed or replaced. Replacement is very expensive on most vehicles. The part is usually cheap...around $50...the labor is high. The entire dash board of the car has to be removed to replace the heater core. Most vehicles take around 10 hours of labor time to do.
If it is necessary to remove the heater assembly, the cooling system must be drained before removing the heater core.
When a heater core leaks, a new heater core is installed or the old one repaired. Heater Housing
The heater housing is usually under the dash and must be removed to gain access to the heater core.
Procedures for replacing the heater core vary with the year, make, and model of car. It threfore necessary to consult the manufacturer's repair manuals for the proper procedure for replacement.
The heater housing is disassembled to get to the heater core.
Heater Core
Remove the access panels(s) or the split heater/air conditioning case to gain acess to the heater core.
Remove the heater coolant hoses.
Remove the cable and/or vacuum control lines (if equipped).
Remove the heater core securing brackets and/or clamps.
Lift the core from the case. Do not use force. Take care not to damage the fins of the heater core when removing.
To reinstall the heater core, reverse the removal steps.
When the heater core leaks and must be repaired or replaced, it is a very difficult and time-consuming job primarily because of the core's location deep within the firewall of the car. For this reason always leak test a replacement heater core before installation.
Two possible reasons, one is that your heat control valve that directs hot coolant to the heater core may be stuck or blocked. Two, you may have an airlock in the heater core that prevents water getting in to the heater core. You need to let the air out by loosening the upper most hose that feeds the heater core.
Check to see if the heater control valve is not opening,feel bot hoses,and they should behot to the touch.Did you bleed the air out of the cooling system?Coolant will not circulate if this is not done.
Sounds like the heater core has failed. If I remember correctly though that is likely the easiest core to replace out of just about anything ever made. (the one that has about ten screws holding it into the top of the heater box on the engine side.) Possible that when the heater control valve was replaced someone pulled too hard on one of the heater hoses and split the neck on the core, but you won't know that till you get it out. Good luck
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