I can't seem to figure out what's wrong with my car When it's warmer outside (above 65F) it feels like the heat works but isn't as hot as it could be. Possibly this is just from my engine being warm, I'm not sure. Once it gets below 65F I have no heat at all, no matter how long the car rides. To make matters worse my defroster won't work. I think the problem with that is the fans not working; I can do a quick fix by blowing my air conditioning on high but in the winter this is going to be a big problem. I've already had to fix the entire radiator fan and flush it out when the engine overheated, change the oil plug, and change the gaskets on the spark plugs since oil was getting in the engine. I feel that every month I find something wrong with this car, and as of this point my family might help me fix it if I can figure out how to (I keep telling them I'm a doctor not a mechanic, but they don't understand that). Please help, I'm really scared to put more money into this car. I'm broke with student loans as it is

 

Does the engine warm up to normal temperature? The needle on the dash should go up about halfway and stay there regardless of driving conditions. If it does not, the thermostat is probably stuck open. Replace it.

The first symptom of being low on coolant is that the heater doesn't work well. Check that the cooling system is full-- park on level ground and wait until the engine is cold. Then remove the radiator cap and be sure it is full to the top. Do not just check in the plastic tank.

If it is full you could try flushing out the heater core. Disconnect the hoses at the engine, turn dial to hot and flush both ways with a garden hose.