So after searching over many forums, I am hoping that someone on here can help. My wife has a 04 Dodge Stratus with the 2.7 v6 and auto trans. The problem is that when she starts the car to defrost the windows the air is coming out cold. As soon as she starts to drive, the air becomes warm and functions properly. Is this possibly something to do with the heater core? I am stumped. My blazer had a similar problem, but my heat didn't work period. And that was do to a clog in my cooling system. Any help folks is going to make this issue easier to tackle as winter is upon us.

What's the average temp outside? Maybe the engine just isn't warming up enough sitting there to defrost the windows? I'm just throwing some ideas out, I may be totally wrong.

Its not that cold in NC these days...

How's the engine temp after she starts driving? Normal zone? If her thermostat is failed open, its possible its just keeping everything cold till you start building heat.

It was 30s this morning. She is going to check the temps tomorrow and i will update. She said that its blowing cold at idleand by the end of the block its hot. So I need to look into it more. I need to get it figured out soon, because she has to drive our 5 month old around in the mornings and its getting frosty out.

How long is she letting the car warmup? Have you checked the level of the antifreeze? if shes not letting it warm up enuff and then putting the defrost on its def not gonna work right away, the thermo has to reach its temp first b4 letting the heated fluid thru the system. If shes letting it run for say15 minutes or so then it should be hot by then,, if not i`d go ahead and replace the thermo...

How long are you letting it warm up for? At idle, it takes a bit longer to warm up than when driving...

Alittle late... damn hands...

It is idling for 5 to 10 min and its like the a/c is blowing until she starts driving. How tough is thermostat and what about the cost?

ive never worked on a stratus, and wouldnt know cost either sorry.. if you do it yourself i`m sure its not too exp...Shops near me for labor are around 90$

Ya it all depends where it is.

Will just follow the big radiator hoses...it should be on the side or the top of the block.

The thermostat is located on the front of the engine (radiator side) in the thermostat housing/coolant outlet connector. Basically you have a pressure cap then coolant outlet connector and the thermostat housing is below that.

Um it's normal for the air to be cold until the engine warms up

Yeaaa....but its not normal for it to still be cold when the engines been idling for that long.

Hence the post.

If the blower fan is cranked it will also keep the heater core from warming up as quickly. Try running the fan at a lower speed while the car warms up, then turn it on high once you're ready to go.

I drove it this morning and I let it warm up for about 10 to 12 min. The engine was running slightly cooler than when fully warmed up, but as soon as I started driving it when to the normal level. And it was just like she said cold until I was driving. And once I was sitting at a light the air started to cool down, until I started moving again. Temp gauge didn't move.