[TeamTJ]

We bought a 2019 Eclipse Cross and this week it's cold and snowy.

Yesterday taking my wife to work the temp was 5 (f) and the defroster simply could not keep up when driving. Once I stopped moving it slowly melted the ice on the outside, though.

Can this car not keep up when the temp is that low or is there another issue?

Thanks!

 

[Lunatic59]

It was 14°F here this morning and I had no problem at all with heat. Are we talking the front or rear defroster?

 

[TeamTJ]

It was 14°F here this morning and I had no problem at all with heat. Are we talking the front or rear defroster?

It's the front.

Did better today with the temp at 10. I feel like it doesn't get as hot as it should overall, though...

 

[Lunatic59]

Smaller engines should heat up more quickly (less mass). If you're not seeing enough heat to warm up the interior and defrost the windshield, then maybe you've got a stuck thermostat or a malfunctioning temperature sensor in the cooling system. How's the mileage?

 

[TeamTJ]

Smaller engines should heat up more quickly (less mass). If you're not seeing enough heat to warm up the interior and defrost the windshield, then maybe you've got a stuck thermostat or a malfunctioning temperature sensor in the cooling system. How's the mileage?

Just over 16,000.

 

[Lunatic59]

Just over 16,000.

I meant the m.p.g. If you are burning too much fuel it's a sure sign there's a problem with cooling.

 

[Mountainsofbeer]

The smaller engine thing doesn't hold up with the Eclipse Cross my V6 Jeep warms up twice as quick and gets twice as hot and its a 3.6L if both started cold and left to idle.

I bet it just wasn't fully warmed up on his commute, causing the ice problems. Eventually it should work like any other car, at least mine is OK once driven for a half hour or so

 

[Lunatic59]

We have had mornings in the teens here and my EC has never had a problem producing sufficient heat to warm the cabin in 5 minutes. Granted, I don't let the car sit at idle for more than a minute or two.

 

[Telferstr]

The smaller engine thing doesn't hold up with the Eclipse Cross my V6 Jeep warms up twice as quick and gets twice as hot and its a 3.6L if both started cold and left to idle.

I bet it just wasn't fully warmed up on his commute, causing the ice problems. Eventually it should work like any other car, at least mine is OK once driven for a half hour or so

Something not right there Mountain....... like Lunatic59, my Eclipse Cross warms up very quickly, even in the cold spell we have just had, {cold for us) with -5*C temperature in the early mornings. Back to warmer temps now with 9*C today. Hope you can find and sort out the problem.

 

[Lunatic59]

Other than a malfunctioning thermostat or sensor, the only other thing I can think of would be the coolant level. If it was low enough it might not circulate properly through the cabin heat exchanger. Dealers will generally look for an error code first and if there is none will fall back to the easy excuse of "that's normal for this car." I guarantee you it's not.

 

[Lunatic59]

Just for argument's sake, I checked this morning when leaving for work. At 8:12 I pulled out of the garage. No warm up. The ambient temperature was 30°F (-1°C). By 8:15 there was warm air coming from the front vents and by 8:18 the air was significantly warm and the car near operating temperature. This was driving on country-ish roads and secondary highways, not exceeding 40 m.p.h. for those first 6 minutes.

 

[Duncan75]

My 19 EC has to be driven to warm up. Last week it was anywhere from 10° to 20° F in the morning. I use the remote start 10 minutes before I leave and when I get in the temp gauge hasn't even registered yet. Once moving it warms up and throws great heat though.
My EC is in the body shop this week getting the front end repaired (from an accident that occurred 6 months ago and is now just getting repaired because Mitsubishi can't seem to supply parts correctly) and my rental is a '21 Nissan Rouge. It heats up much quicker than my EC if left to idle to warm up.

 

[Telferstr]

Just a thought come to mind concerning the Cooling Fan function. This Fan should be not running/operating when the engine is stone cold. It should only come on when the correct engine running temperature is reached or exceeded and not before.
Maybe it would be worth checking that the the Engine Temperature Fan control switch is operating correctly, thereby not allowing the fan to operate until the correct and normal running temperature of the Engine is reached or exceeded.

 

[Mountainsofbeer]

My 19 EC has to be driven to warm up. Last week it was anywhere from 10° to 20° F in the morning. I use the remote start 10 minutes before I leave and when I get in the temp gauge hasn't even registered yet. Once moving it warms up and throws great heat though.
My EC is in the body shop this week getting the front end repaired (from an accident that occurred 6 months ago and is now just getting repaired because Mitsubishi can't seem to supply parts correctly) and my rental is a '21 Nissan Rouge. It heats up much quicker than my EC if left to idle to warm up.

I noticed that if I set my climate control to Auto and 76F it will take a few miles before I can hear the fan (the HVAC fan not the engine fan), like the car knows its still cold and not to blow cold air. But if left to idle not much happens in auto.

I think the CVT gets some of the heat because it does sound different after a long idle versus driving it within a few minutes of starting. I checked my coolent and everything looks great level normal.

I still don't think its an issue, we just need to move to warmer climate, 10F and less is cold lol.