What is this?, Came in my car, don't know what it is. Options

[A_N_T_H_O_N_Y]

Anyone know what this is? It was in my car when I bought it. It's screwed down. I think it is a heater, but I can't get it to turn on. It is wired into my car, I don't know how though, I don't much much about that stuff. It's on the passenger side right under the glove box.

[SwissFerdi]

Looks like it might be it...it does have a fan and coils that look like they could be heated.

[enderswift]

does your heat work?

[azian_advanced]

it's definitely a heater. i bought one for my car for those long cold winter months..

btw, it's a heater but it's not meant to heat the entire cabin. it's only meant to keep the windows from frosting up.

[808celica]

its a gen8 flux capacitor Glad i dont need anything like that

[schmooot]

It is a heater...that is a stupid place to mount it though. Maybe it was to warm the hands on the shifter?

[SwissFerdi]

And I just noticed, I'm glad I'm not the only one that applies the handbrake even though the car is in park.

[A_N_T_H_O_N_Y]

Looks like it might be it...it does have a fan and coils that look like they could be heated.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly, but how do I turn it on?

does your heat work?

Yeah

it's definitely a heater. i bought one for my car for those long cold winter months..
Does it turn on when you turn on your car heat, or do you have to turn it on manually somehow?


btw, it's a heater but it's not meant to heat the entire cabin. it's only meant to keep the windows from frosting up.

It doesn't turn on when I turn on the heat, I can't figure out how to turn it on at all...

its a gen8 flux capacitor Glad i dont need anything like that

Haha how are you so sure that you don't?

It is a heater...that is a stupid place to mount it though. Maybe it was to warm the hands on the shifter?

Yeah, it is pretty stupid, I can't even open the glove box all the way because the heater is in the way...

And I just noticed, I'm glad I'm not the only one that applies the handbrake even though the car is in park.

Haha that's the way they taught me in driving school and it's just been a habit since then.



So what do you guys think, should I remove it? I don't like how it looks, and I can't get it to turn on, but if I do figure out how, I guess it could come in handy. Our Canadian winters are damn cold, like -30°C (or -22°F).

This post has been edited by A_N_T_H_O_N_Y: Oct 6, 2009 - 10:00 PM

[SwissFerdi]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly, but how do I turn it on?

Best bet is to look for a place where a switch might have been, or otherwise find the switch that you're overlooking. A common mounting place for a switch is to the left of the steering wheel by the vent. Otherwise, try to find a part number on the unit and look it up online, which might give you an indication as to how it's usually connected.

If anything, you can follow the wiring to see if it's even connected.

Haha that's the way they taught me in driving school and it's just been a habit since then.

True, but technically it's not necessary since sadly, we both have a built-in parking brake. I'm almost afraid that I'm damaging my drums since I hear some nasty creaking once in a while...but technically, it should be the same abuse as in a manual car, so I'm assuming it's all fine.

[schmooot]

parking brakes: you either use them all the time or never. If you just use them once in a while they usually get rusty and will break on you sometime. AT least up here in the great white north that is the case

[RocketScott]

Look for a plug on the outside of the car. Maybe it's meant to be plugged in at night to keep the car warm. Kinda like a block heater but for the inside.

[hatchy_gt-s]

Yeah, my thoughts exactly, but how do I turn it on?

Best bet is to look for a place where a switch might have been, or otherwise find the switch that you're overlooking. A common mounting place for a switch is to the left of the steering wheel by the vent. Otherwise, try to find a part number on the unit and look it up online, which might give you an indication as to how it's usually connected.

If anything, you can follow the wiring to see if it's even connected.

Haha that's the way they taught me in driving school and it's just been a habit since then.

True, but technically it's not necessary since sadly, we both have a built-in parking brake. I'm almost afraid that I'm damaging my drums since I hear some nasty creaking once in a while...but technically, it should be the same abuse as in a manual car, so I'm assuming it's all fine.

sorry for the OT but u can park on a parking pawl (a piece of metal that selects 2 gear usually D and R to hold your car), but just to let u know if u look at the tip of ur pinky (joint to end) that is whats holding ur car still. thats y they have a parking brake.

and of the heater problem the easiest way to fing what it runs to is trace the wire start with the batery then to a relay then to a fuze to a switch to the acc. electrical is pretty easy when u learn it.