why does my 2000 taurus never heat up, and takes 20 min to get a little heat?

Answer 1

Another explanation:  thermostat is stuck open.

Cure is same as for no thermostat:  get a new thermostat, and install it.  Be careful about flushing the air out of the cooling system.

Answer 2

I see every one else thinks its the thermostat which may be right. However the first thing to start with is to check the level of your antifreeze. If it is too low there may not be enough getting to the heater core to sufficently heat your car. The second thing is when was the last time you had the radiator flushed? The antifreeze is what flows into the heater core and a small fan blows over this to heat your car. If your car is equipped with green coolant/antifreeze you should have the radiator flushed every 2 years or 30,000 miles which ever comes first. Check your owners manual if you still have it because it will tell you what type of coolant the car requires and fords specific maintenance interval. If the coolant in the vechile is bad your car will not run at the proper operating tempature which is about 190 degrees farenheit so the fluid going to the heater core may not be warm enough to heat the car. Does the car have a tempature
gauge or just the litte light that comes on when its low? If the gauge is below the normal range have the coolant tested for freeze/boil protection levels A.S.A.P. Have this done soon because insufficent heat is often the first sign of bad coolant.
A simple coolant flush is much less expinsive usually around $60-$100 at most shops than the bill for a thermostat replacement which would likley be around $200-$300 with labor costs and the cost of parts needed for the job which is often 50% or more than the part costed the mechanic. A shop probably pays
from $2-$5 per thermostat from their supplier on average. At a parts store they are usuallay between $4-$12 on average. Still get the thermostat replaced if its been more than a couple of years if ever. If both the coolant and thermostat are good then the problem is most likley in the heater controls. A good full service shop or the local ford dealership can diagnose the problem for you, however this may get expensive especially at the dealer. Here are some basic tips to follow to help avoid hassels and headaches.
1. check oil level weekly in an older vechile
2. change oil regularly with a quality oil regulary (every 3000 miles) I have used nothing other than castrol for the last 10 years.
3. have scheduled maintence preformed regulary. Air filter, coolant/antifreeze, transmission fluid, fuel filter, sepertine belt
are are all items that require regulaur replacement. fluids and filters are the lifeblood of a vechile and they wear out over time.
4. have all other major items checked at least every 6 months.
tires, alignment, brakes, wheel bearings, suspension, bushings,
engine mounts, brake and fuel lines, and spark plugs/wires. on older cars these are the first things to go bad with the wear and
tear.
5. for basic maintence needs i.e oil, fluid/filter replacement, and
other things like lights, wipers, fluid topoffs etc. a local quik lube
is the fastest, best priced, reliable place to go.
6. for other needs you can choose from a chain shop like midas,
tires plus, firestone, etc or one of probably 100 local mechanics.
chain stores cost about the same across the board, provide quality service and don't have your car tied up for several days.
local mechanics vary widely in cost, quality and time. use caution
when choosing a local guy. the dealer offers excellent service and knows the most about the vechile but will probabaly be the most expinsive.
this is alot of info for a simple question but overlooked small items can cause big problems. please pass this info on to any one else about the basics. these are the most common questions/needs for cars.

Answer 3

The fact that its a Taurus SCREAMS a thermostat problem. These are notorious.

Last winter on the first really cold day of the season we had 7 Taurus' and Sable's came into our shop with failed thermostats. We couldn't take in any more after that because the local supply of T-stats for these cars had dried up. No BS! On several the Thermstat not just stuck, it literally disintegrated. We pulled out pieces of thermostat, not a whole T-stat.

Replace the T-stat and I'd be shocked if the problem wasn't fixed.

Answer 4

i own a repair shop,and its probably needs a new thermostat in it,these are supposed to be replaced every year,,but no-one does it,but that's probably the reason its taking so long,,while your at it,,you,ll need to flush it out real good also ,just to make sure it has no debris or junk built up in the radiator,,this will also help it give out better heat,,but id say that will take care of it,i average about 2 a day at the shop,,its an easy fix if you decide to do it your self,,thermostats aren't hard to put in,,good luck,i hope this help,s.,,,have a good x-mas.

Answer 5

(WARNING: incoming physics joke)

If it NEVER heats up then you have a perfect engine which exhibits a perfect isothermal gas expansion. This is a great thing for fuel efficiency, as none of the generated kenitic energy is being lost as friction which would create heat.

Answer 6

Probably needs a new thermostat (not too expensive). Or you could be running rich. Have the o2 sensor checked/replaced.

Answer 7

Some moron pulled the thermostat out of it. Check to make sure that it has one.

Answer 8

Thermostat stuck open or missing.

Answer 9

im going with the thermostat also

Answer 10

could be heater core going out or something to do with electronics, usually if its the heater core, it will leak antifreeze