How to Replace the Heater Core in a Chrysler Town & Country Van

The heater core in your Chrysler Town & Country van likely needs changing if there is no heat coming through the vents, coolant is leaking into the floor boards and you can smell a sweet scent in the van. You may not have to remove the entire dashboard like you must in many other models, but you will need to work within the area of the pedals. This process can vary depending on the exact year the van was made.

Instructions

Disconnect the battery at the negative terminal.

Open the drain cock at the bottom of the radiator, and drain the engine coolant into container. Check the coolant's condition (for contamination) to see if it can be reused.

Remove the fasteners for the silencer boot, which are located at the base of the steering shaft, using wrench; push aside the silencer. Disconnect the brake lamp switch from its bracket and set it aside.

Remove the pin on the power brake booster and disconnect the booster's push rod from the brake pedal's arm.

Unscrew and remove the heater core shield from the heater/AC unit, using screwdriver on the screws and pulling the shield toward the rear while disengaging its locating tabs.

Remove the single screw fastening the heater core tube's sealing plate to the supply/return ports, then push the core's tubes toward the dash and disconnect the fittings from the supply and return ports.

Remove the screws for the heater core's mounting plate and pull it out of the distribution housing. You may need to pull up the gas pedal and push on the brake for clearance.

Insert the replacement heater core around the pedals and into place on the heater's distribution housing. Apply the screws to the mounting plate.

Connect the tubes to the core, lining up the slots in the tubes with the tabs on the core's fittings. Screw the sealing plate to the core's ports.

Reinstall and screw the heater core shield.

Reassemble the components to the pedals, including the power brake booster push rod, the brake lamp switch and the steering shaft silencer.

Refill the engine coolant, using either the old coolant or a fresh mix of coolant and water as needed.

Reconnect the battery cable.