Not surprisingly, the Buick heater core is the component responsible for making sure you can melt the ice off your Skylark's windshield on those frigid January mornings. When you call for heat via the lever or knob on your dashboard, a small water valve under the hood opens allowing hot engine coolant to flow through a hose into the Buick heater core nestled in your dashboard. Since the Buick heater core is made up of lots of little passageways with metal fins attached, the air that blows across the Buick heater core is rapidly warmed up and sent circulating throughout the passenger compartment. Of course, your Buick heater core won't do much good until there's heat to transfer-that's why your car has to warm up a little bit before you can get any hot air out of the vents. But since the Buick heater core takes its heat from a source that already exists-the hot engine coolant-it doesn't use any extra energy like the air conditioner on your vehicle does. In fact, your Buick heater core can come in handy if you ever overheat: Turn the heat on full blast to help cool your engine. The Buick heater core acts as a secondary radiator to remove the extra heat from the engine coolant. Despite all these advantages, the Buick heater core isn't all good. Leaks and corrosion from an old Buick heater core can cause damage to your interior and prevent you from getting any heat at all. And, while the Buick heater core is a simple device, replacing it is often a major challenge due to its location underneath the dash assembly. But if you want to save some money, get your climate control back in order, and impress your mechanic friends, replace your own Buick heater core. It's a project you won't soon forget!