Hi to all,
We were wondering if you could replace the heater matrix without removing the dash, and this is what we opted to do.
This was our attempt at this particular job.
The following is the prep work first.
1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Disconnect the bracket holding the bonnet latch on the front member in engine bay.
3.Jack up the front of the car to a height where you feel confortable kneeing down from outside the car to access driver's side under the dash. Most of the work can be carried out this way.
4. Remove drivers seat. Its an option, We didn't remove it but on reflection, its easier to do the job removed.
5. Remove center consol. We found removing this item did make the job easier, but you maybe lucky enough where it could be left in, but we took it out anyway. Remove the various ducting parts, down to the tunnel.
Prep is completed now, next is the procedure to remove the heater matrix.
1. Remove the plastic foot rest beside the clutch pedal.( 3 screws).
2. Remove flat plastic cover on drivers side under dash. (1 screw and two plastic caps).
3. Loosen plastic pipe which is attatched to heater unit at the front near bulk head. Then, if you're lucky you can now twist the round pipe end towards drivers seat. This part has a screw located at the other end ( square end for connecting to center ducting on the center tunnel). I couldn't get at it, to be honest,but managed to turn it anyway, thankfully
4. Another plastic pipe which feeds cold/warm air to the fresh air vent below radio, twist and turn towards front dash
5. Plastic cover held in place with one screw, remove this screw.
6. Now gently bend this plastic cover towards red handle bonnet release, to expose the heater matrix.
7. Remove 3 end bolts on the heater matrix unit (10mm) and remove the end bracket holding the 2 pipes.
8. With abit of wiggling and mannouvering pull out the heater matrix between the pedals and the lever which operates the bonnet release
Needless to say installing the heater matrix is the opposite of above instructions.
This has been our experience of removing the heater matrix, although, if we had to do it a second time, we would have removed the drivers seat, as this would have made the job alot easier.
As it turned out, the inlet pipe the sealing ring was the culprit, but we put in a new heater matrix anyway.
We are not mechanics, just a man in his 60's and the other man in his 80's. If we could do it, it shouldn't scare anybody at all. IT CAN BE DONE.
The vehicle was 02 fiat marea 105 jtd weekend. 200,000 miles on the clock, and as sweet as a nut.
John and Ted.
We were wondering if you could replace the heater matrix without removing the dash, and this is what we opted to do.
This was our attempt at this particular job.
The following is the prep work first.
1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Disconnect the bracket holding the bonnet latch on the front member in engine bay.
3.Jack up the front of the car to a height where you feel confortable kneeing down from outside the car to access driver's side under the dash. Most of the work can be carried out this way.
4. Remove drivers seat. Its an option, We didn't remove it but on reflection, its easier to do the job removed.
5. Remove center consol. We found removing this item did make the job easier, but you maybe lucky enough where it could be left in, but we took it out anyway. Remove the various ducting parts, down to the tunnel.
Prep is completed now, next is the procedure to remove the heater matrix.
1. Remove the plastic foot rest beside the clutch pedal.( 3 screws).
2. Remove flat plastic cover on drivers side under dash. (1 screw and two plastic caps).
3. Loosen plastic pipe which is attatched to heater unit at the front near bulk head. Then, if you're lucky you can now twist the round pipe end towards drivers seat. This part has a screw located at the other end ( square end for connecting to center ducting on the center tunnel). I couldn't get at it, to be honest,but managed to turn it anyway, thankfully
4. Another plastic pipe which feeds cold/warm air to the fresh air vent below radio, twist and turn towards front dash
5. Plastic cover held in place with one screw, remove this screw.
6. Now gently bend this plastic cover towards red handle bonnet release, to expose the heater matrix.
7. Remove 3 end bolts on the heater matrix unit (10mm) and remove the end bracket holding the 2 pipes.
8. With abit of wiggling and mannouvering pull out the heater matrix between the pedals and the lever which operates the bonnet release
Needless to say installing the heater matrix is the opposite of above instructions.
This has been our experience of removing the heater matrix, although, if we had to do it a second time, we would have removed the drivers seat, as this would have made the job alot easier.
As it turned out, the inlet pipe the sealing ring was the culprit, but we put in a new heater matrix anyway.
We are not mechanics, just a man in his 60's and the other man in his 80's. If we could do it, it shouldn't scare anybody at all. IT CAN BE DONE.
The vehicle was 02 fiat marea 105 jtd weekend. 200,000 miles on the clock, and as sweet as a nut.
John and Ted.
