Hi!

I have a typical winter problem with my 1991 Panda: when I turn on the heating for the front windshield, only the right side works, the left one is dead. I tried to fix it, but I don't know how to remove the wheel, dashboard and all the other things around the heating tube. The mechanic also hasn't got a clue (never worked with old Pandas). Any ideas? Thank you!

The (spare) wheel is the easy bit - it just lifts out...

The "insulation" which surrounds the heater matrix box is located by the odd self tapping screw, and the "piping" on the top edge of the bulkhead, and the matrix box.

Beyond that I can't help - I've never had to delve any deeper than the wiper motor and heater control valve, which are both hidden by this "insulation".

Neither of the books I use have any significant detail about the heater.

ISTR that Steve (moderator of this section) had to take his heater box out some years ago - it will interesting to see what he, or anyone else, can contribute.

Thanks! Steve - it's your turn!
(what I ment to say is: plese, mr. Moderator, send me a reply...)

Oh my God ... not another victim

As it's late I'll have to return to this tomorrow morning, but John is correct. I had to replace the original leaking heater matrix and it is a pig of a job to say the least!

One question: has it always been like that? Or has it suddenly or gradually got that way? And is it left hand drive?

Oh, and welcome to the Forum!

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper or maybe a great deal of TLC
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Originally posted by steveyensen

J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!

Click to expand...

So, It's finally happening then

John - see my PM

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Yes, I forgot to mention (sorry!) that it's a left hand drive, so you can imagine how hard it is to go to work in the morning when all you see is fog on the windshield...

Well, I got the Panda last summer, so I don't know if it was like this from the begining or started gradually, but I do know that you CAN feel a little bit of warm air when you put your hand above it. Again, the right windshield warmer (and other car air warmers) works perfectly, it clears it's fog/steam in seconds. A frend told me that the problem could be in the tube that leads hot air - the left one fell out of place. But still, I don't know how to fix it, because I tried dissassembling the whole dashboard and stuff around it, but still didn't got to the tube.

A big 'thanks!' for the welcome and all the help!

Simeon,

What I'll do is look at mine when I get home tonight. One thing you can do though is to check that the plastic covers are located correctly on the air duct, and that the air is flowing upwards. The covers can be fitted upside down accidentally - I know because I've done it :I

Oh and I was made a moderator because of a complaint I made about a post a few weeks ago which I wasn't happy with.

It's certainly not because of technical knowledge of Pandas - John's knowledge is vastly superior to mine!

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

To be honest, I never expected that much help from members of any forum! Thanks again, I'm really gratefull for all the trouble you'll get into trying to make my driving safer!

Hi Simeon!

As you've noticed, this forum is different. We do try to help each other

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Originally posted by steveyensen
It's certainly not because of technical knowledge of Pandas - John's knowledge is vastly superior to mine!

Click to expand...

:II'm not too sure about that.
There is a collective pool of experience here, and Steve has had to do thing to his Panda I've been lucky enough to avoid, and there are others too who add what they can.

You're right of course, but you seem to be able to come up with solutions pretty quickly!

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Oh dear. I think you've got some work to do ...

Originally posted by John H
The "insulation" which surrounds the heater matrix box is located by the odd self tapping screw, and the "piping" on the top edge of the bulkhead, and the matrix box.

Click to expand...

This "insulation" is usually a thick strip rather like loft insulation but inside a paper sandwich. And it can and often gets wet

On some cars it is plastic - but whatever you find you will need to remove it. On each side of the car by the inner wing are the fresh air hoses - these unplug allowing you to remove the insulation from there. Unscrew the single self-tapping screw on the matrix box and the whole thing should lift out after removing the "piping". Be careful not to tear it if at all possible, particularly at the points where the wiring enters the bulkhead. This stuff does help to deaden the sound of the engine quite well.

Now there isn't that much room behind there, but if you look at the black heater box you will see that it kind of spreads out into a T or Y shape with the ends fitting over the warm air ducts. They should be a snug fit - any gaps and you'll lose warm air. If it is cracked or broken there then you're looking at a replacement matrix box or a possible repair with duct tape. It might be a bodge, but you really don't want to replace the matrix box unless you really have to ...

(to be continued after the doggy walking break)



Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Well, I really hope it will be a happyend sequel...

Any chance of having a quick look first before we start to take things apart?

For starters, you will need to remove the air cleaner, both halves of it. This fastens to the carb air intake with a 10mm screw. Be careful as there is a clip underneath that fastens to the exhaust manifold, and the fragile aluminium tube too.

By the way, to release the "insulation" mentioned earlier, you may have to remove the battery too [:0]

Next is the front wiper (this clips on the wiper motor shaft), then the plastic nut that fastens the wiper motor shaft to the top of the bulkhead, and the wiper motor itself (2 x 10mm bolts I think) ... the wiring to this just unplugs. By manipulating the motor and the various levers you should be able to remove it without too much difficulty.

The important thing is that the more you can get out of the way, the better it will be for later!

This is all from memory so I could be wrong. Anyway, I'm signing off tonight as I'm absolutely shattered (you should be in bed as you must be at least two hours ahead of GMT, surely?)

Tomorrow morning I'll attempt to explain removing the heater matrix box - I hope you like solving puzzles!

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Well, I could've just take a blanket and a sponge window cleaner, but nooooo... I have to go and torture people instead... I hope I'll repay you the best way I can in this moment - by fixing it! And of course, you and your beagles are invited to Croatia - it's only +1 hour GMT away from you! [8D]

Okay, I'll leave the box removal bit until late afternoon as I need to look at the car first, but if you do, it is well worth taking it apart to clean any muck out. It is in two parts which hold together using metal spring clips.

The heater matrix itself is surrounded by a thick layer of insulation which can crumble, causing air leaks. It is well worth replacing this if it is at all suspect as it means more air through the heater!

I really would like to post some pics illustrating this a bit but until NTL have got their act together and restored my webspace then I've nowhere to host them at the moment!

Right, lectures start now (I'm doing my Master's Degree) so I'll have to sign off, but I'll be baaaacck ...


Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

Go Steve[8D]

BTW do you think it's worth turning some of the stock faults, and collected experiences, in FAQs, similar to the Cinq section??

I'm beginning to loose count of the number of carb icing, poor brakes, and earthing fault problems, etc etc which keep popping up...

I agree with John here - an excellent idea

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)

BTW Simeon, did you look at the warm air ducts?

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak

G781 TUT: White Panda 1000CL - currently waiting for the scrapper
J??? ???: Red Panda 1000CL - collecting next week!
Y771 GNU - Silver Nissan Almera Tino (Penny's motor)