Hi - relative newbie - Fiat 500 1.2 Lounge 08


Heater cold! Thanks to forum I have tracked it down the actuator and the blend door?? After two days I managed to get the actuator off, I found it down by the clutch. Inside the white gear was a broken bit of black plastic which I assume would have been attached to the hot air blend door inside the heater assembly?


What now? There is absolutely no space to work so I cannot see how to mend the door.


Is this a complete dash out job - is that even possible are there any guides? Looks like I need to move plastic and metal. I have watched the video of the guy who pops his heater controls out- but I think I have got to go much further than that.


If I did get to the heater unit, can I effect a repair - or do I need to buys a new one?


I'd appreciate a hand here - I'm well out of my depth!

Is it bad form to reply to my own post?




I've ordered the Hayes book - hope it tells me how to get the dash out...wish me luck I'm going in. If I learn anything I'll share it.

I have replaced the dash and airbags four times now. The first time it's a bit daunting but I've got it down to a fine art.

The Haynes manual will tell you how, but you have to flit between pages/chapters.

If it comes to it, give me a shout and I'll talk to you on the phone and give you some pointers.

Thanks for the offer. The manual arriver todzy. It speaks about aircon discharge, steering column out, doors off, gear selection out. So annoying for 1cm of broken plastic.

robinm2000 said:

Thanks for the offer. The manual arriver todzy. It speaks about aircon discharge, steering column out, doors off, gear selection out. So annoying for 1cm of broken plastic.

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You can also download eLearn, the official Fiat workshop documentation, from the downloads section - it describes the process in some detail. It's a full day's work, and definitely not for the faint-hearted! And even when you've got it out, sourcing a replacement part might not be easy as IIRC Fiat only sell the heater box complete and it's stupidly expensive.

Many folks faced with this all too common issue get around it by repairing the old part - a search should pick up a couple of threads in this and the Panda section. Think small drills, a bit of strengthening wire, some good quality ABS adhesive and you'll be thinking along the right lines. The idea is to repair it in-situ and save all that dismantling.

If you're doing it yourself allow a WEEK to fix it.take lots a photos as you go and keep all parts together and labeled.

I've told my daughter (her car) to expect to be out for several weeks.

Realistically I am a soft handed office worker - I'll be working with a fork truck mechanic. I don't know whether to even try - or whether to strap it back together and sell it on a hot day.

Assuming I don't break anything the only cost is getting the air con discharged by a dealer - and lashing the spigot back on to the blend door?

I'm nervous of getting out of my depth. But then its only undoing nuts and bolts in the right order -isn't it?

robinm2000 said:

Realistically I am a soft handed office worker - I'll be working with a fork truck mechanic. I don't know whether to even try - or whether to strap it back together and sell it on a hot day.

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You need to be completely comfortable working with cars to take this on, and you also need to be able to work with a degree of finesse - a heavy handed approach will practically guarantee you'll break something. In comparison, changing a set of discs & pads would be like comparing a walk in the park to climbing Everest.

If you succeed in doing this without breaking anything and without creating "the interior of a thousand rattles", then you are indeed a mechanic of the first water.

Personally I'd be tempted just to buy some thermal underwear and a winter coat.

If you look back at my threads, you will find my diary if a cat C repair. There are lots of photos. Steering wheel has to come off, but no doors or column or gearstick do. It's actually not that difficult.

typecastboy said:

If you look back at my threads, you will find my diary if a cat C repair. There are lots of photos. Steering wheel has to come off, but no doors or column or gearstick do. It's actually not that difficult.

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Here's a link to help you see, it may put you off altogether?
https://www.fiatforum.com/500/430211-diary-my-1-2-sport-cat-c-repair-3.html

I've also seen complete heater matrix on eBay from one of the sellers in Essex that I've bought stuff from before.

typecastboy said:

If you look back at my threads, you will find my diary if a cat C repair. There are lots of photos. Steering wheel has to come off, but no doors or column or gearstick do. It's actually not that difficult.

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thanks for the help so far - great forum!!

I've been sick as a dog this week so haven't even had chance to look at this job yet. can I ask one more question...Typecastboy you say I don't have to strip as much off as I fear. which is great - Did you repair yours in situ or did you actually get the heater box out and on a bench? My first decision point (using the Hayes manual as my guide) is do I have to get the aircon de-gassed by a garage. Do I actually go anywhere near the aircon to warrant this? and if I do I assume its good etiquette not to destroy the ozone layer?

robinm2000 said:

thanks for the help so far - great forum!!



I've been sick as a dog this week so haven't even had chance to look at this job yet. can I ask one more question...Typecastboy you say I don't have to strip as much off as I fear. which is great - Did you repair yours in situ or did you actually get the heater box out and on a bench? My first decision point (using the Hayes manual as my guide) is do I have to get the aircon de-gassed by a garage. Do I actually go anywhere near the aircon to warrant this? and if I do I assume its good etiquette not to destroy the ozone layer?

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I have never had to take the heater matrix out thankfully. My contribution was just taking the dash out.

Do you actually need to touch the air con? It's not actually part of the heater matrix is it, it just cools the air. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Only the water pipes will obviously need to be disconnected as far as I can tell.

typecastboy said:

I have never had to take the heater matrix out thankfully. My contribution was just taking the dash out.

Do you actually need to touch the air con? It's not actually part of the heater matrix is it, it just cools the air. Someone will correct me if I'm wrong. Only the water pipes will obviously need to be disconnected as far as I can tell.

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ahhhh - false sense of security. Hayes lists the step for taking the heater out. Taking the dash out is an individual step, alongside the doors, column, gearstick, aircon etc.....Crumbs!!!!!

Many thanks though - have a nice weekend.

Why on earth would you need to take the doors off?

typecastboy said:

Why on earth would you need to take the doors off?

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According to eLearn, you need to do this in order to remove the fascia support beam.

I'd recommend anyone contemplating this job to download a copy of eLearn (it's in the downloads section) and read the relevant procedure descriptions. The amount of work involved is almost unbelieveable; a home mechanic doing this for the first time could easily find it's a week's work, and you'll need specialst help with stuff like discharging and recharging the A/C system.

Personally I'd be looking at ways of effecting a repair without major dismantling - there've been a few threads on the subject in the Panda section. If I couldn't fix it in this way, I'd likely either live with it or trade the car in.

From memory, someone once posted they were quoted in excess of £2000 by a franchised dealer for a heater box to be replaced.

Anyone buying a used 500 should verify beyond doubt that all heater & A/C functions work correctly before agreeing to purchase the car; doubly so on models with Climate Control.

jrkitching said:

According to eLearn, you need to do this in order to remove the fascia support beam.

I'd recommend anyone contemplating this job to download a copy of eLearn (it's in the downloads section) and read the relevant procedure descriptions. The amount of work involved is almost unbelieveable; a home mechanic doing this for the first time could easily find it's a week's work, and you'll need specialst help with stuff like discharging and recharging the A/C system.

Personally I'd be looking at ways of effecting a repair without major dismantling - there've been a few threads on the subject in the Panda section. If I couldn't fix it in this way, I'd likely either live with it or trade the car in.

From memory, someone once posted they were quoted in excess of £2000 by a franchised dealer for a heater box to be replaced.

Anyone buying a used 500 should verify beyond doubt that all heater & A/C functions work correctly before agreeing to purchase the car; doubly so on models with Climate Control.

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Hi,
a LOT of chat in this thread:https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/339141-heater-matrix-anybody-done-one-3.html

but in it are references from the few on here that have actually got to the innards of a Panda / 500 dash,
contacting "MEP" for example may pay dividends, as I'm 99% sure he changed the entire Aircon / Climate unit.. back in the day..,


he's not on here much - after having one too many run-in's with appalling FIAT dealerships..

Charlie

jrkitching said:

According to eLearn, you need to do this in order to remove the fascia support beam.

I'd recommend anyone contemplating this job to download a copy of eLearn (it's in the downloads section) and read the relevant procedure descriptions. The amount of work involved is almost unbelieveable; a home mechanic doing this for the first time could easily find it's a week's work, and you'll need specialst help with stuff like discharging and recharging the A/C system.

Personally I'd be looking at ways of effecting a repair without major dismantling - there've been a few threads on the subject in the Panda section. If I couldn't fix it in this way, I'd likely either live with it or trade the car in.

From memory, someone once posted they were quoted in excess of £2000 by a franchised dealer for a heater box to be replaced.

Anyone buying a used 500 should verify beyond doubt that all heater & A/C functions work correctly before agreeing to purchase the car; doubly so on models with Climate Control.

Click to expand...

Oh I see, yes. When you open the door, there is a bolt on the A pillar that connects to the cross beam, that can only be undone if you take the door off.

Ok just to clarify I have done a number of these for this problem, worked in a dealer for nearly 20 years and I'm now out on my own as a specialist. The doors have to come off so that you are able to remove the the mounting bracket that the heater box bolts to. No other way believe me I would have done it. Yes the air con needs to be drained. It is a big job but I get these done in 1 day no problem. If your anywhere near hampshire I could price the job for you? May save you a lot of hassle

burrowsdeano said:

Ok just to clarify I have done a number of these for this problem, worked in a dealer for nearly 20 years and I'm now out on my own as a specialist. The doors have to come off so that you are able to remove the the mounting bracket that the heater box bolts to. No other way believe me I would have done it. Yes the air con needs to be drained. It is a big job but I get these done in 1 day no problem. If your anywhere near hampshire I could price the job for you? May save you a lot of hassle

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thanks

for clarity - are the 500 , and 500era panda's ALL similar in this respect..??

I can well imagine that there is a need for a support structure
for any "air handling unit" ,
or you'd end up with a wobbly dash , and (even more) fragile components bounced around within..

Charlie