VR6 Lets me down

[Ady_G 0]

After a couple of months of planning, diary checking and arrangement I finally managed to get a free weekend to pop down to London for the weekend to visit my sister.

 

Despite the terrorist bomb attacks and the potential for rain I go anyway. And what happens? The heater matrix explodes on the A14 only 20 miles into the journey filling the car with steam in about half a second flat, fortunately I wasn't going very fast, that could have been nasty doing 70 in a sauna with no visibility. Plus the added embassment of having to jump out a car with steam pouring out of it and all the VWs going to Bug Jam driving past me.

 

I had to get towed home and get a new Astra hire car and continue. But to tell the truth I actually quite liked to Astra even though it was only a 1.6 petrol, the SRIs and the new VXR would be quite good I reckon.

 

So I'm not very pleased with the Corrado at the moment, just looking for a mechanic who fancies replacing the heater matrix for me.

 

Feeling Gutted

 

Ady

[Jim 2]

Thats the nature of the beast I guess.

 

On the plus side, once its done, should never need doing again.. at least not in the time you own it :)

[Supercharged 2]

It hadn't had the recall and the valves fitted then if it filled with steam! - maybe worth checking with VW to see if it's missed anything else, I seem to remember there was also one for fuel lines on early VR's, deffo worth checking or it will be catching fire next!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

This is such a grey area this one. Should VW still be liable for this potentially life threatening issue some years after they called time on the recall? I know VW can only do their best to issue public notices and recalls, and some customers can choose to ignore or act on it.....but for those that don't know the car's history and can't find the history, what can you do?

 

My VR doesn't have the recall valves either and the VR wasn't entitlted to them. Only the MK2 Golf qualified for the matrix recall and maybe some 16V Corrados? The only recalls for the VR were cooling fan and injector loom chaffing related. Rumour has it VW had 'addressed' the matrix issue by the time the VR was introduced but that's quite clearly horse sh1t.

 

You can try and see if VW will offer something as a goodwill gesture but don't hold your breath, they seem to treat the best car they ever made with disdain.

 

To do it properly it's a dash out job and therefore expensive.

 

And does anyone know if the new matrices are actually different/better than the originals?

[Henny 0]

The early matrices didn't just let out steam, they actually exploded throwing scalding water all over the footwells which is why VW set up the recall as they were going to get sued for LARGE sums of money every time someone got scalded... :?

 

The later matrices (fitted as standard to the later dashboard'd cars) had the safety valves built into them... They were also slightly uprated to try and get around the problem of leaks.

 

ALL car heater matrices can suffer the same fate as Ady_G's has, it's in the nature of a radiator/heat exchanger fitted in this kind of environment for this kind of time. The thing is that it lets out steam which, although it reduces visibility, it doesn't actually scald you, hence the lack of recall on 'em... Even with the recall valves on an early car, the heater matrix can still get enough of a pin-prick in it to steam up the car, it just won't have the pressure inside it to explode after the recall was done... :|

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Cheers for the info Henny mate. Guess I'll have to play it by ear and hope mine doesn't let go. Mind you, Andi's is on the original isn't it?

[saysomestuff 0]

Yeah i think Henny is right, we went through this when mine blew up (made it almost all the way to London :lol:). car got clammy and then I put the fans on to clear it - mistake!!

 

The recall was to prevent boiling water/coolant spraying into the car not steam.

 

You can bypass the heater matrix in the water circuit in the interim, but I would strongly urge a quick check of the system for blocks/duff stat as they rarely explode on their own.

 

 

Just my experience. as for replacing it, piece of p!ss if you;ve got a weekend spare :lol:

[Henny 0]

J-DUB's still running it's original heater matrix.... 250,000 miles+ and it's still good... 8)

 

IMHO, it's got a lot to do with how the car's been treated over it's life too, regular services to keep the coolant temps down and use of good quality coolant with corrosion inhibitor will lessen the likelyhood of a failure... Having said that though, there doesn't really seem to be a pattern to when or how they blow... Toss a coin and hope... :?

[Ady_G 0]

Cheers for the repsonses lads :)

 

I thought the recall was only to prevent boiling water spraying over people. Water did leak out into the passenger footwell but fortunately for my girlfriend who was in the passenger seat at the time it didn't spray out.

 

As my local dealer is Reg Vardy (who I hate with a passion), I can't even be arsed to phone them to ask about recalls, the chimp they strategically shaved and put on the end of the phone wont even know what a Corrado is.

 

I'm going to see a mate of a mate who did a nice engine swap on a Mk2 16 valve, plus a few other bits and pieces while he was at it. Apparently he's just stuck a 20VT in a Mk2 GTI so he knows his stuff. I want the cooloing system including rad fans checked at the same time and I don't trust any of the main dealers or local independants to do it.

 

As Henny said 'ALL car heater matrices can suffer the same fate', I've been in a Mk3 Cavalier when it happened too, so it's not just another Corrado gremlin

 

 

Cheers

 

Ady

[Kevin Bacon 5]

the chimp they strategically shaved and put on the end of the phone wont even know what a Corrado is.

 

:lol: Quality phrase! Glad you can keep your spirits high.

 

Hope it gets sorted soon.

[Ady_G 0]

'Glad you can keep your spirits high'

 

Actually part of getting over it the annoyance involved getting high on spirits

[dinkus 10]

I thought the hallucinogens was what put the + in G12+ ? :lol:

[dr_mat 0]

I cannot believe that the RAC man couldn't be arsed to bypass your heater matrix and run the car like that??

Incredible! Five minute job, and you're back on the road (albeit COLD!)..

[M15 VW 0]

 

So I'm not very pleased with the Corrado at the moment, just looking for a mechanic who fancies replacing the heater matrix for me.

 

Ady

 

take the dash out and have a go yourself? i did mine when it went, wasnt too bad

[craigowl 0]

M15 VW said:

take the dash out and have a go yourself? i did mine when it went, wasnt too bad

 

:salute: Formidable! (een French)

[Ady_G 0]

I cannot believe that the RAC man couldn't be arsed to bypass your heater matrix and run the car like that??

Incredible! Five minute job, and you're back on the road (albeit COLD!)..

 

Is it really that easy? I was considering that but wasn't quite sure which 2 pipes it was. I didn't actually receive any roadside help, they just saw the steam and the wet footwell and stuck it on the truck to take it home.

 

take the dash out and have a go yourself? i did mine when it went, wasnt too bad

 

I've not got off road parking and it does my head in trying to do car stuff on the street, I don't like leaving the car in bits if I don't get it finished. I'm too lazy as well, so I'm getting someone to change it on Saturday hopefully.

[dr_mat 0]

There's only two pipes go straight to the bulkhead, undo the two circlips, get a small piece of joining piping (the RAC carry this stuff around habitually), clip the two free ends to either side of the joining pipe ... fasten ... say hello to your new uncle Robert.

[Rossco 0]

You dont need to take the dash out its just not that hard to do it with the dash in at all, scrapes on your knuckles but they are cool, show the bird, she'll be impressed

[Ady_G 0]

You dont need to take the dash out its just not that hard to do it with the dash in at all, scrapes on your knuckles but they are cool, show the bird, she'll be impressed

 

I need the car for Saturday and I'm at work till then so definately getting a mate of a mate to change in on Thursday, after all the encouragement Rossco & M15 VW I would have probably attempted it myself after all, but not enough time. I'll be getting scrapes on the knuckles from general diy stuff anyway to impress the bird

[Ady_G 0]

Got the car back all sorted! I'm quite pleased with it.

 

It cost £220 to fix including an oil change and a coolant change plus checking the cooling system and radiator fans etc.

 

The dash board is better fitted than it was before, he did a good job of putting it back together after replacing the heater matrix, clocks and vents are all straighter now. And I now have a working directional dial on the heater controls, I swapped the heater switches with one from a breakers after the old one broke, but never got round to getting the directional dial working.

 

All I got to do now is dry out the passenger foot well and get rid of the smell of coolant

[craigbeal 0]

Mine went the other day and the RAC just bypassed it like everyone has said. Just need a chance now to fix it as i havnt any heaters now lol.

[HiAsAKite 0]

When mine went.. got it bypassed in 5 min by AA man.. only problem was that the coolant had fryed my immobiliser...... so car wouldn't start...

[NottsCounty 0]

To revive an old thread - my heater matrix went last night and as I was driving with no socks or shoes on (it was hot!!!!!) I did get scolded by the water that shot out from behind the dash.

 

It came out the drivers side and there was quite a bit of pressure in the water coming out.

 

As I have a pre '93 VR, is there any chance that it will get replaced by 'recall'??? And, failing that any chance that I could take legal action against VW for my burnt left foot???

 

Cheers

[Taggart 0]

As I have a pre '93 VR, is there any chance that it will get replaced by 'recall'??? And, failing that any chance that I could take legal action against VW for my burnt left foot???

 

I doubt it, isn't it illegal to drive in bare feet?

[NottsCounty 0]

I had flip flops on - does that make a difference? :D