Nasty Greasy Film on Interior Glass

[VR-Sixy 0]

This is driving me crackers. I'm getting a really nasty, thick greasy film coating all the interior glass - windscreen, door windows, rear view mirror and the tailgate glass. There's no stopping it and it won't go away. Had a quick Google and some people seem to think it's the interior plastics 'outgassing'.

 

Would have thought that on a 20 year old car, the plastics would have finished outgassing years ago!! Second on the list is a coolant leak. This is definitely coming up through the heater vents and is covering everything. When i wipe it down, it kind of transforms into a sort of powdery substance which is even harder to get off the glass. Checked the passenger footwell and no dampness there and i had the heater matrix replaced a couple of years ago. That said, i did unexpectedly have to top up the coolant last week. I got a cheap dehumidifier off FleaBay and that did marginally reduce the fogging, but it definitely isn't condensation and only about 10cl of water was the result of two over-night sessions.

 

Happy to post up some pics so you can see what i mean. I'm guessing Corrado's don't have pollen filters so i'm really at a loss. Anyone out

there with any input?

 

Cheers

[Sean_Jaymo 0]

A small pin hole leak in the matrix mixed with general traffic film will make a mess of everything inside if not kept on top of.

[sankysvr6 0]

Couldn't you try bypassing the hater matrix, and see if it stops misting up. Just to eliminate the matrix.

[VR-Sixy 0]

Couldn't you try bypassing the hater matrix, and see if it stops misting up. Just to eliminate the matrix.

I wouldn't know how to.... care to elaborate? Thanks.

[sankysvr6 0]

Not had to do this my self yet.

 

But there are 2 pipes which are attached inside of the engine bay on the firewall, the other of this goes to the matrix.

 

Just get bit of joining pipe, and connect them together.

 

Also try goolgeing, as its been done loads of time before for when the matrix leaks and you need to carry on using the car.

 

http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?t=28779

[VR-Sixy 0]

***UPDATE***

 

Had the C booked in at the garage yesterday expecting to need a new heater matrix. Matey pressured up the cooling system and no leaks were found.

The carpets in the passenger foot-well are as dry as a bone, so it's not the matrix causing this... or at least we think not.

 

Anyone else got any ideas? Going to whip out the heater motor at the weekend to see whats going on inside the motor housing which i hope will be

wet, but i doubt it somehow. Is it possible to try and fit some kind of filter in there as this film is definitely emanating from the heater vents at the front

of the dashboard. Don't suppose Corrado's have Pollen filters?

 

Any further input would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks.

[corrado wannabe 13]

HAve you looked at changing both the foliage seal on the cover that protects the Heater motor.

 

Pollen filter is also located in there too.

 

There is a write up on how to change it here:

 

http://wiki.the-corrado.net/changing_heater_scuttle_foliage_cover_seal.html

 

Dougie

[seanl82 23]

No pollen filter as such, just a plastic gauze type affair inder the foliage cover that stops large bits entering into the fan. Definitely worth whipping it out to check there is nothing untoward in there.

[VR-Sixy 0]

Hi Sean and Dougie, thanks for the above. Definitely worth checking this out. I'll have a look over the weekend

and see what's what.

 

Appreciate your input!

 

Cheers.

[VR-Sixy 0]

Went to VW this morning to order up the Foliage cover 'gasket' which is still available, but sadly, the

 

• 5 x Trim Clips For the Windscreen Lower Cover Panel 535 853 832 A 03C around £2.30
  
• 5 x Trim Clip Insets for the windscreen lower cover panel 535 853 837 around £1.18
  

 

are no longer available to order. So, guess i'd better be care when i do this next weekend.

[GlosterOx 0]

Went to VW this morning to order up the Foliage cover 'gasket' which is still available, but sadly, the

 

• 5 x Trim Clips For the Windscreen Lower Cover Panel 535 853 832 A 03C around £2.30
  
• 5 x Trim Clip Insets for the windscreen lower cover panel 535 853 837 around £1.18
  

 

are no longer available to order. So, guess i'd better be care when i do this next weekend.

 

Try VW Classic Parts, both Nr's are recognised on there?

 

Ian.

[VR-Sixy 0]

Try VW Classic Parts, both Nr's are recognised on there?

 

Ian.

Hi Ian,, drew a blank there as well.... 'part not recognised'.......

[GlosterOx 0]

Hi Ian,, drew a blank there as well.... 'part not recognised'.......

 

Well I just tried again and they are definitely recognised, prices are €0.57 and €0.32 each respectively - Carriage is high from Classic Parts direct, so ring VW Heritage tomorrow and get them to order them in for you, but it could be 2 > 3 weeks or so.

 

Ian.

[corrado wannabe 13]

I got my clips from VW Heritage, as Ian said, it did take about 2 weeks IIRC, that was the middle of last year.

 

Dougie

[Jim Bowen 1]

I too went to get them clips and couldn't, they was someone on ebay selling them new.

[seanl82 23]

Me too. You need around 10 in total iirc.

[VR-Sixy 0]

Apologies for dragging this up again, but this has started happening again! Growlz!! This is definitely coming up through the air vents to the windscreen and also through the vents to the door glass and it's driving me crackers. I've checked for coolant leak in the cabin, particularly the passenger seat footwell and it's as dry as a bone. Is there anywhere else coolant can go if there's a leak in the heater matrix other than the passenger seat footwell? Thinking i'm going to have to bite the bullet and get a new one fitted......

[seanl82 23]

The matrix sits in the heater box directly behind the centre console, so if it's leaking badly then it'll find its way to either footwell. If there is a hairline Crack though it may just be causing your symptoms, but with the pressure of the water I can only imagine it'll get worse if this is the problem.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

The matrix sits in the heater box directly behind the centre console, so if it's leaking badly then it'll find its way to either footwell. If there is a hairline Crack though it may just be causing your symptoms, but with the pressure of the water I can only imagine it'll get worse if this is the problem.

 

i was kind of thinking the same sean

 

Endeegee, if you can get the carpets up & spread a little talc around it can show you a trail of where the leak comes from

 

also, with minimum basic tools (except a hose clip tool which are a few £'s) replacing a matrix is really just a step by step job with lots of labelling. valeo matrix is the one to get if possible

 

i have a full guide with lots of pics showing screw locations etc, if you would like a copy drop me a PM with your email address

[VR-Sixy 0]

The matrix sits in the heater box directly behind the centre console, so if it's leaking badly then it'll find its way to either footwell. If there is a hairline Crack though it may just be causing your symptoms, but with the pressure of the water I can only imagine it'll get worse if this is the problem.

Thanks Sean. I've not noticed water in either of the footwells to be honest and i'm not having to top up the coolant everyday, or even every week so it's not a massive leak, if that's what it is. Obviously the water/anti-freeze is finding it's way out of the car somewhere else.

[seanl82 23]

That's the only place coolant gets inside the cabin. The connectors are on the bulkhead in the engine bay so leaks around there and the hoses wouldn't make its way in.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

a bit of a drawn out test would be to put a temporary matrix bypass in

 

easily done with a bit of copper piping

 

you could then run the car for a few days & see if you still get the greasy film you describe, if you dont then it points towards a faulty matrix

 

if the matrix has a pin hole, once it is not under pressure it shouldnt leak i would have thought

[VR-Sixy 0]

Thanks guys - i'll give the interior a good going over at the weekend when i've some some time on my hands just to make sure i'm not missing anything. Appreciate your input as always. Cheers! :)

[Jim 2]

It does depend how badly the matrix has popped. In the case of mine it was only leaking a little bit. The tell tale signs for me were a faint whiff of coolant in the cabin, the level having dropped randomly one day causing the light to come on, and then little bits of foam being fired at me when I put the heater on - the foam being the stuff that covers the various flaps within the heater box itself. The moisture within the heater box, from the leaking matrix, I think attacks / dissolves it and causes it to disintegrate.

 

You can pull off the shelves on the passenger side, under the glove box, and this exposes the heater box. If you feel around the bottom /underside of the heater box, coolant may have began to leak out of that and you'll get it on your fingers if so.

[VR-Sixy 0]

It does depend how badly the matrix has popped. In the case of mine it was only leaking a little bit. The tell tale signs for me were a faint whiff of coolant in the cabin, the level having dropped randomly one day causing the light to come on, and then little bits of foam being fired at me when I put the heater on - the foam being the stuff that covers the various flaps within the heater box itself. The moisture within the heater box, from the leaking matrix, I think attacks / dissolves it and causes it to disintegrate.

 

You can pull off the shelves on the passenger side, under the glove box, and this exposes the heater box. If you feel around the bottom /underside of the heater box, coolant may have began to leak out of that and you'll get it on your fingers if so.

This has also been happening for a while......