Inside of car filled up with smoke in 2secs..help!

[sprinterVR6 0]

wondering can someone shed some light on what the f#ck happened to me this morning.

Past few days I've been having real trouble with the windows misting up and a nasty acric smell in the cabin. I've only had a brand new rad put in few months back and coolant level has always been spot on.

Then this morning, as I picked up soem speed coming down the off ramp to main road, smoke/steam?? started pumping out from the dashboard. Within seconds I couldn't see a thing. Luckily I was quite close to the hard shoulder and could pull in and jump out.

It's in my local garage now and the engine seems fine.

 

What the hell happened?!

 

Ps: i can see all you oily rag brigade tut tut'in away!! But I did check all the levels this morning honest!

[Jim 2]

That would probably be your heater matrix... :(

[Supercharged 2]

You need a new heater matrix - also looks like your car wasn't recalled for the bypass valve mod to prevent the above from happening!

 

Main thing is your ok - people have got burned / had accidents in situations like that!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I didn't think Corrados had the Bypass recall? I've never seen a VR6 with the valves fitted!

 

Yeah that's definitely a ruptured matrix.

 

Happens to us all eventually and not as bad a job as some will have you believe.

[sprinterVR6 0]

cheers guys, just nice to know what the cause was. Peach of mind and all that.

Just hoping it's not gonna 'burn' a hole in my pocket to get fixed :?

What kinda money we talking?

 

Thanks again

[Dec 1]

Talking quite a lot of money to get it fixed in a garage unfortunately! The matrix itself isn't "that" expensive, but there is quite a lot of labour involved as it can be a complete dash-out job (although it can be done by just removing the lower dash panels, but it's a tight squeeze)

 

Best off doing it yourself tbh! There is a very good guide from the Canadian Corrado club floating around here somewhere.

[sprinterVR6 0]

Thanks Dec. Yeah, I think your right :(

 

My mate has his VR in same garage tomorrow for Heat. Matrix problem too!

He mentioned the cost of pulling the dash out etc was what'll pump up the bill

[Dec 1]

Guide: Clicky

 

GSF part number (As has been mentioned, check it's a Valeo item): 17832B HEATER MATRIX CO 9/88 > 36.50

[dr_mat 0]

The VR6 matrix had a bypass valve built-in hence no recall.

 

But the valve is only there to prevent scalding hot coolant from flooding out into the cabin, it doesn't prevent a small loss of hot coolant which is all that's required to steam up the windows and make it impossible to see. Dangerous yes, but impossible to prevent, really.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Sorry Mat but no it doesn't. The matrix is a straight in and out job with no valve. The VR6 never got the recall because VW 'believed' they had improved the design of the matrix on later cars......but they made exactly the same mistake.

 

They rupture because of the plastic end cans. If VW made the matrix aluminium end cans, the problem wouldn't occur.

 

Removing the dash is not expensive or hard. Once all the bits and bobs are off (and there's a secret technique to removing the glovebox ;-) ) the dash, simply undo the bolts (2 on each side and a few under the wiper area) and rest the dash on the front seats. It doesn't have to come out of the car!

 

I would get the matrix from GSF as it's a valeo one (same as OE) and comes with a sealing gasket. VW do not include the gasket and charge £30 more.

[dr_mat 0]

Sorry Mat but no it doesn't. The matrix is a straight in and out job with no valve.

 

Maybe I read that they had "improved the design" and took it to mean they'd included it. Still, VW never did a recall on the VR6 for this problem, whatever the design of the matrix.

 

I am looking forward to doing this when my matrix finally lets go. (It can't be long now .... )

[vwdeviant 0]

Am I right in thinking this is just a VR6 issues or does the 16v/G60's suffer too?

 

Just my memory (which can be a bit wobbly) seems to only recall VR owners having this issue?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

In theory it affects all MK2 and MK3 based cars as they all use the same matrix (except A/C equipped cars), but curiously I've never heard of MK3s doing it?!! Anyone else?

 

MK2s were notorious for it, but it was more publicised than the Corrado because there are billions more Golfs than there are Corrados!

[sprinterVR6 0]

I'm looking to order off GSF for the part (£38) as garage are looking to charge me €120euro, which is about £85!!

The dirty bas#rds...

 

What are the main factors that would've caused this?

Age of car? Build up of leaves/rainwater??

 

I'm dying to blame it on where I'm forced to park at work..... :D

[Supercharged 2]

which is about £85!!

 

Thats a bargian - VW book time is 6 hours for this job!!!

[Jim 2]

I actually don't think anyone knows the cause of it.. I would suspect its a similar thing to like why coolant flanges eventually crack and leak - just continual heating up and cooling down eventually warps the plastic parts and causes them to give! :(

[dr_mat 0]

You're wondering why the heater matrix goes? .. for the same reasons that the main car's radiator goes .. It's made of fine metal fins, and it's heated to 100 degrees on a regular basis. Eventually it will corrode or flex or crack..

[sprinterVR6 0]

which is about £85!!

 

Thats a bargian - VW book time is 6 hours for this job!!!

 

 

I wish!! That figure is for the Heater Matrix part alone (when converted from Euro to GBP)

The labour I understand will be 'slightly' more :(

[Kevin Bacon 5]

They rupture because of the plastic end cans. If VW made the matrix with aluminium end cans, the problem wouldn't occur.

 

Don't you lot read? :roll: :lol:

[dr_mat 0]

They rupture because of the plastic end cans. If VW made the matrix with aluminium end cans, the problem wouldn't occur.

 

Don't you lot read? :roll: :lol:

 

What for? You're here to remind us! ;)

 

They'd still go eventually anyway. No-one ever made a radiator (heater or main) that doesn't.

[adamukcorrado 0]

Just to throw in a curve ball, my old 16v suffered an electric's melt down in the dash that filled the cabin with smoke very quickly with no warning, - would be worth checking your electric's are all working ok before you blow a load of cash fixing the wrong thing!

 

It was my head lamp switch and loom that melted, so check you still have lights,

[Critical_Mass 10]

Indeed^^

 

But, if it is the heater matrix it will be steam, thus windows would have been steamed up. But if it was smoke, then the windows wouldnt have steamed up.

[sprinterVR6 0]

Just to throw in a curve ball, my old 16v suffered an electric's melt down in the dash that filled the cabin with smoke very quickly with no warning, - would be worth checking your electric's are all working ok before you blow a load of cash fixing the wrong thing!

 

It was my head lamp switch and loom that melted, so check you still have lights,

 

 

Just got the call back from Garage, it is indeed the Heater Matrix, BUT!, and I hope it's not of Dawn French proportions,

the passenger headlamp +rearlamp were 'ON', yet I had all the lights switched to 'OFF'.

Hmmmmmmmmm.... :(

[Dec 1]

Parking light? Check that you hadn't got the indicator in its 'left' position with the ignition off.

[sprinterVR6 0]

Doh! That sounds spot on as I may of knocked 'on' the indictor as I leapt from the car :lol:

 

Garage guy said as they're doing the same procedure with my mates VR today, mine may take a lot less time :D