Steamy Windows - Possible Coolant Leak?

[kerrinmay 0]

I've been suffering with very steamy windows for a couple of weeks now, however I thought it was down to a wet carpet in the footwell behind drivers seat due to bottled water. I purchased a de-humidifier at the weekend to try and dry it out a bit.

 

I didn't really think about it at the time but my coolant light started flashing last week and I checked the reservoir and it was a bit low so topped it up. Was still getting very steamy windows which just won't clear and then this morning the coolant light came on again. Again the level was a bit low, but decided to check passenger footwell and carpet seems a bit damp along the right hand edge. I had thought that the car smelt a bit funny, so wondering if coolant is somehow leaking through?

 

Any ideas?

[davidwort 0]

could well be.

are the seals/membranes on your doors in good condition do you know?

leaking coolant from the matrix is usually accompanied by the smell of coolant.

If you want to lick the carpet, blue/green G11 type coolant is sweet and G12/G12+ (pink/purple) is bitter :lol:

[kerrinmay 0]

Thanks, I think it might well be coolant that I can smell. Mine is the pinky colour, but not too keen at licking the carpet! A leak would explain my coolant level dropping, although it must be quite a slow leak as it's taken about 1 week to drop so much as for the warning light to come back on.

 

If it is a coolant leak on the carpet then would it be the matrix then? Would it be a pipe to/from the matrix or could I be looking at a new matrix required?

[davidwort 0]

matrix I'm afraid,

you can isolate it by simply unclipping the feed and return hoses in the engine bay and join them together with a piece of copper pipe, no more leaks into the car and you've identified the matrix.

I wouldn't keep driving it as is though, if the matrix burst totally it's hot feet and steamed up windows time... instantly! :shock:

[kerrinmay 0]

Thanks for the advice, I'm at work with it at the moment, so will have to drive it home, but better get it booked into the garage asap.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It will be a slight leak in the matrix. Bottom left corner where the plastic end can joins the aluminium radiator I'll wager. You'll be surprised how many dead leaves and rotten twigs, wasps and other bugs you'll find in the heater box....all pickled in G12!

 

It always starts off that way, but can lead to a full on rupture as David says, which is dangerous.

 

Due to the heat inside the heater box, the slight weep tends to dry out instantly whilst the engine is running. But when switched off and cools down, the water drips into the bottom of the heater box and will steam up the windscreen.

 

You can sometimes get steamed windows if you park up at work on a cold morning and the interior gets heated by the sun during the day.

[kerrinmay 0]

Thanks for the advice. It's booked into the garage first thing tomorrow morning. Just got to drive the 10 miles or so home from work this evening.

 

Also getting a service which is due this month anyway.

[kerrinmay 0]

I think I can get a new matrix quite cheap, however what sort of labour costs would I be looking at to replace it? Does the garage need to pretty much disassemble the whole dash to get it out? How many hours labour do you think?

[kerrinmay 0]

This would also explain the difficulty that I had in wiping off the mist...it just didn't seem to want to wipe off easily.

[marf497 0]

I done the heater matrix on my wifes pug 306 it wasn't too bad a job but garage quoted it as a 10hr job!! I had to remove the full dash to replace I took photos and put the screws etc for each area into seperate freezer bags to make it a bit easier to put back together I done it over a couple of days only thing i needed a hand with was putting the dash back in I just took my time and it was ok except for the usual dozen cuts and scrapes on my hands but saved a fortune. Its not to technical a job just got to watch when you refill the coolant you dont want to fry the head.

[davidwort 0]

http://wiki.the-corrado.net/heater_matr ... ement.html

[phil naxos 0]

doesn't sound like coolant leak -no smell.

drivers door prone to leaks generated from perforated liner to door car.

I bought a VR6 last year -totally saturated footwell, had to replace sound insulation matt not before I had removed the door cards and sealed a new foam liner -very tricky job

especially getting the door card back on slotting it into place.

steamed up windows have gone even condenation in the boot.

 

Does the carpet seem damp? water comes in over the rubber lip on the cill.

Any help?

[KipVR 1]

but not too keen at licking the carpet!

 

Nowt wrong with licking a well kept carpet, must be clean though. :D

[Toad 0]

but not too keen at licking the carpet!

 

Nowt wrong with licking a well kept carpet, must be clean though. :D

 

ROFL!

 

Good to see you back here Kerrin. Have you seen there's a local meet occuring soon??

[Supercharged 2]

Do you get an alert email when there is a thread about carpet licking Tom?

[Toad 0]

Do you get an alert email when there is a thread about carpet licking Tom?

 

Any sort of innuendo, or double entendre immediately alerts me. I call it pervdar

[kerrinmay 0]

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

 

Thanks, do you know if these instructions apply to all C's? Or a particular model/version?

 

Just spoke to garage and they believe that the matrix is the problem but probably can't do it until next week. Will give me a quote for the job when I go to collect later.

 

I questioned whether I should be driving the car and the guy at the garage seemed to think that if I just kept my eye on the coolant level it should be fine! However based on the posts on here I'm a bit concerned in case it suddenly ruptures...plus I can't really see out the windows well enough to drive anyway!

 

If I did drive it, would I be best to keep the heaters on hot or cold? I tried shutting my vents on the way home yesterday and I'm sure I saw steam coming from the dash! Maybe it was just because of how cold it was outside and I had both windows wide open so that I could see, but all the same I was somewhat concerned! I don't want to melt my dash!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

The rado matrix is in circuit permanently, so probably best to switch the flaps to cold as you'll minimise the scalding action if / when it does blow....and shut all the vents aswell for good measure.....and wear an extra scarf and beenie hat!

 

Seriously though, mine was seeping for a long time, over 9 months till I eventually got round to doing it and I used it every day with no rupture action.

You'll probably get away with it tbh. Nearly all the catastrophic matrix failures I've heard of have always happened without warning and no signs of leaking.

[davidwort 0]

like I said before, if you can live without heating, disconnect the hoses to and from the matrix in the engine bay at the bulkhead and connect them together with a bit of copper pipe and some jubilee clips.

[kerrinmay 0]

Garage confirmed last night that it is the heater matrix but they've been unable to give me a quote yet to do the job. They seem to have some 'books' that give them a 'book time' for completing a certain job on specific cars, but unfortunately he couldn't find what he needed.

 

Does anyone have a 'book time' for replacing the matrix on a C? The guy wasn't sure if the dashboard would come out, however I pointed out that based on the info on here that it could be done by removing the glovebox etc. He didn't sound too convinced.

 

Currently waiting for a call with the quote. Hoping that he gets confirmation that the dash doesn't have to come out and then it shouldn't be too long a job.

[Valerian 0]

I'm changing my matrix at the mo. and i intended to leave the dash in but i couldn't see how (having never changed a VW matrix before) you could get the matrix out with the dash in situ. There is naff all room to move with the dash in so i took the lot out.

I would say a realistic time to do the whole job would be 6 to 8 hours and that's gonna hurt your pocket if you get a garage to do the job.