Today "steam" started coming out of my heater ventilation vents inside the car. Also there was a burning smell. I turned of the heaters, set the fan power to zero, but steam was still coming out with the burning smell.
Am I right in guessing there is a problem with the matrix? Don't know anything about matrix's, any advice would be good.
The car is not overheating, I've been driving it for about an hour now with this mystery steam coming out the airvents.
the car is a 03 WRX impreza.
thanks

 

i would say heater matrix leaking and the steam and smell is the anti freeze burning of as the matrix warms up .

 

is there anyway i can "disable" or bypass the matrix, or is it an intergral part of the engine?

 

Sounds most likely to be the heater matrix (or a loose connection to it), you could check for a low coolant level and feel for any wet patches on the carpet under and around the centre console area, this would indicate a leak. Did you turn the heater dial towards hot for the first time in a while? If you are lucky it could just be moisture from the matrix if you have used the aircon a lot and then turned the heater on now its turning chilly outside.