Could any one please give me a rough idea of the cost of a heater matrix core for MY97 UK turbo,

Thanx in advance STU.

 

to buy the part costs about £180 plus vat for my98 uk model thorough a main dealer. nasty job to do though. 4-5 hours of a job

 

Yep, very nasty job cos the dash has to come out. Mine actually split and put loads of coolant in the passenger side footwell. Misted up the interior aswell while going down the motorway. Steam comin' out of the air vents and all sorts!!!!! Think i got mine done for about £200 all in, from a specialist not a main dealer tho.

Tony.

 

My matrix split during winter - lack of anti-freeze (car was subaru serviced, so suspect an oversite on their part).

However, the same thing has happened again after a couple of months. (And after a radiator top-pipe splitting on motorway journey).

Now I/they suspect head-gasket failure causing cooling/heating system to become pressurised.

Is this plausible?

Anyone else experience this?

 

Guys, when your heater matrix broke, was there a strong caramel/burnt/coolant type smell in the car? I think mine has gone as well

 

There was a definitely a strange smell, and on my car the passenger footwell was also wet (coolant).

Temperature gauge didn't give away many signs, and stayed at normal most of the time.

Check your coolant level.

Also, if yours has gone in spring (i.e. there has not been a frost) then it might be worse than you think. The probable reason a matrix would split when its warm is if its under pressure. i.e. a head gasket has gone - I don't think they corrode as they are aluminium.

It took 3 weeks to get a new heater matrix - they are shipped from Japan on the slowest boat in the world I think.

My car had to have 2 new head gaskets, and a second replacement heater matrix after the first one burst , AND two new cylinder heads (both showed small cracks) !!!!

Subaru can perform a block-test to see if there is any Carbon monoxide in the coolant - this is a sure sign that a head gasket has gone. My dealer did this, and the head gasket problem still didn't show up.

Hope your problems are not as bad as mine - I'm getting my car back today after 4 weeks of being with Subaru dealer.

Let us know what happens.

 

Sorry for not replying for aaggeesss. This is the current sad story:
Car went to specialist for the replacement of the heater matrix. They thought it was ok, but the header tank was blocked due to the coolant (lacking anti-freeze[1]) furring up. Anti freeze has agents in it to ensure the smooth flow of coolant around the engine. The specialist replaced the header tank but the problem remains, now it's worse as the mat on the passenger side of the car is now wet. In the past it was bone dry. The other odd thing is that the system pressure tested ok.
I've now purchased a genuine heater matrix core and will get that fitted in due course.


[1] Coolant was replaced when a Subaru dealer fitted a new engine to my car 20 months ago.