Hey guys just wondering if you can change a heater matrix on a V2 without removing dash or do you need to remover dash??

Regards

 

Is there a Dash removal thread on here??

regards

 

It's dash out, I'm afraid, there is a thread but it's for a newage car.

 

Classic heater matrix, dash out completly. Have fun!

Remove all the centre console around the handbrake and radio.
Heater vent on top of the dash unclips to reveal 2 bolts.




Glove box needs to come out and the plastics under steering wheel.
Undo 2 bolts under the steering column to drop it down.
I took all the clocks and switchs out of the dash, including the heater controls.
Undo all the nuts and bolts you can see holding the dash in and unplug anything you come across remembering where they go!

Give it a wiggle and a nudge to get to this stage:



Remove the cross bar running between the pillars.
If you have air con it needs to be de-gassed.
Disconnect the 2 air con pipes in the engine bay that go through the bulkhead.
Back in the car unbolt the air con unit from the bulkhead and pull it out of the way. I tried my hardest to do it without draining the aircon but there is no way the heater box is going to come out without doing it.

In the engine bay remove the heater matrix hose's that go into the bulkhead.
You may need to remove the intercooler to get down there.
Back in the car unbolt and remove the heater box.

Your car should look like this:




Remove the matrix out of the heater box and put the new one in.





All you need to do then is put it back together. Fill the matrix with water before putting the hoses back on under the bonnet which makes it easier to get any air locks out of the system.
Took me a day to do mine.

I may have missed something but thats the way i do it.

 

Useful..........and bookmarked as mine is 12 years old

How difficult is the fusebox etc to remove?

And mine has two airbags

 

Fuse box is in on the bottom of the pillar so didn't need to touch it. Bit you see hanging down is where the muliplugs for various things live. The wiring is pretty straight forward as it's all attached to the dash, just need to unplug things.

Airbags...pass on that one sorry, i don't have them.

 

Mine is a 98 car, so slightly different, but I can see how your post will help.

Out of interest, did you know how to do this, or just wing it?

 

First time I've done it mate. Straight in the deep end, give me a spanner and I'm off!

 

Yeah, I used to be like that.
Now, when I do stuff, it's always the LAST bolt that won't come undone, or rounds off, usually when I've no other transport, the car is totally not driveable and all the shops are shut

 

book mark