Heater Matrix gone? Hope not...

I'm pretty sure my heater matrix has gone. On the way to work I noticed the coolant temp get extremely high, i'm talking off the scale. My power FC commander was showing water temps of 120 degrees!

I pulled up slowly at work having only noticed it 2 mins away and upon arrival noticed that the passenger footwell is literally full of coolant, making the whole car smell of bloody fish.

Could this be anything other than the heater matrix? I have checked as much as I can for loose hoses in the footwell and cannot see a thing. It doesn't help that it's pissing it down with rain either.

My heater hasn't been working right for a few days now, I have been unable to de-mist the screen properly. I'm guessing this is related to the amount of water in my footwell!

Someone PLEASE tell me it's something other than the fecking matrix, I only paid my insurance 2 days ago ... I'm fully aware how much this usually costs.

If it is the heater matrix you can By Pass it temporarily till you can get it fixed.... just no heating

If it is the heater matrix you can By Pass it temporarily till you can get it fixed.... just no heating

I've just read that... Hmm i'm thinking thats not going to be any good in this weather. I never realised how much the car steams up until I had no heater and a wet floor.

Cheers anyway mate

get some silica gel in a container, careful with it and place it in the rear footwell, should take a lot of the moisture out of the air in the car

get some silica gel in a container, careful with it and place it in the rear footwell, should take a lot of the moisture out of the air in the car

Any ideas where from?

I feel for you dude thought mine packed up last week I suggest the Aston matrix fix program

1) Purchase 1 Wolly hat

2) Purchase 2 Wolly gloves

3) Purchase 1 Wolly scarf

Cost of Fixing Matrix £1000

Cost of the Aston Aston matrix fix program £20

Saving £980!!

LOL

Ah crap mate does sound like you have popped the matrix.

You havent had the car long either mate.

Well if you are getting the dash out let me know and i may be able to pop round and help a bit (not done it before but pretty good with a spanner etc).

No I have only had this Supra for 8 months or so

But still, the heater matrix was going to go at some point if coolant had been neglected before I got the car. I have flushed it out once since but maybe the damage was already done.

Cheers for the offer of help mate, if I have the time to pull her apart (which is VERY unlikely due to work situation) I will let you know.

i getting my changed next week with a local mechanic... he has told me it a "pig" of a job............

Sorry to hear about the car situation buddy.

I replaced my whole dashboard on my supra in the first 2 months of ownership. Its not as hard as it sounds, me and my brother took the thing out, cleaned up the wiring loom and alarm and replaced the whole thing in 2 days. Granted he is an auto electrician, but hey its feasable.

Granted I never had to deal with the matrix, but how hard can it really be. Think about it 4 days no car or 4 days no car and £1000. No contest!!

You could try flushing it with sulphuric acid, Lucifer did this on mine, would be worth dropping him a pm to find out how or Jody. That acid is bad ass stuff!!.it may just have debris blocking it but if she's already gone then it's a foo:) ker

It sounds Like shes gone..... Only choice is to bypass it for the time being and get a new/good second hand one fitted...

It sounds Like shes gone..... Only choice is to bypass it for the time being and get a new/good second hand one fitted...

Or try to sell the car and not tell anyone about the matrix problem.

sorry to hear about the matrix mate, but demist with the ac on, its gone in no time:)

Or try to sell the car and not tell anyone about the matrix problem.

Don't tempt me. I need someone to give me a single turbo kit so I've got a reason to keep her.

I'm 99% positive it has let go, otherwise why would the footwell be full of water? If the system was still looped then there would be no coolant about so there must be a break. I can't see it being anything else as the coolant is a nice rust colour which indicates the matrix is fooked.

I will be getting some quotes today and aim to get someone else to do the work, I literally have no time to do it and can't afford to go without a car.

sorry to hear about the matrix mate, but demist with the ac on, its gone in no time:)

You can't use AC mate, it just pumps all the coolant into the footwell. And the mist is due to the car being full of coolant as well. It's left a lovely coating on all the glass and carpet.

I think its time for another load of mods whilst shes off the road. I fancy trying the ETTC mod for a while to save on some petrol

Whatever you do, dont use a second hand one. A new matrix is about £200-£300 so get one and fit it with new hoses and clips. It's not a job you want to be doing twice!

The biggest problem with getting the dash out, is the wiring loom is attached to the dash isteklf, so you need to clear ALL those clips, very carefully. The dash will break if you look at it sideways, This, and the way the loom is screwed to the dash is a serious curse, unlike the Mk 3, which comes out with relative ease.

Having done all the diagnsotics, and checked the fklaps, and all the technical stuff, it all boiled down to the upper servo levers NOT being attached to the flasp, on the UNDERSide of the system. This leve can be ripped off its mount by a careless finger, (i.e. the asshole who wired the alarm/disabler) Who also ripped out the cobnduit for the drivers side. No wonder no heat on the drivers side.. No Conduit!

The matrix still required a hard flush. I used Kettle Descaler Crystalls, and a Hot kettle and an over nigh soak.

Then power flushing both ways with a hose pipe connected to the mains. If previous owners have put hard tap water into the car, you MUST deflush the WHOLE system, as you will limscale and other forms of elemental life growing in the engine, which will lead to inproper cooling in hotter smaller nastier areas of the engine.

You can remove the upper glove compartment and see the actuators moving or no.. if your diagnostics gives you a clear, its still necessary to SEE what is going on.

Having had no heat all winter.. now I can se light at the end of the tunnel. Just make sure if you get a disbler fitted, or you let anyone in under the dash, make sure they havent screwed something up, before you let them out the door.

I have a mint heater matrix for sale fitted for £575. Click on the link in my sig.