Coolant and heating issues

[Sammie]

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me jumping on this post. I seem to be having a similar issue and am in need of some advice.

My blowers (internal car fans) aren't working at all. I get no air out of the fans. I'm aware it's due to a blocked heater matrix and a few parts need replacing. I'm getting silly quotes of £1500-£1800. I think they may be taking advantage of me being a single female who doesn't understand cars much.

I want to get the expansion tank and a new heater matrix changed and any clogged pipes replaced and then the system flushed. Does anyone have a list of the parts a garage will need? I just want to make sure they're not ordering parts I won't need and doing work beyond that which I've requested.

(I have a 2013 Seat Leon S TDI)

Thank you.

 

[BillyCool]

Hi,

I hope you don't mind me jumping on this post. I seem to be having a similar issue and am in need of some advice.

My blowers (internal car fans) aren't working at all. I get no air out of the fans. I'm aware it's due to a blocked heater matrix and a few parts need replacing. I'm getting silly quotes of £1500-£1800. I think they may be taking advantage of me being a single female who doesn't understand cars much.

I want to get the expansion tank and a new heater matrix changed and any clogged pipes replaced and then the system flushed. Does anyone have a list of the parts a garage will need? I just want to make sure they're not ordering parts I won't need and doing work beyond that which I've requested.

(I have a 2013 Seat Leon S TDI)

Thank you.

If your fan is not even blowing air, that is not down to the heater matrix. The matrix is effectively a little radiator that warms the air when requested. The fan provides the air. The air blower/fan is under your glove box. I'd try to get that working before you look at the matrix. It could just be a fuse or connection.

Ref the parts and cost for the matrix. You need the matrix c.£80 and an expansion tank c.£40. You shouldn't need to replace any other pipes.

SEAT quote about £1300 as their service schedule says 8 hours as they remove the dash. If you find someone who is handy with tools, you can do the DIY fix in 2 hours and the cost of parts. It cost me £120 and 2-3 hours of my time. If you can find someone who can do it, it will save you loads of money.

This is a guide I wrote based on info from this forum and my own experience changing my matrix. I'm not saying that you do it, just find someone who can!

 

[Sammie]

If your fan is not even blowing air, that is not down to the heater matrix. The matrix is effectively a little radiator that warms the air when requested. The fan provides the air. The air blower/fan is under your glove box. I'd try to get that working before you look at the matrix. It could just be a fuse or connection.

Ref the parts and cost for the matrix. You need the matrix c.£80 and an expansion tank c.£40. You shouldn't need to replace any other pipes.

SEAT quote about £1300 as their service schedule says 8 hours as they remove the dash. If you find someone who is handy with tools, you can do the DIY fix in 2 hours and the cost of parts. It cost me £120 and 2-3 hours of my time. If you can find someone who can do it, it will save you loads of money.

This is a guide I wrote based on info from this forum and my own experience changing my matrix. I'm not saying that you do it, just find someone who can!

Sorry, I should’ve made it clear that I get no hot air out the vents inside the car. All I get is cold air (despite being on the hot setting).

Is it still a blocked matrix issue?

 

[BillyCool]

Sorry, I should’ve made it clear that I get no hot air out the vents inside the car. All I get is cold air (despite being on the hot setting).

Is it still a blocked matrix issue?

If you're fan is working but just blowing cold air, even on hot, then it could well be your matrix.

If you find a local reliable mechanic they should easily be able to do the DIY fix and save some £££'s.

 

[OVB]

Hello, sorry to jump on this thread but have seen this one and another that you @BillyCool have helped on. My situation is very similar to blowing out coolant when the engine get hot. normally only on journeys over 1.5hrs. nothing happens with smaller trips. the heater does get hot on the drivers side but as you feel more to the left it get cooler and cooler until the last one passenger side isnt hot at all. the only thing that is different is - they did the sniff test and it came back positive for exhaust gasses in the expansion tank. so my questions is could this be old and nothing to worry about or could a blocked heater matrix potentially cause this to happen or link to something else to make that happen. the garage have said they believed initially it could be a egr cooler or head gasket and sent me to a VW engine specialist who want to bleed the system for airlocks first. sorry for the long message but i welcome any help as cost me hundreds already. also for note - it doesnt overheat on the gauge in the car, no white smoke, passed pressure test, passed pressure test on cap and expansion tank itself. pipes that can be reached arent solid with pressure and oil appears fine. thanks

 

[Compo1]

Hello, sorry to jump on this thread but have seen this one and another that you @BillyCool have helped on. My situation is very similar to blowing out coolant when the engine get hot. normally only on journeys over 1.5hrs. nothing happens with smaller trips. the heater does get hot on the drivers side but as you feel more to the left it get cooler and cooler until the last one passenger side isnt hot at all. the only thing that is different is - they did the sniff test and it came back positive for exhaust gasses in the expansion tank. so my questions is could this be old and nothing to worry about or could a blocked heater matrix potentially cause this to happen or link to something else to make that happen. the garage have said they believed initially it could be a egr cooler or head gasket and sent me to a VW engine specialist who want to bleed the system for airlocks first. sorry for the long message but i welcome any help as cost me hundreds already. also for note - it doesnt overheat on the gauge in the car, no white smoke, passed pressure test, passed pressure test on cap and expansion tank itself. pipes that can be reached arent solid with pressure and oil appears fine. thanks

Exhaust gas detection means 1 of 3 things

Charge cooler
EGR Cooler
Both can be bypassed for testing purposes
Head gasket.

But as you have no hot air on the passenger side Heater matrix also.

 

[BillyCool]

Hello, sorry to jump on this thread but have seen this one and another that you @BillyCool have helped on. My situation is very similar to blowing out coolant when the engine get hot. normally only on journeys over 1.5hrs. nothing happens with smaller trips. the heater does get hot on the drivers side but as you feel more to the left it get cooler and cooler until the last one passenger side isnt hot at all. the only thing that is different is - they did the sniff test and it came back positive for exhaust gasses in the expansion tank. so my questions is could this be old and nothing to worry about or could a blocked heater matrix potentially cause this to happen or link to something else to make that happen. the garage have said they believed initially it could be a egr cooler or head gasket and sent me to a VW engine specialist who want to bleed the system for airlocks first. sorry for the long message but i welcome any help as cost me hundreds already. also for note - it doesnt overheat on the gauge in the car, no white smoke, passed pressure test, passed pressure test on cap and expansion tank itself. pipes that can be reached arent solid with pressure and oil appears fine. thanks

It's hard to say. Usually, the blocked matrix causes reduced heat on the drivers side. This is becuase the pipes attach to the matrix on the left and the loss of heat is felt more on the drivers side. It could be the matrix causing that or maybe issues with the heating servo and flaps?

The coolant loss when driving with a blocked matrix happens when the car does a DPF regens and boils the coolant in the matrix circuit and this usually vents from around the expansion tank lid. When you say blowing out coolant what do you mean? Where from?

The car is known for EGR coolers to fail. That won't explain the loss of heating but is a known reason for coolant loss. They are also a pain to access and replace. Not sure if that would cause exhaust gases to be detected in the coolant. A failing head gasket would cause loss of coolant and exhaust gases to be detected.

You could have more than one issue and that makes it harder to diagnose. I am sure other, wiser people than me can offer their thoughts.

You could replace the matrix and see if that helps with the cabin heating and coolant loss. If not, then you have other issues.

I can't really offer any more help than that. It would help if you can confirm what car/age/engine.

 

[OVB]

Exhaust gas detection means 1 of 3 things

Charge cooler
EGR Cooler
Both can be bypassed for testing purposes
Head gasket.

But as you have no hot air on the passenger side Heater matrix also.

Hi

So would the first place to start would be heater matrix?
But could a blocked heater matrix also cause something to push gasses back into coolant? I know it shouldn't be the matrix directly but not sure if I'm ready right that it could cause this.

The head gasket there are no other signs although I appreciate that you might not see anything with these more modern engines.

The issue with the egr cooler is it's location and it's quite timely to get to.

That's why they want to bleed the system as a starting point?

 

[OVB]

It's hard to say. Usually, the blocked matrix causes reduced heat on the drivers side. This is becuase the pipes attach to the matrix on the left and the loss of heat is felt more on the drivers side. It could be the matrix causing that or maybe issues with the heating servo and flaps?

The coolant loss when driving with a blocked matrix happens when the car does a DPF regens and boils the coolant in the matrix circuit and this usually vents from around the expansion tank lid. When you say blowing out coolant what do you mean? Where from?

The car is known for EGR coolers to fail. That won't explain the loss of heating but is a known reason for coolant loss. They are also a pain to access and replace. Not sure if that would cause exhaust gases to be detected in the coolant. A failing head gasket would cause loss of coolant and exhaust gases to be detected.

You could have more than one issue and that makes it harder to diagnose. I am sure other, wiser people than me can offer their thoughts.

You could replace the matrix and see if that helps with the cabin heating and coolant loss. If not, then you have other issues.

I can't really offer any more help than that. It would help if you can confirm what car/age/engine.

Thanks for your reply. I understand what you are saying. I read the coolant could be based on the matrix.

The coolant is coming out through the overflow on the expansion tank.

It's a seat tarraco 2019 dsg 2.0l. VW engine I believe.

The garage want to bleed the system as been open a few times so want to rule out air but as you said it doesn't explain the gasses in the expansion tank. I've only had the car 10 months but could this have been something old perhaps.

They have said this engine typically doesn't have head gasket issues but has had EGR cooler issues. Really hard one as neither fix is cheap!

 

[Compo1]

Hi

So would the first place to start would be heater matrix?
But could a blocked heater matrix also cause something to push gasses back into coolant? I know it shouldn't be the matrix directly but not sure if I'm ready right that it could cause this.

The head gasket there are no other signs although I appreciate that you might not see anything with these more modern engines.

The issue with the egr cooler is it's location and it's quite timely to get to.

That's why they want to bleed the system as a starting point?

A blocked matrix wont cause exhaust gases in your coolant. But it sounds like you have a matrix issue also, as what you describe is classic blocked Matrix.

I'd start by bypassing the charge cooler coolant pipes first drive it for a week and re gas test it, if the gas test is now negative the charge cooler has a leak. You could even put a bore scope in there to look for coolant.

Then id bypass the EGR coolant pipes and retest and at that point if your still positive for gases its the Head gasket.

Head gaskets are not that common a problem on the diesels, though.

 

[OVB]

A blocked matrix wont cause exhaust gases in your coolant. But it sounds like you have a matrix issue also, as what you describe is classic blocked Matrix.

I'd start by bypassing the charge cooler coolant pipes first drive it for a week and re gas test it, if the gas test is now negative the charge cooler has a leak. You could even put a bore scope in there to look for coolant.

Then id bypass the EGR coolant pipes and retest and at that point if your still positive for gases its the Head gasket.

Head gaskets are not that common a problem on the diesels, though.

Thank you for this. I'll have a chat with the garage on Monday when the car goes back in and report back. Thanks