Audi Heater Matrix – Help and Guidance required

Hi, looks like the heater matrix in my Audi has popped 🙁 and from what I understand it's a big job to change it. I think I can bypass it in the engine bay so the car's still driveable.

Question is do I need to change the matrix or will some Radweld fix the problem?

Radweld might fix it, but my experience is that it also buggers up radiators, so you just end up with a different problem.

If you're patient and careful, you can probably have the dash out and put a new matrix in over a weekend. It's not hugely complicated, just time consuming.

yes you can bypass it and engine will be fine but without heating pain in the ass to do as you have to remove so much stuff to get at it
Radweld may work but I prefer
http://www.proppa.com/k-seal-cooling-system-repair-98-p.asp
thread here
http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/peugot-box-van-leaking-heater-matrix

thanks for the comments guys, I'm loathe to use radweld etc and am fortunate enough to have a garage. The Car's got aircon so I think I'll need to get that emptied professionally before I start the job too.

Good luck, let us know how you get on. I've ordered some K-Seal to hopefully fix my van heater matrix.
I'd never do this to either of my cards but the van is pretty old and hardly used so I'm not too bothered. I'll be posting an update in a couple of days.

Buy a Haynes manual. Read up how to do it. Then do it. I think the AC matrix is separate to the heater matrix.

What makes you thnk the matrix has gone (i had similar and turned out I just needed to spend £40 and sorted)

AC matrix is usually a seperate item from the heater matrix, but lots of taking a apart required.
Be prepared to have no knuckle on your hand retaining skin by sunday!

Bushwacked,

VAG heater matricies have a habbit of dumping their contents in the passenger footwell. Not always when the fluid is cold.

There's a definate coolant smell and the screen is steaming up, last night when I cranked the temperature up to full steam came out of the central vents and then the screen completely misted up. Got the Haynes manual, also got a copy of the offical Audi workshop manual on disk so I'll be doing a bit of reading, think I'll be ending up with something like this to get to the heater matrix. Later models have an access hatch.

Yeh fuss looks about right! A good tip is when you remove the steering wheel, is leave the nut on a few turns so when eventually comes loose, you don't smack it into your face 🙂

+1 for mk1fan. My Mk2 GTI had a recall for the heater matrix IIRC.

Wouldnt have thought it should take more than a days spannering & swearing to swap the heater matrix.

Pretty much the first part to go into the car is the heater core, so…. everything else must come out to replace.

Yep I had a heater core replaced on my old Mk2 16V I'd heard about the recall and managed to get it done before the offical letter arrived.