How do you check and change a heater matrix on a Daewoo Matiz?

Answer 1

Matrix!?What is a heater "Matrix"? do you mean an element? i have never seen an electic elementy in a automotive interior heater, but i will admit that i don't know that they don't exist---but have never heared of a part named a "Matrix"...i think you may find a small radiator like vessel that takes coolant from the engines cooling system via a black rubber pipe (probably about 1 & 1/4 inch's diameter) through a valve, that is connected and controlled by the heater temperature dial/slide switch, that varies the volume of heated engine coolant that can circulate through the small radiatior like vessel that is in the interior ventilation air box cavity/enclosure. AnswerHeater matrix / heater core / heater rad they're all the same thing, the small impossible to get to approx 8" square little mini radiator that is nicely installed at the very back of the dashboard always. To check it, I suppose you will be looking for signs like a quick burst of hot when you select hot but then it quickly fades to cold again, that could well be a sign of a blocked heater rad. Wet carpets in the footwells could mean a leaking heater rad. Steamy windows that just cant be demisted - now that's a definite sign of a leaking heater rad and also the smell of coolant inside the car. The only check you might do on it is to check for it being blocked I suppose with a garden hose, you would need to take the hoses of the inlet/outlet ports in the engine bay and stick the garden hose to one of the ports, if the water shoots back out at you through the same hole then the rad is blocked I would say. Removing the heater rad now that's a task. My friend and I did one in 4 hrs flat last Saturday and I still cant believe we (he) managed it that fast. He removed the centre console and then the black trim around the radio and instrument cluster. Then he disconnected the instrument cluster and removed it too, the radio also landed in the back seat along with the previously mentioned stuff. Next came the steering wheel and what to do about the airbag which was worrying us. He removed the glovebox and up above it is a yellow connector which he reckoned was the wire for the airbags, then he unbolted the passenger side airbag unit from the 'tie bar' leaving the passenger airbag mounted in the dashboard plastic. In the end we couldn't get the wheel off without a puller which we didnt have so the wheel stayed. This obviously makes removing the one piece dashboard impossible so having removed all the dashboard screws and bolts we just did our best to get in under it and get the job done. Next the centre steel unit which holds everything together in the mid section of the dash was unbolted (8 bolts). Pulling this now only forward enough to work behind at the final hurdle was possible. The big black plastic box unit (heater module) which can clearly be seen from the minute you start this job can now be unbolted from the bulkhead. When you've done that you need to split it down the middle by undoing the 8 or so screws all round it - its a bit like cracking a big Easter egg open down the seam. That done, split the box open, whip out the heater rad/matrix/core, lash in the replacement and put the box back together minding how the flaps should all be located properly as you do it. Now its just a case of putting it all back the way it was. The way we did it was definitely not as they recommend in the manual and I cant claim to have treated the airbag situation as we should have but cars are cars and they gotta be fixed and we don't all have the funds to be marching off down to a main dealer every time theres a fault. We got away without removing the wheel and the bags and the dash so maybe you can too. We were working on a M100 '00 Matiz. Best of luck to anyone who does it, just get your head together and tear into it, don't be doing the stopping and staring thing I am prone to, that's exactly the reason I enlisted my pal who doesnt hang about on a job.

Edit Raymond Snijkers:

I am currently changing (or trying to change) the heater matrix on a 2000 Matiz. I'd like to add to the above that there is no need to split the black box. You can simply slide the matrix out of the back of the box. There are two plastic 'hooks' at the back that hold it in place.

For me the biggest challenge is loosening the two radiator hoses from the matrix. These can only be reached via the engine compartment. But then the engine is in the way. Does anyone have an idea how to solve that?

Grant revan - Edit

Hi- I have just removed the entire dashboard to get at the matrix. You don't need a puller for the steering wheel - just bang the wheel a few times with a rubber mallet and then give a big pull - it will come off - honest. You can then remove the dashboard and the metal frame in front of the the heater unit and if you undo the 4 bolts securing it (the heater unit)to the bulk head it just lifts out leaving the matrix sticking out in mid air. You need a hose clip removal tool (flexible) to undo the hose clips in the engine bay - they are murder to get at with a pair of pliers - I have tried. You can buy them on eBay for about £20. NB you need the correct size torx bit to undo the airbags on both sides and you need the anti-tamper version which is quite rare. You do not need to remove the control stalks by the way, just the steering wheel. The dash will just fit over the stalks. Make sure you have the torx bit (its a 40 or a 45 I think) and the hose clamp tool before you try this job or you will not get it done in one go.