heater matrix leaking

[med far away]

hello everyone. I have a 2011 fiesta, the heater matrix under the dash is leaking coolant, I want to replace it but I don't know if the dashboard need to be removed to get access. Any tutorial ?

[Bobr]

Try adding a bottle of Bars Leaks to the coolant.   It worked for me and the car concerned lasted another 6 years without any problems before I parted with it.

[Luke4efc]

28 minutes ago, Bobr said:

Try adding a bottle of Bars Leaks to the coolant.   It worked for me and the car concerned lasted another 6 years without any problems before I parted with it.

That's just about the worst fix you could possibly do. It's all great if it does work, but for most people it does more harm than good. Not only will you seal a leaky pipe, but you'll likely seal the radiator and block that up too. Not to mention the small coolant passages that will clog up and further overheat your engine.

[Bobr]

https://barsleaks.com/cooling/how-does-radiator-stop-leak-work/

[dezwez]

dash out to do the job ☹️

[med far away]

1 hour ago, dezwez said:

dash out to do the job ☹️

that is such a big work to do 😯

[med far away]

3 hours ago, Luke4efc said:

That's just about the worst fix you could possibly do. It's all great if it does work, but for most people it does more harm than good. Not only will you seal a leaky pipe, but you'll likely seal the radiator and block that up too. Not to mention the small coolant passages that will clog up and further overheat your engine.

you are right , I rather prefer a leaking heater than a clogged radiator or engine. for now I have just isolated the matrix from the coolant circuit by using a small "U" shaped pipe.

[dezwez]

5 hours ago, med far away said:

that is such a big work to do 😯

did my grandsons a few mouths ago just got to have a good memory to put it all back together

here a picture just before the new matrix went in

[dezwez]

[fleamoo]

Here's one for you.... if you now have access to the inlet stubs of the isolated heater matrix, maybe you could buy some coolant hose and clips and a funnel, and repeatedly pass hot stop leak through the matrix collecting each time in a bucket and repeating until you get fed up of it. Finish with clean water. If it doesn't work you've not lost much and you haven't contaminated the engine or radiator. As long as it doesn't soak the interior too badly of course! Just an idea, but as Bob says bars leaks does seem to have moved with the times and may be a much better product these days to put through the whole system.