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[Duke01]

Evening.
Just recently, The screen is wet on the inside after work, when it hasnt rained, but doesnt seem to be wet first thing in the morning, whether it rains or not.
I have cleared the scuttle drain, the vents in the boot are ok.
Pollen filter is the charcoal one.
I made the mistake of wiping it with a towel, which made it worse, so its going to have a good clean.
I wonder if its a Heater matrix problem.
I did flush it through last year, but its worse again, so changing it this weekend. Although i think i last did this about four years ago.
It blows warm ish at me or the footwell, but cold at the screen.
The Aircon doesnt work, it never has.

Can anyone suggest anything else?

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Blocked scuttle drains allowing water to leak into the cabin, soaking the carpets ?

[B52]

From experience - leaking matrix usually causes a noticeable smell (like stale curry)

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Check the carpets and the soundproofing mats. If it's been leaking they'll have soaked up all the water... And you'll have to take them all out and dry them thoroughly.

I am speaking from experience... Yesterday! The NS soundproofing os basically a great big sponge.

[Nick W]

Whatever the cause of your leak, the heater should provide plenty of HOT air as soon as the engine warms up. That should be in about a mile.


A faulty thermostat and/or blocked heater matrix will prevent the heater working properly. A new thermostat is probably a good idea, as it's cheap and a failing one will adversely affect the fuel economy. Flushing the matrix is free and can improve heating, but I suggest that a new matrix is a better idea. It's another cheap part, but is not a good job to do

[Doctor Gollum]

Storing rags and other crap in the boot cubbies won't help either. But lift the carpets as the sound deadening will hold a couple of litres before the carpet begins to feel damp.

[johnnydog]

My 2002 saloon had a leak from the sun roof drain on the drivers side earlier in the year which worked it's way unnoticied from on top of the roof lining down behind all the kick panel trim and absolutely soaked the floor insulation/ sound deadening in the drivers footwell and the carpets. The early indications of the problem was the car misting up and the only way of clearing it was to open the windows. If parked up, any damp in the atmosphere caused condensation on all the windows.
Now the cause of the leak has been sorted and the carpets have been dried out, I get no condensation or any windows misting up whatsoever.

[Duke01]

Heater Matrix done and i have hot air again. That was a fun job.
Will do the thermostat shortly, just in case. I didn't think of that when i had the cambelt and water pump done.
Cubby holes clear, scuttle clear and carpets were dry underneath.
I haven't had the problem since, although it has been a bit warmer in the mornings.

Appreciate the advice guys, thank you.

[B52]

Out of interest, was the matrix leaking or blocked?

[Duke01]

I dont think it was leaking, although that may explain it.
It may have been partly blocked, im not sure, but water flowed through.

[Nick W]

I dont think it was leaking, although that may explain it.
It may have been partly blocked, im not sure, but water flowed through.

If you still have it, prise the plastic tank off and show us what's inside.


I didn't take a photo of mine, but only two of the thirteen(I think) tubes actually flowed any water. Some of them were so badly silted up that I couldn't poke a piece of lockwire down them. So, it flowed water, but not enough to transfer heat into the heater box.