well lads need to take out the control panel for the heater the cable has slipped off the temp control looks like the cable is seized its been parked up for a while just wondering how you get the controls out and can i do anything to free up the cable.its a 99 pickup diesel .cheers

Jim (felicia16v) will probably know a smarter way, but I thought the way was taking the heater assembly out forwards (i.e. into the engine bay), there are a few screws that hold the control panel to the dash, and then the two nuts that hold the heater to the bulkhead (accessible from the engine bay). I've only ever taken them out when the dash has already been out though....

Jim (felicia16v) will probably know a smarter way, but I thought the way was taking the heater assembly out forwards (i.e. into the engine bay), there are a few screws that hold the control panel to the dash, and then the two nuts that hold the heater to the bulkhead (accessible from the engine bay). I've only ever taken them out when the dash has already been out though....

is it a big job

Well, if it's just the cable to reattach, I'd try to do it in situ. It's not enormous, but it does take a fair bit of effort; as I say I've only done it on cars I've been stripping anyway. Jim will probably have done it before though, on a "working" car.

ohh ok well the diesel has a heater valve still so no need to remove the matrix etc. you will need to remove the upper dash cover so remove all the blanks in the blue part of the dash ie end of switch row and also the funny shaped bit on the driverside and the bit of trim between the centre vents and also under the bonnet give the speedo cable a good push thru the bulkhead.

then gently pull the whole part away , you will need to release the speedo cable once you have room to get your hand up in there and also the 3 wiring plugs onto the dash panel (colour coded so cant mix them up and all the switch multi plugs again the switches have a coloured sticker on them and coloured plugs.

you should then be able to see the heater controls and work out what is wrong..

maybe worth checking that the heater tap is nice and free in the engine bay first tho, the diesel heater is very similar to an old favorite darren and gives much more space in the bay incase you ever need one lol

apoligies for spelling i've had a few beers now

ive tried getting in by taking out the speedo its too tight to see the back of the control panel can you take the top off the dash or is it a complete dash.am i making sense

No, you can't take the top off the dash with it in situ - the screws that hold the "Felicia" bit (as opposed to the Favorit underpinnings) aren't all accessible with it in place.

there are 2 screws that hold the panel in place from the top i think try removing them and moving the panel sideways a bit