Morning everyone,

I know this one is non-skoda but the Passat forums seem to be almost entirely populated by USA members, which isn't much use for this query.

My father's Passat (a B5 from '97) is suffering from the symptoms of heater core matrix failure (smell of coolant in the cabin, slow coolant drop in tank, lots of moisture, steamed up windows when heating on etc.). I'm trying to help him get it sorted and am trying to think of the best place to take it for the work in the area (I live South Manchester / East Cheshire).

I've had quotes for £330 ish from VW themselves, and spoken with Awesome (although they are a little less certain on time because it's not something they've done very much). Is there anywhere else that anyone can think of?

Cheers.

Send the tax back, lay it up until next Summer, bypass the heater matrix then trade it in - preferably to a VAG dealer.

rotodiesel.

Send the tax back, lay it up until next Summer, bypass the heater matrix then trade it in - preferably to a VAG dealer.

rotodiesel.

a bit extreme methinks :eek:

a bit extreme methinks :eek:

You're not kidding! :eek:

We've got it sorted now anyway.

Buy a Haynes and do it yourself!

Buy a Haynes and do it yourself!

Have you seen what's required? :eek:

Got the Haynes - it requires a complete removal of the dashboard, everything. :eek:

You're not kidding! :eek:

We've got it sorted now anyway.

what did you do Rob ?

what did you do Rob ?

We 'phoned around a few places at tbh it would seem that everywhere was "estimating" about the same as the stealers, yet the stealers have given a fixed price quote, whenas the rest were saying "we expect, but could be more . . ." As such, he's decided to take it to VW afterall!

Apparently it's a VAG failing point going back to the early 90's, but I've not seen much occurance of it on here? It's all over passatworld though, and general opinion there is that the dealers are the best place to go with it as because of the high failure rate, they're very good at changing them. Still, "high failure rate" of a component that's been used for over a decade . . . would have thought they'd have changed it by now.