Tsport Heater Matrix Leaking.

[Tsport owner]

Dear all.

I am a long time Tsport owner 52 plate which now has 110,000 on the clock and a new member to the forum.

I would apprecite some help / advice.

On a long journey earlier this year I found a mixture of water and antifreeze flooding the passenger footwell.

I quickly came to the conclusion that the matrix was knackered, but without seeing its design, bought a 2nd hand one from a scrapyard as a new one was very expensive £300'ish.

On seeing the 2nd hand one I can't believe it is the matrix at fault, as Toyota usually don't fail.(This is from experience of owning a 4x4 Tercel, 4x4 Corolla estate and Toyota Previa before the TSport)

I think it has failed where inlet and outlet pipes meet the matrix itself ie, where the 'O' ring seals & clamps hold the 2 parts together.

To act as a short term stop gap I have bypassed the matrix altogether with a piece of pipe.

Can anyone please advise the rough cost of replacement labour only from a garage.

or.

Tell me how to remove the dash to sort it out,

Regards Dave

[morgie]

Hi Dave, this post may help with regards to removing the matrix(?) Also some useful subsequent posts in that same thread. Good luck!

[Tsport owner]

Morgie.

Many thanks for the link.

Nice to see what looks like another Black 3 door TSport same as mine.

I managed to buy it the day it was put on the forecourt and they had not noticed it had Toyota built in Sat Nav.

Got it for £1000 less than I should have.

I have a feeling you may just have saved me hundreds of £ as Toyota wanted 6 hours @ whatever their hourly rate was.

Best quote I had was £280

All the best Dave

[Pandamaniac]

Morgie and all.

Many thanks for all your help in pointing me to the posts showing matrix removal.

I did purchase a 2nd hand matrix which altough thinner in section than the proper Tsport item is the same size and fittings and fits and works just as well.

Fitting did indeed involve cutting the blower bracket but the rest was exactly as described.

Blasted special pipe clips are a bugger to fit, howvever I now have heat thanks to you guys on the forum.

Regards David

[morgie]

Great news David. Thanks for updating everyone! What car was the second hand matrix off of out of interest (if thinner than the original T Sport one)? If you had any photos of the job you did might be worth sticking them up for the benefit of others that may want to try the same thing.

Enjoy the heat!

[Pandamaniac]

Morgie.

I bought it through the Partsgateway search engine on the internet and all I did was gave the Car details Reg No and Model and what I wanted.

I assumed I would have been sent the correct item, but I suspect this is out of a standard Corolla.

The fact that it is thinner actually made it easier to put back in as space is limited.

In fact I suggest anyone doing a matrix gets a new girlfiend who is a contortionist to put the clamps back on.

The photos shown in the link you got for me were spot on.

HEAT IS WONDERFUL!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

Dave