Heater Matrix Change!

[ThatLadOnTheSpanners]

Hey guys!

My 2015 A4’s heater is poor on the drivers side (roasting on the passengers side) so I suspect a partially blocked/blocking matrix.

So, how much of a pig is it to change the matrix? Dash out or partial strip down? I’ve tried searching within the forum but can’t find anything.

 

any help or tips much appreciated!

 

Taaa 👍

[Magnet]

Hello Nathan,

Many thanks for being in touch, and sorry to hear of your problem. 
I would just sit back and give this another logical coat of thinking about - ‘passenger side roasting, driver side poor..’ 

Have a think about how that would equate to a partially blocked heater matrix - if it was, then the heating on both sides would be poor. I would be thinking about heater flaps/control etc. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 
 

[ThatLadOnTheSpanners]

Hey Gareth!

Thanks for replying! One of the reasons for suspecting a partially blocked matrix is by trade I work on modern Land Rovers (Discovery 3 and newer) and they suffer from the exact same symptoms and thats down to a matrix issue.

I may be leading myself down a completely incorrect path though. I presume I should be able to see any Blend Motor issues via VagCom by looking at dynamic read outs? 
 

Many thanks

Nathan

[Magnet]

Sorry Nathan, Disco or not, I still cannot follow your logic of why a partially blocked heater matrix ( without any other fault on the heating system)  can give you roasting heat on the passenger side, and poor heating on the driver side - unless we have two separate matrixes - one for each side!

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Stevey Y]

1 hour ago, Magnet said:

Sorry Nathan, Disco or not, I still cannot follow your logic of why a partially blocked heater matrix ( without any other fault on the heating system)  can give you roasting heat on the passenger side, and poor heating on the driver side - unless we have two separate matrixes - one for each side!

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

Hi sorry I am with Gareth as thinking rationally the vent motors have always given problems, the one I had that went sideways in the back zone 4 did not show up on VCDS so I stripped the front venting off and then watched the two main supply flaps moving when I changed the temp control on both sides and sure enough no4 was not even opening so I bought a second hand main vent unit £60 problem solved.

Steve.

[ThatLadOnTheSpanners]

Hi Gareth.

I only suggested this as I know 100% that on LR’s this is the exact case and the exact symptoms and these also show no other faults with the heating system. 
 

I understand that this being a different make of vehicle that it may be completely different but I’ve had to start with one theory and as Steve has now suggested I will have to go along other routes via VCDS.

Thanks

Nathan