Is the C5 built around its heater matrix, like the Xantia?

[Johnno]

I only ask because I may need to extract it. I had the relatively common issue of hot air always on tap on the passenger's side (my car has the automatic temp control) and I assumed it was the stepper motor, as seems usual. Having removed the glovebox and the motor (why, oh why are the little bolts a 5.5mm socket size??) it did initially seem that the motor wasn't working that well. I swopped the leads between the two motors and they both proved to be fine. Remembering the comments here about needing a longer shaft on the motor, I fiddled with the female connector on the flap, as it seemed to push away from any attempt to refit the motor and - clunk! The sodding thing dropped inside the plastic housing.

I guess it's not meant to do that.

Having shocked a young mum passing by, with the stream of invective from inside the car, I removed the facia panel for a look and I'm thinking that the whole arrangement is going to have to come out, though I have had ideas about cutting a panel out of the housing with a Dremel and then glueing a patch back in.

Has anyone done this job? The Xantia was a full dash removal job and not to be taken lightly. This doesn't look quite so bad but, still...

To round everything off, I broke the plastic clip on the ashtray, which now doesn't close. A good day's work!

[Clogzz]

Yes, like the Xantia.
Never done it and never will.

[spider]

406's (and 306's to be fair) are the same.

Although on a 306 one might say they started with the brake light switch and built the rest around it, given its in a box section on the column and the dash / column has to come out to get to it apparently.

[Richard_C]

So was my 1967 Hillman Hunter .........

Not familiar with the specifics, but an alternative to a dremel might be a blade fixed to a soldering iron with copper wire, to melt a hole and subsequently "weld" it back in place.

[Johnno]

Thanks, guys. Sadly, that rather confirms my fears - and that picture by Clogzz is truly terrifying!! I'll consider the blade idea, but if I find a magical method, I'll let you know. The doubly annoying thing is that I can't even be sure that you can get the heater box apart. It may still require destructive methods.

[Clogzz]

The heater box is firmly bolted to the tunnel.
If there’s destruction, the repair will be out of sight.