LAKE IN FOOTWELL

rongee68 · Unread post by **rongee68** » 15 Feb 2007, 20:49

xantia has lots of water in passenger footwell. coolant level not going down so dont suspect heater matrix. has anyone any idea where water is getting in. thanks

Unread post by **RichardW** » 15 Feb 2007, 20:53

Most likely the scuttle panel (black plastic bit the wipers come through that's supposed to be bonded to the screen) has come unbonded from the windscreen, and the water is running down behind it and straight through the blower.

steelcityuk · Unread post by **steelcityuk** » 15 Feb 2007, 21:39

I'd say Richard is right, same happened on my car and I think it was Richard who told me the plastic panel was to blame. I removed mine, cleaned it and the windscreen and bonded it back on with some silicone bathroom sealent.

Steve.

rongee68 · Unread post by **rongee68** » 16 Feb 2007, 06:55

thanks a lot you guys, i fix it then start the clean up operation

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 16 Feb 2007, 12:34

I had my windscreen replaced recently and the person who did the job did not seal the scuttle panel as well as they should and it still leaked. He just ran a bead of soft mastic in that did not do the job at all well as the natural spring in the panel pulled it off the glass soon after. It needs to be bonded and well bonded at that.

Unfortunately few windscreen people realise the importance of this.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 17 Feb 2007, 18:25

I have just spent the day replacing the heater matrix on my Xantia.
It was not losing much coolant, maybe a cupful a month.
Having had it all apart, I have a few comments:

If the water is from a leaking matrix, you will probably find some dampness around the joint between the heater casing and the A/C casing, this will taste of anti-freeze.

If the problem is a blocked drain on the A/C unit, the leak would probably be from the same place, but the water would not taste of anti-freeze.

If the water is coming in through the intake, then it would be leaking from the bottom of the fan case, on the other side of the A/C casing.

The sealing of the plastic trim under the windscreen appears to only matter for the section just above the the heater air intake. Anywhere else and the water will drain away without entering the car.

Unread post by **xantia_v6** » 18 Feb 2007, 17:34

I finished the matrix change today, so I may as well add a couple of notes on the job:

Haynes is wrong for removal of glovebox on a Mk 1 Xantia with passenger airbag. You need to peel back the felt on the bottom of the glovebox and remove two screws that are revealed.

Contrary to Haynes, it is not necessary to remove the passenger side airbag (or even disconnect the connector on the airbag), as it comes out with the dash, and ther is another connector by the LH pillar.

You don't need to remove the wiper assembly, just the plastic trim below the windscreen.

On a car with A/C, don't remove the nut under the bonnet that holds the fan/evaporator casing. Instead, remove the two bolts and one screw that hold the evaporator casing to the heater casing, and spilt the units there.

After removing a leaking matrix, remember to mop up the puddle of coolant that will be sitting in the bottom of the casing.

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LAKE IN FOOTWELL

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