Coolant smell through cabin vents...heater matrix?

[Connor H]

Getting a wretched curry/coolant smell every time i use the heater, thinking its the matrix. i cleared up a few small leaks last year, one from a plastic elbow and one from the coolant bottle but the smell has gotten worse

I seem to be losing a tiny bit of coolant as i over filled and now its under the max line. Cant see any leaks on the floor but the weather is not optimised for that currently lol

Is there any way to check its the heater matrix before i strip out the entire dashboard to confirm it ?

pic of the old girl for fun:

 

[MoToJoJo]

Mine has gone and in a similar fashion. Fortunately I don't have carpets so I could see it happening too.

Only thing I can suggest is to check under the carpet in the passenger footwell as close to the tunnel by the firewall as you can get.

Fingers xrossed it isn't that as it's a big job to replace

 

[Alexis27]

Check your pollen filter first. It can send some funky smells in from the engine bay if it's clogged

 

[Connor H]

Yeah really not looking forward to it. Will check the passenger carpet for coolant

Saw something saying you can bypass the matrix by joining the inlet/outlet , but tbh i have never even seen it and ive been under the car a million times.

 

[mty12345]

Yeah really not looking forward to it. Will check the passenger carpet for coolant

Saw something saying you can bypass the matrix by joining the inlet/outlet , but tbh i have never even seen it and ive been under the car a million times.

Hey mate, i have a scrap one on my drive i use for parts, took a vid for you, it's the 2 fat hoses with rusty clips. It's almost directly below the passenger side wiper connection.

Diagram shows inlet and outlet so you could just bypass if need be.

 

[Connor H]

Hey mate, i have a scrap one on my drive i use for parts, took a vid for you, it's the 2 fat hoses with rusty clips. It's almost directly below the passenger side wiper connection.

Diagram shows inlet and outlet so you could just bypass if need be.

View attachment 46285

You sir are a gentleman and scholar