Galaxy Front Heater Probs

[CraigB]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have a 1994 Galaxy TDi Ghia X with climate control etc. I bought it used (4years ago).

 

Last august the front heater seemed to stick at one very low temperature setting and refuses to change whatever you do to the controls. 2 months ago I started the car whilst it was warm and found hot air blasting out (not due to sunshine as it was raining and fairly cold). I played with the temp control and could change the temp, but it seemed to be back to front, when I set it to cool it got hot and vica versa. This only lasted 3 or 4 mins, and I was driving at the time so didn't mange to work out a pattern.

 

Needless to say it stopped heating and as winter is approaching I really ought to try and fix it. I bought a haynes manual, but it dosn't seem to cover my particular model. I'm not a keen mechanic and don't have a garage, but am mechanically competent and very motivated to fix this, or will have to rely on the windscreen de-mister again this winter :-)

 

The AC has never worked in the time we have owned it, the LCD display flashes when car is started. No odd noises or smells have ever emenated from the AC unit. Any suggestions as to what I can do ?

 

We can't afford to take the car to a garage so any input would be very welcome.

 

Thanks

 

Craig

[Guest stevebm1]

are you losing any coolant from the system?,do you refill it at regular intervals?

[CraigB]

Hi Steve,

 

The coolant level was very slightly less than it should have been when I checked it last. I topped it up. So it may be loosing coolant but very slowly.

 

Craig

[Guest marcusheawood]

...This sounds like a nightmare dashboard out type problem...

 

However there could be an airlock in the heating circuit. Since flushing (forward and reverse), refilling and bleeding the cooling system is cheap and not difficult to do you should probably start there.

[Guest stevebm1]

if you are not losing coolant,then i suspect the matrix is not leaking itself,however it could be a blockage in one of the pipes,so a flush out with a hose pipe might be in order,you can temporarily bypass the heaters with a straight connector if you still need to drive the car.