I had to have my heating matrix replaced on my old Ford Focus (2005) as the matrix itself and the pipes were leaking. The mechanic was able to fix both successfully, but now the left side of the driver’s footwell, from the centre console all the way down the floor, gets very hot after a few miles of driving.
Not so hot as to have my left knee and the left side of my leg touching that wall feel like its burning. But I have only driven it for a 20 minute journey so far.
The mechanic said it was because the box containing the matrix had become brittle, so essentially he has fitted a new one without that box covering. I imagine also that the pipes/tubes may have been resituated a little closer to the left wall that is getting hot. Some of the plastic along the left wall of the driver footwell is also bit loose and I can feel very warm air blowing from underneath the loose flaps.
My question is: If I drive it any further, and for longer journeys, how hot is it going to get? Will it reach a certain temperature and stabilise? Or will it just continue to get hotter until its melting any plastic and wiring that may be near it and/or start a fire? Is it something dangerous that I need to worry about?
My mechanic said he used heat proof tubing to connect the old pipes to the new ones and any residual heat should be nothing to worry about but its quite a lot of heat. I don’t know enough about the mechanics of the heating system to know what melt-able/combustable parts or wiring are near the matrix. I’m just paranoid about driving it any further than the 15 mile single journeys I have been in case it just continues to get hotter and hotter to the point of being too hot to have my skin next to the plastic, melt some wiring, or start a fire.
I’d say right now, after 25 min or driving, the plastic under the steering wheel and all along the left wall of driver footwell feels about 40 - 50 degrees C. Do I need to get the matric and pipes fitted with better insulation? And is that possible? Any help appreciated.
I am indeed located in the UK. The matrix (heater core) and pipes have only just been replaced with a new system so I’d be disappointed if that was already leaking. I seem to have just as much coolant in the tank as I did when he first fixed it so if it is leaking it must be very small amounts?
Glad that Tester cleared up the “matrix” language. I know about things like “bonnets” and “tyres” but hadn’t heard the matrix term. In any case…
After the few miles the car was very likely all the way to full temperature - meaning it’s already gotten as hot as will during normal driving. It’s probably got something like a 185F (85 celsius) thermostat, and will spend almost all of it’s time running in at something like 185-190F (85-88C). If you sit and idle for a long time it might get to something on the order of 220F (105C). I’m open to 2nd opinions, but especially considering that none of your plastic trim is likely to be in direct contact it won’t hurt anything.
If you need air conditioning where you are it might be a problem… I’m guessing the labor involved in replacing this matrix was extensive - it often involves removing the dashboard. But did you ask about having the shop do some better insulating of the new matrix & hoses?
As for the question of leaking, if you haven’t lost any coolant since the job was done it’s probably not leaking. But just watch it closely for a while - but that’s good advice regardless, and especially after work has been done on the system.
Thank you all for the help. It was a mobile mechanic who came to my home so he didn’t have a lot to work with. He did the best he could and he spent hours on it the poor man. He didn’t actually remove the dash he just took away the plastic panelling from the left side of the footwell and worked through there. I don’t mind the heat as such as winter is coming anyway and hopefully I wont have this old rust bucket come summer. I’m just concerned about the heat being dangerous or damaging components that are near it.
If you decide that you need insulation, consider reflective foil in a foam backing like the product in the attached link. It’s basically aluminum foil bonded to a thin foam backing. If you want added rigidity bond it to an aluminum panel. You don’t need nearly as much as is show, it’s just a visual reference.
