Heater Matrix...The Wrong Way To Do The Job. But It Worked... Ford Mondeo Mk5

Heater Matrix...The Wrong Way To Do The Job. But It Worked... Ford Mondeo Mk5. (163,000 miles on the clock).
First time replacing a heater radiator in a mk5 ford mondeo 2l diesel.
Without any instructions on how to carry the job out i have finally come to the conclusion that the vehicle dashboard and heater should be removed from the vehicle as one complete assembly.

[@davemonkey0057]

you were right at the end , the frame , dash and hvac come out as one unit . i did one last year and figured it out by watching a video on how they build the cars in a factory . still a long ass job tho !!

[@marklittler784]

"Watching how they build them at the factory " Haaaaa haaaaaa haaaaaaa never of thought of that one looooool 😄😃😂😅

[@alan4x]

🤪

[@whisperingbob]

When I was working as a lorry driver, I spent some time delivering fascias from the factory where they are made to the car assembly plants. As said above, the fascia is just about everything between the driver and the engine bulkhead. The only thing they didn't fit was the radio. I watched them fitting them in the BMW Mini factory in Oxford and the whole thing was supported by an overhead pully so that the fitter could just push it through the door opening and bolt it into place. That part took, maybe a minute, and then the next guy started connecting electrics and heater hoses etc. I was astonished to see how you dismantled the whole thing like that.

[@Monty09x]

Alan im a ford tech and i take it out as one big assembly with the steering column so much easier and of course with the doors off

[@alan4x]

thanks.. if i have the misfortune to do another i may well do it like that just to see🤪thanks chris

[@Monty09x]

Alan Howatt your welcome

[@Squirt200]

I do the Fiesta Mk7 like that too, OSF door off and wheel the lot straight out! Heavy though!

[@richardhalpin7459]

This video scares me. If mine goes I think I'll just set it alight.

[@alan4x]

lol

[@-DC-]

K seal and off to the auctions would have been it's fate if I owned that ! What a nightmare job 😱

[@alan4x]

🤪

[@herrbohnen]

I was thinking exactly the same

[@droidtv3392]

Nightmare job 😱 K seal will fix it 😁

[@sopissedoff]

U don't do that ,an innocent family could end up buying your scrap ,if u feel the need to rip some one off ,send it to a salvage auction ,maybe it's just me ,but the country is full of arse holes ,don't add to it🤔

[@mixedboi]

OMG this job is a nightmare, you did great without any instructions. You're awesome Alan.

[@alan4x]

cheers emin🤪

[@ggraf9327]

I have had to do this myself on a couple of cars, it’s an absolute nightmare due to the amount of time it takes and details.

[@maciekapocaliptic]

Good to see you back!

[@alan4x]

thanks🤪😜

[@leoesposito8762]

Enjoy your cup of tea you definitely deserve it good job well done.👍

[@alan4x]

chers leo🤪

[@marknicholson4132]

Brilliant job Al.... So funny watching you attempt unknown jobs... Keep it up mate...

[@alan4x]

cheers mark

[@johnbryant6572]

I once changed one of these on the old ford Sierra.took me all day that was inside a plastic like box but it was doable without stripping out the bulkhead.but a very intensive fiddly time consuming job.it pulled out from the side i ended up breaking some of the plastic vents but I wasent bothered.on the old mark 3 cortina I had one in 1984 the heater matrix radiator just pulled out the front of the engine bay it was in a slot at the top of the engine bay.just undo the pipes and the screws.5 minute job.they have made them complicated and no though given in how you maintain them.your a very brave man attempting doing that.i wouldent fancy it.think they want people not to be able to maintain these modern cars and buy new every few years making them imposible to work on.

[@motokierownik5091]

Well Alan, I know what did you deal with. I've done similar job when I was installing complete air conditioning system to my Opel/Vauxhall Vectra B (10 years ago). That was realy hard job but as I see here now it was not so hard as in Mondeo MK5. Unfortunately in Mondeo MK5 whatever you would like to do/repair is heavy and usualy takes a lot of money... Kind regards and thanks for your video. Great as always.

[@alan4x]

cheers

[@don-qb4xb]

You my friend are a hero.

[@davidcarroll2152]

I had to do one of these on a Citroen ZX Turbo Diesel back when I was a student - only £30 for the part but was looking at nearly a grand labour to get it done which there was no way I could afford. Took me 2 weekends painstaking taking lots of very fragile components to bits, lots of photos, and taping all the screws to pieces of card & labeling every connector - was a bloody nightmare but the sense of achievement when it was fixed was great! Doesn't look like car manufacturers are making it any easier!

[@bazasulli4975]

Supposedly most Citroëns from 79 onwards were an absolute c*nt to work on. I know my dad's 2007 m59 berlingo is a total c*nt to work on so it seems they didn't change there ways since then with GSA's and the like. Though it's surprising it would be that hard to do on a ZX being a bit simplistic appart from the hydromatic suspension. Only Citroën 😂.

[@andrewward6555]

Did this job on a 2.3D Sierra many years ago...total nightmare but nothing compared to this modern car...thought you did a great job tbf 👍

[@alan4x]

cheers andrew

[@Automotive_Solutions]

If I get one of these I know where to take it to now 😃. Good effort.

[@alan4x]

thanks🤪

[@seanmc6957]

Great job fair play to you 😊

[@tvwize]

Did a Heater Matrix DIY on a old Pug 405 diesel estate. Went at 170k. Never felt so broken looking at the dash out on the floor and thinking to my self that i had to put it back together! Never again!

[@mehrzahl2219]

Did this last week on my 99 Volvo V70. Two hours job, with tea breaks.

[@shornsparks20005]

You get my respect mate I don't know how you worked all that out well done I was watching your video the other day about wet belts my wet belt has just gone on my Ford Transit 2L 83000 miles despite having Ford full service history and Ford do not want to know anything about it the van is only 3 years and 18 days old keep up the good videos mate I will see if I can get a timing chain as you was on about if they do them for the transit 2-litre

[@alan4x]

i don't know if they do chains for your transit but i will have one of those wet belts to do soon so i will give my thoughts on that one when it comes, cheers

[@shornsparks20005]

@@alan4x thanks very much mate keep up the good work and wishing you all the best

[@PDSVIDEO1966]

What a nightmare job,hopefully you will get your access back to the ford tech info soon.

[@frednetherlands887]

Thank you!

[@midlifecrisis.2409]

Saab had it sussed with the 9000, blower fan and heater matrix accessible from the engine bay. A different story on my mk2 Volvo V70, getting the dash out is fairly easy but getting the heater box out is a much bigger job. Luckily on mine it was just the o rings on the matrix that had crumbled,fixed in situ. Changing the heater matrix must be one of the toughest jobs on most modern cars IMO.

[@Clicksystems]

The way you have disassembled it is along the lines of what ford say to remove the dash. Front panel off first then rest. I would never try to remove entire assembly in 1 go because of the weight of it, it was put in as a single assembly though, as can be seen on focus mk2 here, kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGrSaGSEo6ebsMU 0.36 seconds in. They build the dashboard up complete on a jig with heater box, and steering column the lot then install it as 1 single assembly. But that’s not how ford say to take them out and I doubt it’s even easy to do so because of the weight, it’s likely whole lot will fall forward and collapse then will need dragging out by 2 people... but putting it back I’d imagine would be nearly impossible due to weight lifting it into place; holding it and bolting it in place, they use a fixture and machine in the factory. But removal Ford usually always say remove front panel then strip it down piece by piece as you have done. Reason it’s not got pipes which separate is likely for 2x reasons. 1) cost, as separate pipes require extra seals and parts to fit, plus an extra manufacturing assembly process on the line. 2) they got burnt twice with this idea on the focus. On the mk2 focus they started out with pipes which separated on the early ones... but then they had a lot of trouble with the seals leaking on the join. So the later ones were a single piece. Then they tried it again on the mk3 focus, and had exactly same problem, in fact when one goes on a mk3 focus they don’t even list the seals and don’t even sell the heater matrix with the separate pipes as a service part... only the single piece design. So the ones with the separate pipes can only be replaced with the version with the integrated pipes... when the seals go I have to order the seals from the mk2 focus. So after trying twice and failing twice they probably just gave up and stuck to the single pipe design.

[@alan4x]

thanks, good explanation😊

[@tyberzann9713]

you are right alan! that thing comes out as an whole assembly :D include the column and all the other crab. you only take the connectors out of the fusebox and tear it all apart on the bench :D

[@julianchambers8372]

Hi Alan I've got a 2014 Mk 4 2.0 diesel. Can you tell me how to check the glow plug operation. The dash warning light doesn't come on at all.!!! Thanks Julian

[@coopers4491]

Good evening its wednesday ,hope my mk3 is,nt as bad!!!! What a slog of a job...... Rather you than me!!!!😄😄😄😄😄😄😄😄was planning on buying a mk5. STAY SAFE love the channel

[@alan4x]

cheers

[@jeffjohnson847]

Hi mate just watched your video on mondeo fuel problems I no you have a lot of mondeos I have a 65 plate diesel had it nearly a year have you any idear on how to change head light bulb when it goes don’t fancy taking of front bumper 😩

[@oldschoolengineer58]

nice one Alan

[@alan4x]

cheers roy

[@LinuxGalore]

I have watched lots of video of cars being assembled in modern factories, a common theme is the whole dash is installed in 1 piece. It looks like the dashes are assembled off site by a contractor and loaded on a special carrier that the robot uses to lower the dash into the car. There is usually a human on hand who connects the electrics and another machine that tightens all the screws at once.

[@tenjouin1]

This is what I was thinking to write as a comment but eventually you said it already. I would only say that it seems to me that one needs to have robot to dismantle the facia, as human hand cannot reach. And in general, it seems, all the more often one is beginning to need a robot to do everything in car repairs.

[@simonsmith2802]

When the car is built in the factory the technicians have the whole - assembly on a jig so I bet you any money you have to unbolt the frame straight from the car it's probably as simple as that

[@TheDaf95xf]

Morning Alan. Fantastic a cup of T and one of your videos lol 😂 This one isn't for the faint hearted 🙈 Only 3 screws left over what's become of you hehe 😂 Has Monica dyed her hair to match the taxis 🤣 You didn't through the heater matrix into the bin 🙄 Keep safe all of you and see ya until the next one cheers Stevie

[@alan4x]

cheers stevie..damn...why didn't i fling that old rad🤪

[@janihalttunen5501]

Nerve asking job. It went pretty good.

[@garybrown5500]

Unfortunately cars are becoming like washing machines & other white goods ie expensive & complex to repair. As with a washing machine you may shell out to get it fixed once. But after a few years its cheaper to dump it & get another. So much for saving resources etc. Bring back the good old days when you would see car owners with the bonnet up fixing/servicing & generally keeping their cars going at the weekend in the street.

[@alan4x]

yes exactly 😜cheers gary, your right

[@steverpcb]

When you were in the office you were 2m from both of them, you were trapped lol

[@alan4x]

🤪

[@robertgibson7716]

i feel your pain Alan only done a couple in my time and they were bad nothing like that job why oh why do they use cheap ally to make radiators to save a few pennies per car ahhhh you and your family stay safe Alan

[@bunabuna9287]

Haha what a nightmare job I feel your pain Alan. Great job though so good to finally finish it. It's one of them you hope never again.

[@alan4x]

cheers buna... thing is now i know how to do it...nah i dont want to do another🤪

[@bunabuna9287]

@@alan4x haha i don't blame you mate. It's a mission of a job that.

[@orlandoberry4031]

I’m disappointed that you had screws left over. However - when my heater core went, I just disconnected it from the cooling system. Makes clearing the fog off the windscreen in winter time a bit chilly as I have to use the air-con.

[@olivermooney9705]

Hi Alan I replaced the dash on my wife's mk 5 those two 7 mill screws absolute nightmare I had to break the two tabs off just to get them off why would they put the screws in backwards il never know great videos as always stay safe 👍👍👍

[@alan4x]

hi oliver...its because the whole dash and heater box are designed to be removed from the car as one whole assembly

[@Mark-gf7yw]

Wouldn't it be great, if design engineers designed a car with ease of repair in mind and not just ease of manufacture 🙄

[@st200ol]

Why do that, its designed to never need repairing. ;-)

[@Witheredgoogie]

Just a thought- would it have been any less of a dismantle if you had just cut the pipes out on the old unit?

[@alan4x]

there was no room to remove the matrix anyway without removing the dash

[@Witheredgoogie]

@@alan4x Cheers Alan. It seems Ford heaters started being a nightmare to service from the Sierra onwards..

[@tenjouin1]

I wonder should I buy a 1970s Taunus or even older 1950s Anglia so that I could do the repairs myself with relative ease? Thank you for the important video Mr Howatt 👍👏🙏🌞

[@alan4x]

lol, yes, a ford cortina only had two screws to remove the heater rad

[@anthonyoriordan5967]

Hi Alan, just bought a mk 4 mondeo 2.0tdci Titanium 143,000 full service history and clutch/flywheel, replaced at 124,000 after your "should I buy a mk4 mondeo" love the car but occasionally when it's cold it's difficult to select 1st and reverse gears, any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated.

[@alan4x]

i would have the gearbox oil replaced..many people have had positive results with the same gear selection problem

[@anthonyoriordan5967]

Thanks Alan, must have read nearly every reply, i ordered 2L Castrol syntrans 75 w90 to see if this helps/cures. I will give feedback 👍🇮🇪

[@Vanadeo]

@@anthonyoriordan5967 Did it work?.

[@AbdulKhan-cg3hs]

Hi Alan. I have a 62 plate mondeo 2.0d. I keep losing battery charge. I had water damage in my bcm which I have cleaned up. 2 pins broke off but the car is very temprmental for the last few weeks it's been fine but at the moment it's losing charge. I have a replacement bcm. Do you think it's the bcm or something else

[@alan4x]

i would have the battery checked first and make sure the alternator is charging before even thinking about anything else

[@AbdulKhan-cg3hs]

@@alan4x Hi Alan I put a new battery in. I'll check altinator. Many thanks

[@philipnewton7524]

Allen I did the same job on a 19864 ford capri a night mare taking everything out but the fan went on it so u get no heater so the job had to be done Phil in stoke

[@sitdox]

My condolences about your crappy job mine was even worse C Class Merc 220CDI 2012-2014 twin turbo seized engine out It took two hours just to unbolt starter motor cable awful piece of poo that car is so I could have swapped with you mate Anyway thanks for the video and stay safe mate

[@SJR275]

Did Ford revoke access to the service manual things, not gonna be a similar case to what Tesla is doing by removing the supercharging feature from repaired cars is it?

[@alstirling69]

Think I'll be keeping ma Honda abit longer..!! :-D

[@alan4x]

lol

[@nsz2302]

I thought that the Alfa 166 heater matrix was a pain to do but after seeing this i think of it as a walk in the park.

[@alan4x]

lol

[@marklittler784]

I took the dash out of an 86 Camry in the past, hardly took me anytime at all the second time though 😅😄😃😂

[@bendoherty7721]

How many hours from start to finish and now knowing what you know. If you had the same tomorrow, would you do it the same?

[@alan4x]

i reckon 6-8 hours without taking it steady

[@KAZUYADOG]

Well at least you did not have to take the bloody windscreen out.

[@alan4x]

lmao...it was on my mind

[@wardybasher]

I think I would have cut the two heater matrix pipes just after the bend @ 90 degrees then loosened at the bulkhead to allow the matrix to slide out. Refit the new matrix and join the popes with some rubber hose and clips. Nice work Alan.

[@marcusFZ6]

That was certainly quite a task. You did a top job and only 3 screws left over, bonus. Why have you lost your access to the Ford ETIS ?? Surely with a Fleet of over 100 cars, it's an Essential tool for what you do.

[@alan4x]

we were not supposed to have it in the first place but will look into getting it legit lol

[@chasmcl42]

Ok use a bit of tissue to hold a bolt and leave the rest to NASA technicians got it Alan great video mate.

[@alan4x]

cheers charles..i like two keep it simple🤪

[@jbgaud]

I've done the same job on my peugeot 206. it's a pain in the b... Even with the technical documentation from Peugeot.

[@muchakunzwa8515]

Allan can I have your contacts. I messed up ford galaxy 1.8 tdci zetec when I tried checking timing belt n alternator belt. Need assistance to time it. Iam in Zimbabwe and recently imported this car from UK

[@Cyberhonny]

I thing thats your new favorite job🤪

[@alan4x]

lol

[@bigsullyuk]

Anyone got part number for heater matrix

[@leeallen7491]

here just for monicas new red hair lol

[@canterbury39]

great vid. I would try take it out in one, NOT on my own.....still........Bloody nightmare.

[@richardbauer8154]

Alan, what went wrong with you access to ETIS? Ok, sometimes the Ford servers are offline...

[@MarkWilson-qb5kr]

Well good news is ,you had a spare car for the driver ,if mine ever goes I’ll be driving 200 Mille and be booking it in at your garage 😂😂

[@marklittler784]

One! 😃😂😁😄

[@alan4x]

cheers mark🤪

[@tonyford7987]

How long did it take?

[@alan4x]

a day and a half but in fairness i was not rushing and also filming so you could do this in a day

[@gerryhayes6385]

I had the same job to do last year on a 2012 Audi A4 drivers side foot well full of antifreeze nightmare of a job 🤣🤣

[@JasonSmith-oc8ov]

Fiesta is the same dash frame and heater box all out together

[@herrbohnen]

Any idea why this leaked in the first place?

[@alan4x]

no idea at all...this is the first i ever have with a leak

[@paulnewby2603]

I think i would by-pass the matrix and sell in the summer.then buy myself a mk3 cortina it was easy on them.the good old days

[@alan4x]

🤪

[@germanhugger41]

What a nightmare job it is to replace a heater matrix on on most cars it is nowadays. I remember doing one on my 99 Skoda octavia Tdi over ten years ago... What an ordeal to replace a €30 part. The idiot engineers who design these cars could quite easily put a removable bung on the engine firewall so the heater matrix could be replaced in ten minutes...

[@neilobusk]

Watch out for them fiery redheads alan....Trouble for sure... :) more so than a dashboard job..... N x

[@alan4x]

🤪

[@grahamclarksondrums4119]

that dash was probably fitted as a whole unit in 1 min on the production line

[@alan4x]

your right it was😟

[@grahamclarksondrums4119]

@@alan4x .....good effort though, not many people would want to take on that job blind, cars are and always will be just lego block assembly parts designed around mass production, I work for a vehicle manufacturer and I am constantly at the design engineers to think about access and ease of repair for those poor buggers working on them.

[@johnburton9156]

Monica looking as beautiful as ever 😍🥰😘👅❣️💘💞💓💖

[@jayash6108]

On my 205, all you do is drain the cooling system and then you unclip the hoses under the dash and slide out, these mondeos are way too over complicated

[@andyc3856]

Yes,205's are great. I've got a 1986 diesel.

[@terryjones3755]

Check out alldata its OEM repair data for most European manufacturers it would have helped you I have it and it's good for jobs like that

[@marinusapeldoorn6631]

Might have tried the American counterpart namely the fusion

[@alan4x]

thanks terry

[@Ad-gn8pl]

ETIS gone into self isolation then?

[@alan4x]

yes it has.. our log in details don't work anymore, not that we should have been using it anyway🤪

[@Ad-gn8pl]

@@alan4x with the amount of their vehicles you buy there's got to be a convo to be had 😉

[@RemusKingOfRome]

OMG ! ... you own a ford ? I always use my phone to video disassembly ... but rarely is useful.

[@alanreeder9459]

That looks a nightmare of a job 🙈

[@alan4x]

yes it was lol

[@matthewking5612]

That stupid bolt's an example of how manufacturers deliberately complicate repair jobs to increase their dealer margins. Remember the mk1 Mondeo and it's factory paper thin clutch? That was charged at 9 hours

[@bazasulli4975]

LOOK AT THE SHOULDER ON THAT BOLT. F ME MAN. I don't think I own a extension that long yet.

[@alan4x]

lol

[@KJohansson]

Good one, but we would like to see you in a red wig! *LOL*

[@alan4x]

that can be arranged🤪

[@glidezilla]

MK3 Cortina one self taper and two jubilee clips, i kid you not.

[@alan4x]

yes indeed... used to have a couple of mk3 cortinas..loved them

[@steverpcb]

Does this mean we will get a video of Monika doing it the easy way ?

[@thomaspillar1825]

For Left Hand Drive version , the access is much easier, there is no engine in the front of driver. The LHD is our wrong way.

[@herrbohnen]

Short out the heater pipes and sell it on a warm day

[@alan4x]

lol

[@johniksushibar165]

it,s days like those you wish you were a gandner or something....remember the cortina Mk 3-5 heater matrix ?, 2 self tapppers and the 2 hoses and job done.

[@MrTwisted1977]

U must be an old dinosaur to remember the cortinas

[@engelberthumperdinck2235]

Done one of these today it was a right pain in my arse hole

[@dermaulwurf5540]

I don't like the constructors of F ord! When will they start thinking at the mechanics while they construct a car. I own an BMW 318i from 1997 and I think the constructor was a mechanic befor she/he became a constructor. Nearly every thing is easy to reach or need take long to reach it. Where are those engeneers?

[@andyc3856]

I feel your pain. Cars are just a horrible complicated mess now. On a lighter note, you could change the heater rad on a mk4 Cortina in a few mins. 😂 I don't think I'll ever own a mk5 mondeo now. I'll stick with my mk4 for as long as possible. Stay safe.

[@alan4x]

used to have a mk3 cortina..yes those were good days

[@the_retired_mechanic]

Why doesnt your boss send you on some of the ford courses they train their mechanics on. With a fleet as big as that im sure it would pay for itself and your boss could ofset it against his tax anyway??

[@darrenfarrell-bn2cb]

I’m in the middle of this job dash out NEVER AGAIN.

[@alan4x]

yes a real nasty job, good luck

[@darrenfarrell-bn2cb]

@@alan4x I’ve it Done , Never again K Seal which works or 2 Grand time and Labour on video via WhatsApp to the Customer.

[@habibmerza67]

Hi i have problems with my mk5 ford Mondeo 2.L diesel the aircon stop working also showing the outside climate temperature wrong but i check the fuse it's working but I don't know what's the problem. Thanks

[@darenliddle4411]

I couldn't do social distance working with monica

[@mickramo498]

nightmare alan hows vicky vito x

[@alan4x]

vito..deterioating🤪

[@mickramo498]

@@alan4x mines same age 158,000 been good to me rough as fook to look at but i luv it x

[@mickramo498]

slow till i hit third gear then am off 88 bhp lol best bit for me is they dont recognise hills

[@websurfer1585]

In the good ole days, when common sense prevailed, heater matrix was accessed/ removed from under bonnet.

[@sopissedoff]

Alan your game ,next time round you'll be on the money, shame on ford, I've changed a few dash's from accident damaged vehicles, if them mondeos were hit hard enough ,or went under a higher vehicle ,if that frames in line with the A pillars it will b down on your knees shame on ford ,I've noticed the interior trim panels and door panels are made of the cheapest britlest materials and clips send them back to Europe,shame on ford they hardly build anything in the uk now anyway

[@sopissedoff]

IAM not a ford tech ,I am guessing a thousand quid wouldn't cover the cost at a ford stealers. Over the years I've done mod to get out of a hole,never been in a mk5 and don't ever want to be, I would cut them pipes ,slip the rad out ,remake the connection,stuff ford,any way I would say a 2007 focus is a far better built car than a 2011 mondeo ,I've both and the focus is twice the car of the mondeo so the money men had started cutting corners back then.no more ford's for me.

[@marklittler784]

A man tried to catch me out on social distancing at a Tesco petrol station he held the door open for me expecting me to fall for that one !! 😅😂😃

[@brendanbradyfan3589]

Starting to think electric cars maybe aren’t too bad after all seeing the sheer hassle of this to change a heater matrix

[@ravington666]

Uhmm...... yeah......punishment

[@thomashorabin7554]

what a shocking job think id change the bloody boefore id do that