Hi,

I love my XJR and am happy to spend $ on it but i have just been told the water under the passenger seat is caused by a leak from through the heater vent which appears to be coming down the center console. Needing to top up water appears to back up the theory.

Because its right hand drive in New Zealand, usually parked leaning left that's where the water ends up, under the passenger seat.

My mechanic who usually knows what he is on about, says to remove the dash is the only way and estimates $3500 to pull out and replace after plugging the water leak. The car is worth probably twice that now to sell without the problem with 250kms on the clock and this is not what I want! He says it's the Heater core, not sure what that is exactly.

If anyone has had this problem before and found an easier way to repair I would be very appreciative!


Year: 1998 (registered, older model that finished manufacture around 1995)
Make: JAGUAR
Model: XJR
Colour: Black
Submodel: 6 SPORT
Body Style: Saloon

 

It is not necessary to remove the whole dash to replace the heater core.

The heater core just slides in to the Heater/Air con unit from the side (passenger side in RHD car). You will need to remove the glove box or lower panel depending on what you have. You will then see the inlet and outlet pipes to the core. Remove these pipes and the core will pull out.

You may need to remove some of the computers/modules that live in that area just to get enough clearance.

 

I'm sure the OP is much happier with that feedback versus what he received from his mechanic.

Two other notes:

1) I don't see how removing the whole dash and replacing a cheap heater core could possibly cost $3500, which I guess about $3300 of which is labor?! Even at a high $150/hr (shop rates here are $85-100 typically), that's still 22 hours of work. There's no way it takes 20-30 hours to remove the entire dash and put it back in. It may take a lot of time for sure, but an experienced shop should be able to do it much more quickly IMHO. I'm sure I could.

2) Point 1 being irrelevant given "B1MCP" response, point 1 however does make me want to suggest .... another shop for any other work Unless this was an anomaly and they are in all other ways exceedingly good, that quote would scare me away permanently!

.

 

If you don't use the heater and don't care for it. (Like most of us here in South Florida) you can always bypass it.

 

The RHD cars should be much easier to change the core. On the LHD, like mine, I had to loosen the steering column, then sit upside down on the seat and work under the dash (and under the column!) and after about half a day of work and cussing, I got it done. Without the steering in the way, I cannot imagine it being as hard.

BTW, I was replacing mine due to it being plugged. You did not mention smelling anti-freeze coolant, so that means that either this leak is not the core, OR you are not using coolant in your system. If you do not use coolant, corrosion is probably what is caused the leak.

 

Appreciation for your response!

That sounds easier, my mechanic has only looked to find the water leak so far and his 3500 estimate (not a quote) was going on the last experience he had with another jag (and I must say has looks after my jags for me extremely well, despite not being a named Jag mechanic or dealership).

I understand what the core is now and most likely there is a pipe burst or detached and will need LHS dash removal, maybe not heater core removal.

"You will need to remove the glove box or lower panel depending on what you have" - as its a RHD car, there isn't anything else other than the glove box around there apart from the occasional passenger's legs (I wont go into details about them!).

Grant

 

Thanks Al,

Yeah, Im approaching this carefully. His rates are at $90/hr so 3500 did not seem "appropriate".

They are exceedingly good so I will be staying with them once I get and share more understanding with him from the worthy comments I seem to be getting here!

Grant

 

thanks Scarecrow

It's mid winter in Wellington NZ, 0-12 degrees Celsius mostly. I need to travel north to Lake Taupo next week using the "desert road" which is adjoined to 3 mountains in the mid north island and the roadsides will be snow piled.

Wish I could convince my aging Mother to move to Florida, but then I would have different logistical problems!

Grant

 

thanks Sparkenzap

By plugged you mean it is operating without a heater, do you need to remove the dash to isolate or plug the heater?

I am not sure if the car has coolant but I would have said yes if asked casually. I will check tho as I have definitely not smelled anything unusual.

If it is corrosion you are inferring that the water is from external, like when its raining. my mechanic says there is a stream of water when the engine is running...

Grant

 

Grant:
My core was plugged up - as in little coolant could flow through- probably due to me using the "wrong" antifreeze and having some white powderey stuff precipitate and plug the little passages if the heater core (called matrix by Jaguar). That is the moist often mentioned failure mode here.

If you have anything like 50% ethylene glycol coolant like you should, it is hard to imagine you would not be smelling it inside the cabin if it was leaking enough to notice a wet spot. Coolant smells like sort of a sweet chemical smell. In fact, usually you would notice a slightly oily residue on the inside of the glass also.

So, that make me wonder if MAYBE what you have is condensate from the AC dripping inside, or a water intrusion knon to happen at the firewall of these cars, although that is contraindicated by the loss of radiator water.

So, that leaves one of three conclusions - in my anything but humble opinion:
1) There is little or no antifreeze in your engine coolant
2) Your heater matrix is not, in fact, your water source and the loss of coolant is coincidental
3) Your olfactory senses are not sensitive or are "programmed" differently from most of us and you do not smell ethylene glycol!

Let us know how it works out.

 

Hi, after much contemplation, therefore less use (driving the Sov instead) and some moisture under the passenger seat when I had to drive it, I discussed this once more with my mechanic and we added a sealant which stopped the leak.

He tested the pressures (or whatever needed testing) and they where as they should be. No more wet carpet from the vent, so looks like its OK (for now!)

How does this stuff affect the internals tho and I guess it could break out again?

Thanks for the invaluable sharing to allow me (a 50% car / jag knowledge dude) to discuss stuff like this and decide courses of action from a more knowledgeable standpoint.

Grant

 

Sealants are frowned upon on the forums. They have a nasty habit of reducing flow through the heater and radiator, and may plug the heater pump and solenoid.
It's also been my experience that they are often temporary fixes. But I don't relish the thought of replacing the heater core and wish you luck.