Table of contents: Removal ↓ Installation ↓
Warning: Before removing the housing, the air conditioner must be brought to the appropriate condition. This work should be entrusted to a specialist at the dealership car service, since it involves the use of specialized diagnostic equipment.
Removal
9. Cool the engine completely.
10. Leave opening the system to a qualified technician. Contact your dealer for help in setting the system to the appropriate mode.
11. Disconnect the ground wire from the battery.
12. On the engine shield under the hood, find the fittings that connect the heater hoses to its radiator.
13. Place a suitable container under the fittings to collect the liquid.
14. Clamp the hoses with suitable clamps. Loosen the clamps and pull the hoses off the fittings. Drain the liquid into a container.
15. If you have compressed air, use it to blow out the remaining liquid from the heater radiator using low pressure, connecting the compressor hose to the left fitting.
Warning: Wear safety glasses when operating the compressor.
16. If there is no compressor, please note that a considerable amount of liquid remains in the radiator, which may spill into the passenger compartment when the heater is removed from the car.
17. Remove the rubber seal of the fittings from the engine shield and pull it off the fittings.
18. Locate the aluminum coolant pipes and follow them to the engine shield. Unscrew the center bolt and disconnect the pipes. Remove the sealing rings and discard them - new ones are required for installation. Plug the connection holes to prevent dirt and moisture from entering.
19. Disconnect the rubber seal of the tubes from the engine shield and pull it off the fittings.
20. Disconnect the wiring connector from the low pressure sensor, disconnect the vacuum hose from the control system. Tie the hose and wiring together to pull through the hole in the engine shield when removing the housing from the car interior.
21. Remove the entire front panel as described in chapter 11. Please note that the heater body is attached to the back side of the front panel.
Models before 1996
22. Disconnect the wiring connector from the heater core/evaporator housing and the faceplate. Label to avoid confusion during installation.
23. Loosen the mounting screws and remove the radiator/evaporator housing from the front panel. Remove the housing from the passenger compartment, holding it vertically to avoid spilling any liquid.
Models since 1997
24. Remove the front panel support bracket from the rear panels.
25. Disconnect the air ducts to the rear passengers from the front of the air distribution unit to the driver's and front passenger's feet. Loosen the mounting screws and remove the air distribution unit from the base of the heater/evaporator housing.
26. Disconnect the heater/evaporator housing wiring connector from the multi-pin connector. Tag to avoid confusion during installation. Release the wiring from all fasteners on the side of the housing.
27. Loosen the mounting screws and remove the heater/evaporator housing from the engine shield, towards the front passenger. If the block gasket is "stuck", rock the block from side to side to "unstick" it.
28. Remove the housing from the vehicle, keeping it vertical to avoid spilling liquid.
Installation
29. Installation - reverse procedure. Please note the following.
- a) If the gasket is damaged during removal, use a new one during installation.
- b) Ensure that the condensate drain pipe is correctly installed on the heater/evaporator body.
- c) Securely attach air ducts and covers to the housing, and correctly lay the wiring before installing the housing in place.
- d) Securely attach the hoses to the radiator: the feed hose from the cylinder head is connected to the left fitting, the return hose to the right (with a hole for bleeding).
- d) Correctly secure the rubber seals on the engine shield.
- e) Top up the fluid and bleed the cooling system as described in the relevant section chapters 1.
- g) Finally, have a qualified technician install new O-rings and refill the system with refrigerant.