Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

[Bucks45]

Anyone ever changed a heater core in one of these? My buddy wants me to help him with his wifes car. I've never changed one. Does the entire dash/instrument panel have to come out?

Thanks guys.

 

[windsors03cobra]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

I hope he's geared up good with any special tools and all the knowledge in the world from VW forums for this job cause its gonna be a mother.
Probably an good days work and the VW the "engineering" is mind boggling.
Big money at the stealership thats for sure.

Good luck and as a pretty well versed automotive and industrial mechanic I would not touch that job with a ten foot pole. I've done a couple late model Dodge Ram heater cores in which case I remove as much as needed to set the dashboard assembly on the front seat which gives enough access to remove the HVAC box.
4-5 hours But that is a big ole pick up trucks with a dash like a 1980's econobox.

 

[trendsetter240]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

A couple years back I changed the heater core in an early 90's Jetta. Yes, it is a huge pain in the you know what. Yes I had to remove the dashboard and instrument panel to do it. And No I would not do it again! I think I would rather sell the car at a loss than go through that again.

I hope this guy is a really good friend of yours and he has a service manual on hand for the job!

Good luck.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Thanks guys. That's exactly what I was thinking. I've done 2, one on a 1999 Blazer that I owned, and 1 on a Ford Escort, that belonged to my wifes friend. Both sucked. I've got plenty of tools and he's a good friend. Maybe I can talk him out of us doing it by telling him how bad you guys said it will be. If not, I've got a heated garage with a refrigerator, and a local pizza joint!

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Anyone ever changed a heater core in one of these? My buddy wants me to help him with his wifes car. I've never changed one. Does the entire dash/instrument panel have to come out?

Thanks guys.

Guy at work has a VW. His wife loves it and he's dumped way too much money in it the past years and a half.

Heater core replacement cost $1200 due to the extreme amount of disassembly required.

I'll try to remember to ask him year and model tomorrow.

Jeff

 

[cheburashka]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Did the same job on a '96 Audi Quattro, which is essentially the same car. No fun. Figure at least twelve hours labor, plus lots of other annoying things will go wrong in the process. Example--two identical connectors right next to each other--one goes to the heat sensor, the other to the glove compartment light. Guess what happened when I crossed them? Several hundred dollars worth of smoke.

If you do it, you'll also need to do the A/C evap. core. They generally go out at the same time. I can think of a lot of jobs I've done where I've thought "that was awful, but worth it." This was the one mechanical job I did ever where I thought "I wish I hadn't done that."

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Guy at work has a VW. His wife loves it and he's dumped way too much money in it the past years and a half.

Heater core replacement cost $1200 due to the extreme amount of disassembly required.

I'll try to remember to ask him year and model tomorrow.

Jeff

Brian's VW is a 2002 Passat. He did not do the heater core himself due to disassembling the "entire dash". He also stated that there are lots of snap together parts which could break.

 

[Bucks45]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Two snow storms, a case of "frosty pops", a pizza, and a cookout later, and it's done! You guys were absolutely right, it sucked. Oh well, I enjoyed helping him out. He and his wife are having a baby next month and I'm sure the saved $$$ will be put to good use. Thanks for your feedback.

 

[Jeff-in-PA]

Re: Heater Core - 2002 Volks. Passat

Glad to hear it went well. With a baby coming, the money saved will be spent on the kid.