Hi, I have a 1.8 xantia P reg with aircon.

I think the matrix is leaking, we get drips on the passenger carpet right up
at the top under the dash.

I've been thinking it was leaking for a while, when  I used the fan in the
summer I used to get a "sweet" smell like antifreeze. Until a month or two
ago I had a rubber mat in the footwell. Because the windows were getting
badly steamed up in the recent cold weather I pulled up the mat looking for
damp and the carpet was soaked. Either water came in during the last floods
or it was the matrix leak.

Is there any point putting some radweld/leak fix in the system, will this do
any good? I know fixing it is a big dash out job which I'm not interested in
doing, I'm just looking for a quick fix which will reduce the leak even if
it doesnt fix it completely.

Also, is the temp control electronic? When it is on hot or cold it is fine,
but anywhere in between there seems to be a big lag in getting hotter/cooler
air from the vents. It sounds like something is moving independent of the
slider on the dash. After a while the tone/soound of the air coming out of
the vents seems to change like it has opened a vent/mixer in the dash to
change the air temp.

The blower control packed up a while ago, I have simply put a switch
straight to the fan motor, I only have off / full on but it is better than
nothing.

One other thing, when I switch on the ignition, (dash lights on but engine
not started), I seem to be able to hear a small fan running in / behind the
dash, it is'nt the radiator fan and it isnt the blower, so what is it?

On the whole I like the car a lot, its been very reliable, I've had it over
two years and I'm afraid I have'nt done a thing to it, apart from change the
oil, filter and air filter when I got it, I'd like to get another xantia,
but if this matrix leak is a common problem maybe I'll get something else
instead!

BP