Hi everyone
I have spent a lot of time researching on this forum the last 24 hours, but have now been approved to the forum so I would like some advice if anyone can assist.

Thursday afternoon after a very short drive (approx 1km) i heard air escaping under the bonnet. So I lifted the bonnet and there was a little steam at the back of the motor. Called NRMA who confirmed I'd done a heater hose. They recommended to get it straight to the mechanic, so arranged to get it towed. I went straight over to the mechanic from there, he had a quick look and said it would be repaired by Friday lunch (yesterday)

So I picked up the car around 1pm, drove it home, again hearing a hissing sound when I pulled up in my driveway. I was a little concerned at that but thought maybe it's normal, but if it happens again i will go back. Anyway, i went around to get the things from the front floor that I had bought Thursday, and when I picked up the bags I noticed the front passenger floor had a coolant swimming pool. So I thought oh this isn't good, grabbed my keys to go straight back to the mechanic. He is about 2 - 3 km away. Well, I didn't make it there. I ended up with steam shooting all over me from under the dash at the steering wheel.

Now, what I am wondering, since reading this forum, I have worked out it is the heater core, could this have got so bad so quickly, or is it maybe a fault from the mechanics??

I'd say that they may have disturbed the heater pipe and o-ring when replacing the hose, and the o-ring has either developed a leak, or the heater pipe has cracked. Neither of which is the mechanics' fault really, as both deteriorate with age, moreso when moved around.

Is the heater hose still attached to the plastic elbow and the core? I could guess that the elbow could have had too much pressure applied to it and the elbow has cracked, therefore if the mechanics over tightened it, it is their fault, otherwise it could just be the o ring, but you couldn't suggest that it could be their fault.

Thanks, Sorry i have no idea what is attached to what. I am just without a car again, for god only knows how long, right on christmas and can't afford more repairs. Thanks for the replies

Thanks, Sorry i have no idea what is attached to what. I am just without a car again, for god only knows how long, right on christmas and can't afford more repairs. Thanks for the replies

Just get someone to bypass the heater core, you don't need the heater this time of year anyway, I done that to my TF magna, wont cost much if you have to pay someone, or get a male friend that has some knowledge about cars to do it for you and you can drive your car again no problems just no heating, Merry Christmas

Thanks guys, the mechanic bypassed the heater core for me, and was so kind he didn't charge me to do it :)

Now if I may ask another question, can anyone suggest how I may get rid of this pungeant toxic smell of coolant from my car?

Pull the affected carpet back from the floor and put a towel in there to absorb the moisture, replace as the towel gets wet. Keep the passenger front door open or at least the window down so it can air. Maybe attack the carpet with some upholstery cleaner or Febreeze afterwards.
That may not rid the odour entirely as the underlay absorbs the moisture and gets smelly, the only sure-fire solution to fully rid the odour is replace the carpet completely with that out of another, coolant unaffected, Magna (eg. wreckers.)

Thanks, we've been soaking up the pools of coolant, (driveway is sloped so it keeps forming a pool) Have a towel in again now to soak it up, and all 4 doors open. Might try and get to the wreckers to see if i can get more carpet. My lungs are stuffed, so when i get in the smell just sucks the oxygen out of me. I think i'll try the febreeze when I go to coles later and see if it atleast helps. Gosh if it's not one thing it's another isn't it lol. And here was me bragging 2 weeks ago about how great a car it is and it's never given me a days trouble lol

Buy some desiccant sachets on ebay and stick a bunch under the underlay, and a bunch between the carpet and underlay. Replace once they've swollen up with new ones. Should get it completely dried out to stop the manky smell.