Hi Lynne,
Are you sure you need to replace it? If it's leaking you should try buying a bottle (or 2) of Rad Weld or Bars Radiator sealant before you start to dismantle your car to replace the Matrix. They're only about 3 Pounds a bottle so it's worth a try!
My 95 Cavalier had a leak in the Heater Matrix and it started blowing steam. I took the rear centre console out, (the plastic around the handbrake and gear stick), the front centre console out, (the plastic where the heater knobs are), drained the coolant out, pulled the pipes leading from the engine bay through the bulkhead into the Heater Matrix off. (After a lot of pulling)!! Then I couldn't get the last bolt out to remove the Matrix because I didn't have enough clearance with the tool I was using!! GRRRRRR!! Then someone suggested I use a bottle of Radiator Sealant, so I put everything back together and poured a bottle in, ran the engine a while and it worked!!
I wish I had done that in the first place!!
Morale of the story, start with the easiest fix's first!!
I hope this is of help Lynne. Good Luck and let me know if it works.
Glen., January 2006
