smoke through airvents

[jasonpi]

maybe ive never noticed it before but since i took the dash out a couple of weeks ago ive noticed smoke coming through the air vents any ideas

[kniterider]

sounds a strange one that, but when i was sat in my mk2 the other night at work with the engine running i could have swarn i saw a mist coming out of my vents!!!, i put it down to either steam from the exhaust getting sucked in by the fan then blown into cabin or steam from the melting snow!!!!, if it werent either of them then youve cuaght some thing when youve had dash out!!!

[Dizzie]

the only way you could get smoke coming in would be if your engine was smoking anyway and instead of the smoke leaving the engine bay it was entering the 'fresh' air intake which is under the plastic cover near the screen. If it is steam then your matrix could be about to die and is leaking.

[mk1]

Heater matrix .
Steve.

[jasonpi]

heater matrix not connected at the mo?! could this be the problem?

[mk1]

No, is the fan motor working ok?. Have seen some go tight and over heat causing smoke.
Steve.

[jasonpi]

i think so comes on when car is switched off never heard it on when driving

[mk1]

I mean the heater fan, not the radiator fan. If the heater fan motor bushes start to sieze, this causes the motor to overheat and could be where your smoke is coming from.

[jasonpi]

right update took the car out for a spin this morning and it started again.....oil temp low water temp halfway...open bonnet smoke coming from the radiator/fan area.....i thought i fixed this as i put a new sensor on it ages ago and did work.....

[kniterider]

is it using any water?? is it steam or smoke??
maybe youve had stone in rad???