96 vw jetta vr6 temp light on and smoke coming from a/c vents

[stacysv650s]

please help i need some answers. i have a 96 vw jetta glx vr6. yesterday i drove my car like 5 miles away and i noticed that my temp. light was on so i figured i was low on coolant, no big deal its done that before so i figured it would be ok till i got home. but then i felt something dripping on my tow on the accelerator pedal, then steam or smoke (not sure what it was) starting blowing out of my a/c vents. so i turned the a/c off but it still kept blowing out of a/c vents and vent by windshield. it smelled like coolant i think. i pulled over and opened the hood but there was no smoke coming from under there and my temp gauge was at normal temp. please if someone can explain whats going on. thank you

[Doug Tatham]

You have a damaged heater core. You can disconnect the heater hoses from where they go into the firewall, then get a piece of tubing and connect each end to one hose. This will bypass the heater core and you won't lose coolant. Unfortunately, you won't have heat anymore. To replace the heater core, you have to remove the dash. You can get a new core for about $100 on line, but expect to spend a full day replacing it. I think the dealership lists it as 7 hours labor. It is not a job for the average weekend mechanic.

[2001jettavr6]

Yeah i had the same problem with my 91 wolfsburg when the car gets up to idle temperature a seal which is cracked/broken expands and all the steam comes out of the vents it sucks. Just do what he says and youwill be fine but i wouldnt advice changing it yourself.