Changing the heater core in a small car like the Kia Spectra sounds simple, but getting to the core isn't. You must remove a lot from the instrument panel, primarily the crash pad. Unless you have complete knowledge of the whole interior, this may be best left to an expert.
Disconnect the cable from the negative battery terminal. Wait at least 10 minutes for the air bag's energy to deplete.
Drain the cooling and air conditioning systems, making sure to recover the refrigerant in a clean container. Remove the heater hoses from the heater unit and the expansion valve from the evaporator core, then plug the lines.
Remove the floor console, A-pillar and cowl side trim, crash pad side covers, hood release handle, dashboard left lower panel, steering wheel and column cover and the cowl cross bar's steering shaft.
Take out the glove box and instrument panel's main mounting bolts. Disconnect the fuse box and radio antenna cable. Remove the cluster and center facia panels, instrument cluster, heater control and radio assemblies, and the dashboard's right lower panel. Remove the crash pad.
Disconnect the heater unit's electrical connectors and remove the upper pipe bracket and side cover. Pull the heater core out of the heater unit, making sure you don't bend the inlet and outlet pipes.
Install the new heater core in the unit and reconnect everything in reverse order.
Refill the cooling and air conditioning systems. Start the Spectra's engine and check for leaks in the system.
