Leaking heater

[Dave200623xti]

Hey guys, first time poster, though I've appreciated all the great info on here several times.

I have a 2006 23Xti.  I usually winterize/summerize myself but had the dealership winterize last fall as I had them doing some other repairs.  When I went to summerize a couple days ago, I noticed the heater hoses were still connected but assumed they had drained the lines and then reconnected.  When I fired it up in the water today, water started coming up through the carpet under the driver's cockpit.  It was warm and from the area of the heater so I'm thinking they did NOT drain the heater hoses and the water freezing either burst a connection or the heater core.  Now, from researching several threads on here, it seems a not uncommon event for the heater core to fail and leak.  

Question 1: Does is seem likely that the leak is a result of not draining the lines/heater core and thus the freezing caused my problem?  If so, I'll be asking the dealership to fix the leak and replace the heater/core as necessary.  It seems it will take complete dismantling of the cockpit area to get to it, which is beyond my time and expertise.

Question 2: Several of these threads addressing failed heater cores mention doing a bypass as a quick fix.  The seemingly easiest I found is simply disconnecting both heater hoses in the engine compartment and connecting a new 2 ft heater hose between the hot output from the manifold and the Y connection where the return heater hose connects.  Any issues with this as a temporary fix?  Or even a permanent fix if the dealership refuses to step up and I can live without the heater?

Thanks very much in advance!

[UWSkier]

When we bypassed ours after the dealer screwed up the winterization years ago, I found it easier to bypass it up at the helm.  Just pull both hoses and connect them together.

The leak is certainly from improper winterization.  No question.

[oldjeep]

Your fix will work fine.  You can also just cap them. The sell the caps at any auto parts store.

[Dave200623xti]

@UWSkier, thanks for the reply and confirmation that it was improper winterization.  We'll see if they accept responsibility - ha!

Regarding just connecting the two hoses, I can't get to where they are connected to the heater without dismantling the cockpit and/or the deck - unless I'm missing something?  You said just pull them - but aren't they clamped at the heater - and those connections seem to be under the deck?  Thanks!

[Dave200623xti]

@oldjeep - thanks very much!

[UWSkier]

44 minutes ago, Dave200623xti said:

@UWSkier, thanks for the reply and confirmation that it was improper winterization.  We'll see if they accept responsibility - ha!

Regarding just connecting the two hoses, I can't get to where they are connected to the heater without dismantling the cockpit and/or the deck - unless I'm missing something?  You said just pull them - but aren't they clamped at the heater - and those connections seem to be under the deck?  Thanks!

The heater core might be buried behind some panels that will need to come out to replace it.  It wasn't fun finding all those screws in my dad's '01 VLX.  If you don't have access, then plug them back at the engine.