6.1 Heater Not Working

[Stu@rt]

Does sound like a ‘heat immediately’ issue, which I understand heats up once then you have to drive to reset.
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/6-1-heater-not-working.34357/post-506549

Agree - Heat immediately is limited to the runtime (Max 120mins) that you specify. Heat Continuously is your friend !

 

[Stu@rt]

why did VW do this ? what was wrong with just turning the heater on when it was cold and turning it off when it was warm ? the T6 heater is brilliant. mines never failed in 4 years use often running all night

Mad eh? My only guess is when you use "Heat immediately" with "Ventilate" specified in the mode option, it pulls fresh air via the dash vents, which will be using the started battery, so I assume that its an attempt to protect it with a timer function. An oxymoron as in that mode its not "Heat"ing immediately and I agree with a simple software update, the menu options could be worded so much better. Heat immediately is the option triggered by the keyfob too, so maybe there is something to be said for a time limit in use when that is deployed. Agree fully that it is needlessly confusing.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Having got my head around the Aux Heater a while back I have to say i’ve not had any issues.

When camping, if it’s cold we’ve used Heat Continuously and find that it switches on/off as required to maintain the required temperature. We’ve found Level 6 to be perfect.

Heat Immediately can be handy for warming the vehicle in the morning at home before going out and/or when returning to the van from a walk. In both cases it can be enabled using the dedicated key fob which seems to have a decent range. The 120 minute cut off is a great feature IMO, it obviously avoids the heater operating for hours/days/weeks if started by mistake.

 

[pluc99]

Mad eh? My only guess is when you use "Heat immediately" with "Ventilate" specified in the mode option, it pulls fresh air via the dash vents, which will be using the started battery, so I assume that its an attempt to protect it with a timer function. An oxymoron as in that mode its not "Heat"ing immediately and I agree with a simple software update, the menu options could be worded so much better. Heat immediately is the option triggered by the keyfob too, so maybe there is something to be said for a time limit in use when that is deployed. Agree fully that it is needlessly confusing.

I was just going over the supplementary manual for the heater (in German). The heater will block at 180 minutes of consecutive "immediate" runs and that the system will crash if you attempt to start the heater following the block. Unblocking is achieved by driving the vehicle above 6 kmh. Resetting the CU is via removal of 4 fuses.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I was just going over the supplementary manual for the heater (in German). The heater will block at 180 minutes of consecutive "immediate" runs and that the system will crash if you attempt to start the heater following the block. Unblocking is achieved by driving the vehicle above 6 kmh. Resetting the CU is via removal of 4 fuses.

I guess the logic here is that if a user wants constant heat then they should select Heat Continuously. If they want a short blast then select Heat Immediately. If the software detects repeated Heat Immediately requests it will lock out the heater in case of a fault condition (or user error). I know it’s a bit odd but I sort of get it.

 

[66tim99]

Having got my head around the Aux Heater a while back I have to say i’ve not had any issues.

When camping, if it’s cold we’ve used Heat Continuously and find that it switches on/off as required to maintain the required temperature. We’ve found Level 6 to be perfect.

Heat Immediately can be handy for warming the vehicle in the morning at home before going out and/or when returning to the van from a walk. In both cases it can be enabled using the dedicated key fob which seems to have a decent range. The 120 minute cut off is a great feature IMO, it obviously avoids the heater operating for hours/days/weeks if started by mistake.

Would you only use the Heat immediately function if you were about to drive away then GG? I can imagine, as you say using the fob as you return from a wet walk (I hear it works from some distance away), or eating your breakfast at home before you leave, or waking up freezing in the van and clicking it on before you drive off.
But otherwise use heat continuously otherwise you'll have to start the engine to reset?

 

[WelshGas]

Would you only use the Heat immediately function if you were about to drive away then GG? I can imagine, as you say using the fob as you return from a wet walk (I hear it works from some distance away), or eating your breakfast at home before you leave, or waking up freezing in the van and clicking it on before you drive off.
But otherwise use heat continuously otherwise you'll have to start the engine to reset?

I wonder how many owners, having this problem on the T6.1, owned a T5 or T6 where the remote fob just turns the Parking Heater On and it will stay on until the Remote or Control Panel is used to switch it Off. Of course there is no use of the Vehicle Dashboard fans etc. and so no use of the Starter battery.

 

[AlisonF]

I guess the logic here is that if a user wants constant heat then they should select Heat Continuously. If they want a short blast then select Heat Immediately. If the software detects repeated Heat Immediately requests it will lock out the heater in case of a fault condition (or user error). I know it’s a bit odd but I sort of get it.

I used my heat immediately mode for the first time in a few months today. It had reset to ‘0’ so did not warm the van. I then struggled to find how to change it. I was not impressed as I have not touched it since I set it up BEFORE handover on the forecourt. It went back in for a leaking tailgate though a couple of weeks later so clearly something changed… I will need to double check the timer is set to 120 mins but could not even find how to do that today…

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I used my heat immediately mode for the first time in a few months today. It had reset to ‘0’ so did not warm the van. I then struggled to find how to change it. I was not impressed as I have not touched it since I set it up BEFORE handover on the forecourt. It went back in for a leaking tailgate though a couple of weeks later so clearly something changed… I will need to double check the timer is set to 120 mins but could not even find how to do that today…

Hi @AlisonF when you say it had reset to 0 are you referring to the heat level or timer? All settings can be found in the overhead Camping Control unit and easily adjusted. Let me know if you get stuck and i’ll take some photos of my settings.

 

[Stu@rt]

I used my heat immediately mode for the first time in a few months today. It had reset to ‘0’ so did not warm the van. I then struggled to find how to change it. I was not impressed as I have not touched it since I set it up BEFORE handover on the forecourt. It went back in for a leaking tailgate though a couple of weeks later so clearly something changed… I will need to double check the timer is set to 120 mins but could not even find how to do that today…

The Cali Chris video is great for a quick recap......

Popped the link back here, just in case it is of use to you.

 

[AlisonF]

Hi @AlisonF when you say it had reset to 0 are you referring to the heat level or timer? All settings can be found in the overhead Camping Control unit and easily adjusted. Let me know if you get stuck and i’ll take some photos of my settings.

That was referring to heat level. So no idea when that happened. I fiddled again today and the timer is still set for 120 mins for Heat Immediately. I have reset the heat level to 10 for Heat Immediately and 4 for Heat Continuously.

 

[Stu@rt]

That was referring to heat level. So no idea when that happened. I fiddled again today and the timer is still set for 120 mins for Heat Immediately. I have reset the heat level to 10 for Heat Immediately and 4 for Heat Continuously.

Had a quick check on my settings today to see if they had been retained, as I'd set them and it would appear they have been kept.

 

[andyinluton]

I believe that if the battery is ever disconnected & some software updates, reset the heating to the factory default which is ventilate mode.

 

[AlisonF]

I believe that if the battery is ever disconnected & some software updates, reset the heating to the factory default which is ventilate mode.

Mine wasn’t in ventilate mode but the Heat Immediately was set to zero (temp).
I appreciate the T6.1 has a lot more functionality, but I really miss the simplicity of the T6.
On our 12 day camping trip I felt I was constantly nagging my friend to turn off lights as they stay on when doors are open… and nagging to make sure doors / tailgate is closed… without the electric closing he was also leaving doors not closed 24/7… so the leisure battery was getting drained… and so was I…

 

[andyinluton]

On our 12 day camping trip I felt I was constantly nagging my friend to turn off lights as they stay on when doors are open… and nagging to make sure doors / tailgate is closed… without the electric closing he was also leaving doors not closed 24/7… so the leisure battery was getting drained… and so was I…

That’s what camping mode is for, to stop the lights coming on when the doors are opened.

 

[AlisonF]

That’s what camping mode is for, to stop the lights coming on when the doors are opened.

Haha I have that set all the time. But it doesn’t always work as expected. Plus, if you have someone inside switching things on it seems to override the settings…

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Stand to be corrected but I don’t believe camping mode is a permanent setting. It has to be set each time you parkup at a campsite. When you start the vehicle it is cleared.

 

[pluc99]

Stand to be corrected but I don’t believe camping mode is a permanent setting. It has to be set each time you parkup at a campsite. When you start the vehicle it is cleared.

Does it clear when you turn on the ignition, like you would to listen to the radio, or only when you start the engine?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Does it clear when you turn on the ignition, like you would to listen to the radio, or only when you start the engine?

Only when starting theengine I believe but i’d need to check.

 

[pluc99]

Only when starting theengine I believe but i’d need to check.

That's what you'd expect, but I don't trust the genius software engineers seeing what they did to complicate the previously simple heater functions.

 

[andyinluton]

if you have someone inside switching things on it seems to override the settings…

So its VW fault that the lights come on when someone deliberately switches them on?

 

[AlisonF]

So its VW fault that the lights come on when someone deliberately switches them on?

Sorry. No, that is not what I have said. Thank you.

 

[yossarian]

Does it clear when you turn on the ignition, like you would to listen to the radio, or only when you start the engine?

MY22 and perhaps earlier versions don't seem to require the key to fire up the radio.

 

[66tim99]

MY22 and perhaps earlier versions don't seem to require the key to fire up the radio.

Interesting - so you can turn the radio on when parked with key out? But it still turns itself off after 20mins?
Then you can turn on again?

 

[andyinluton]

My my2020 lets you turn the radio on without the keys in, just press the / on off button, exactly the same as every other Vw radio I’ve come across. The only thing that won’t work is the steering wheel controls without ignition on.