Aux Heater failed

[SSMPJStew]

4 year old SE. Bought new.
The control panel said "heater not available".
Van was due 4 year service with cam belt etc. Service manager has just advised me that heater has failed and he has checked with VW and they will not make a contribution so the quote is for £2500 for a new one. One year out of warranty!

Does anyone have any experience of this problem?
I imagine a truck/lorry service centre may be able to look at it but deeply disappointed with news and lack of interest from VW.

Peter

 

[fred]

If the heater has definitely failed it (ie. it's been diagnosed as being the fault) won't cost you £2500 to replace it. The heating unit is £500 new. Personally I'd be checking fuses first, then changing / charging the leisure batteries fully as a low power battery can cause the heater to stop working. After that diagnose the actual failed part and replace that.

 

[Hotel California]

I never had issue with my heater but i would advise to get a second opinion .
As you said search a mecanic who does this type heaters in trucks,boats,....they will have more knowledge than just any VW stealer....

 

[SimonB]

I'm up in Snowdonia on a slow connection so can't search the forum very easily.
My auxiliary heater has failed also. The warning symbol on the control panel says "auxiliary heater malfunction " and it won't start at all. Whilst it is 31C at present up here so I don't need it, someone mentioned to use it regularly to keep it working.
There is plenty of fuel in the tank and I'm on an EHU so voltage shouldn't be an issue.
Anyone got any ideas what it could be? It's just under a year old and the heater has only been used overnight in the wetter months up here.
Dealer will plug into diagnostic computer, but it is quite a long
diversion off my route back.
Thanks Simon

 

[2into1]

I fear that this is the type of crap / rip off service that awaits out of warranty Cali's - and is what is leading me to keep my old Westy. A network of independent(*) Cali specialists is so needed.

(*) = a combination of modest £ rates and mechanics that actually know what they are dealing with.

 

[snowy55]

I'm up in Snowdonia on a slow connection so can't search the forum very easily.
My auxiliary heater has failed also. The warning symbol on the control panel says "auxiliary heater malfunction " and it won't start at all. Whilst it is 31C at present up here so I don't need it, someone mentioned to use it regularly to keep it working.
There is plenty of fuel in the tank and I'm on an EHU so voltage shouldn't be an issue.
Anyone got any ideas what it could be? It's just under a year old and the heater has only been used overnight in the wetter months up here.
Dealer will plug into diagnostic computer, but it is quite a long
diversion off my route back.
Thanks Simon

Could the heater be confused because it is up to temperature before its come on--- if you see what I mean.

 

[Loz]

Dealer will plug into diagnostic computer, but it is quite a long
diversion off my route back.
Thanks Simon

If your coming back down the M5 I'm in Berkeley if you want to call in and use my VCDS to scan for faults?

 

[Skylark2.0]

It's probably just too hot!

 

[sidepod]

Heater failed? So it's a melted mass of bits on the floor is it?
One single component has failed. Find someone who knows what he's talking about and have it fixed.

 

[WelshGas]

I'm up in Snowdonia on a slow connection so can't search the forum very easily.
My auxiliary heater has failed also. The warning symbol on the control panel says "auxiliary heater malfunction " and it won't start at all. Whilst it is 31C at present up here so I don't need it, someone mentioned to use it regularly to keep it working.
There is plenty of fuel in the tank and I'm on an EHU so voltage shouldn't be an issue.
Anyone got any ideas what it could be? It's just under a year old and the heater has only been used overnight in the wetter months up here.
Dealer will plug into diagnostic computer, but it is quite a long
diversion off my route back.
Thanks Simon

Try the following first.
1. Switch Off the Control Panel using the L lower button. Wait 30 secs and Switch On using L lower button.

2. Press And hold R lower button and press Control Knob. A hidden menu will be shown Scroll to Volkswagon Diagnostic. Any Fault codes shown. Write down codes then scroll to Reset and clear codes.

The Parking Heater has an Maximum Temperature of 30c so with Ambient Temperature of 31c it cannot work. Try it tomorrow morning when it is cooler.

 

[SimonB]

Could the heater be confused because it is up to temperature before its come on--- if you see what I mean.

Thanks for the reply. I tried putting the temp up to Max hoping that might encourage it into life, but there is no sign of life at all. No clicking from the fuel pump or anything.
The top left illuminated button on the control panel around the screen isn't going red either. It was the flashing symbol of 4 wavy vertical lines on the top left of the display that drew my attention to a potential problem. Simon

 

[SimonB]

Try the following first.
1. Switch Off the Control Panel using the L lower button. Wait 30 secs and Switch On using L lower button.

2. Press And hold R lower button and press Control Knob. A hidden menu will be shown Scroll to Volkswagon Diagnostic. Any Fault codes shown. Write down codes then scroll to Reset and clear codes.

The Parking Heater has an Maximum Temperature of 30c so with Ambient Temperature of 31c it cannot work. Try it tomorrow morning when it is cooler.

Many thanks for the very detailed reply. I followed all the steps as you advised and no error codes at all, but the wavy lines at the top left of the screens had gone by the time it went back to the main screen again.
Tried the heater again, ambient temp is now 21C , and it started up perfectly.
Would the reset of the control panel have cleared it possibly?
If only the handbook's advice was as clear as yours. Thanks again. Simon

 

[SimonB]

C

If your coming back down the M5 I'm in Berkeley if you want to call in and use my VCDS to scan for faults?

Could I PM you about this please? Simon

 

[Loz]

C

Could I PM you about this please? Simon

Sure

 

[WelshGas]

Many thanks for the very detailed reply. I followed all the steps as you advised and no error codes at all, but the wavy lines at the top left of the screens had gone by the time it went back to the main screen again.
Tried the heater again, ambient temp is now 21C , and it started up perfectly.
Would the reset of the control panel have cleared it possibly?
If only the handbook's advice was as clear as yours. Thanks again. Simon

No Idea, It might have been just due to the change in Temperature or it might have been a Latching Alarm that required a Reset of the Panel . Glad it is sorted.

 

[MattBW]

To help put things in cost perspective I just paid half that to have a Webasto fitted to my beach, that was supply and fit. Installation of wiring, heater unit, covers, routing of pipes, control panel etc etc. It was a lengthy install, i watched it done, best part of a day. On an SE it will all be there and they only need to replace the faulty part/s.

As above a repair shouldn't cost anywhere near £2500, that sounds more like a "we don't want the job" quote.

The heater units can have the faults read directly from them too by a certified installer. It may give a more accurate root cause than the VW and provide a more cost effective fix.

I do know as well that my Webasto manual says the heater needs to be ran for 10-15 minutes every month to keep everything running nicely. I wager most of us don't do that.

 

[NZCol]

On that I went into my garage in the winter and thought, 'wow it's warm in here' van was parked with sliding door open on EHU. Noticed the heater was on and running and had been for about 3 days ! Hadn't used much fuel and certainly have it a good old run ! We now run it every month for an hour or so. Best thing I ever did was install and plug for the EHU on the garage wall, makes it so much easier to leave it plugged in.

 

[SSMPJStew]

I started this thread a couple of months ago and forgot to update our story.
After being quoted £2500 with a discount to £2300 after complaining, I looked up the local service centre for EBERSPACHER and found one in Plymstock who got it working for £69.
The device had dried out following a couple of months of no use.
I was given a print out of the workshop manual by the dealer.


Carrs of Exeter clearly don't know what they are doing from a service point of view and had I been more stupid or more wealthy I might well have just taken Carrs word for it and had a new heater installed.

Set the timer to come on once a week for 30 mins and hopefully no more problems.

 

[2into1]

If you'd paid the £2500 I suspect they would have broken something else whilst they "fixed" the heater.

 

[Andy]

VW never repair these bit just fit replacement. Always best to take to eberspatcher specialist
They are a very common thing, most trucks have them.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[MattBW]

That is a good idea I will be setting my timer for once a week in the middle of the night

 

[dayslikethis]

I started this thread a couple of months ago and forgot to update our story.
After being quoted £2500 with a discount to £2300 after complaining, I looked up the local service centre for EBERSPACHER and found one in Plymstock who got it working for £69.
The device had dried out following a couple of months of no use.
I was given a print out of the workshop manual by the dealer.


Carrs of Exeter clearly don't know what they are doing from a service point of view and had I been more stupid or more wealthy I might well have just taken Carrs word for it and had a new heater installed.

Set the timer to come on once a week for 30 mins and hopefully no more problems.

Very interesting and relevant to me at the moment. Many thanks

 

[dayslikethis]

Just reading the Eberspacher Motorhome heater brochure, I wish I'd known this before it stopped working (booked in with Eberspacher service specialist next week).

 

[Jay586]

I didn't know either. I filed the plastic envelope of instructions without looking at them. Not good with books of words...

Went & ran mine last night, so thank you.

BTW, £1350 supplied & fitted, tho it's a simple one...

 

[dayslikethis]

I didn't know either. I filed the plastic envelope of instructions without looking at them. Not good with books of words...

Went & ran mine last night, so thank you.

BTW, £1350 supplied & fitted, tho it's a simple one...

I'm not even sure I had that information or brochure given to me - I'll have a look tomorrow maybe I missed it in the small print somewhere.
£1350 !!! I'm hoping its a simple sensor or fault code that can be reset - I'll be posting the whole saga here once concluded (3 different VW garages to date)