Do I have an engine coolant heater?

[jliungman]

Hi!

I have a 2004 T5 California, and have noticed two things:
1. Defrosting/demisting the front window does not work at all until after 5-15 minutes of driving, even under normal autumn conditions (+10 C).
2. On a cold winter day (-10 C) the engine temperature does not rise very much at all (maybe just around 50 C) until you reach some nice, long uphill slope.

I was considering if my air vents had an electrical heater that might be broken, but then a friend with a similar model said I might have a broken engine coolant heater. How do I know if I have one, and if there is a problem with it? The car, unfortunately, came without a manual, so I do not know the exact configuration of this individual.

Any ideas?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi!

I have a 2004 T5 California, and have noticed two things:
1. Defrosting/demisting the front window does not work at all until after 5-15 minutes of driving, even under normal autumn conditions (+10 C).
2. On a cold winter day (-10 C) the engine temperature does not rise very much at all (maybe just around 50 C) until you reach some nice, long uphill slope.

I was considering if my air vents had an electrical heater that might be broken, but then a friend with a similar model said I might have a broken engine coolant heater. How do I know if I have one, and if there is a problem with it? The car, unfortunately, came without a manual, so I do not know the exact configuration of this individual.

Any ideas?

There should be a sticker on the Drivers door that tells you which heaters are installed. This is on RHD vehicles. Webasto for coolant, normally Eberspacher for Parking heater. Webasto works automatically if ambient temperature is 5c or below.

 

[jliungman]

There should be a sticker on the Drivers door that tells you which heaters are installed. This is on RHD vehicles. Webasto for coolant, normally Eberspacher for Parking heater. Webasto works automatically if ambient temperature is 5c or below.

Thanks!

There is no sticker. But I know that I have a parking heater, so that might not mean anything.

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks!

There is no sticker. But I know that I have a parking heater, so that might not mean anything.

If you do have one it is fitted on the L hand side of the vehicle with its exhaust within the L wheel arch.

 

[TripleBee]

But your van will not have the lowest sticker for TPMS.
If you have a LHD vehicle (steering wheel on the left, like all the other European countries), the stickers are in the left door.

Maybe you have a faulty airco (no demisting), and/or a bad thermostat?

 

[MrP]

Thanks!

There is no sticker. But I know that I have a parking heater, so that might not mean anything.

If you are not sure even after looking, if you start the van when temperature is below 5degrees, leave it running for a couple of mins, turn the engine off and you will hear a fan noise outside of the vehicle. Often there is a small smell of coolant outside the vehicle too if it is working and warming it up.

 

[jliungman]

Thanks, people! I had a visit to the mechanic booked anyway for today so I asked him to take a look! Will see what his verdict is... Would be nice to get this sorted before winter!

Maybe you have a faulty airco (no demisting), and/or a bad thermostat?

That is a possibility. A lot of things are acting up, lots of Gremlins. The fan is slow to react when I turn it up, for example. But the AC compressor was refitted just a few months ago and should be fine.

 

[rod_vw]

If you do have one it is fitted on the L hand side of the vehicle with its exhaust within the L wheel arch.

Isn't that on a T4, surely the T5/T6 exhaust is under the centre opposite the one for the parking heater?

 

[WelshGas]

Isn't that on a T4, surely the T5/T6 exhaust is under the centre opposite the one for the parking heater?

I don't think so. I've had "steam" from the vicinity of the NS front wheel arch on a cold frosty morning.

 

[2into1]

I think Rod is right on this one. It’s very hidden on the T5 vs the T4 which was in the wheel arch.

 

[rod_vw]

I think Rod is right on this one. It’s very hidden on the T5 vs the T4 which was in the wheel arch.

Thanks, I doubted my comment so looked it up in the factory manual and my thoughts were confirmed.

Anyone needing access to official factory manual can find it on https://cardiagn.com/ BUT remember there is a lot of it!! I've downloaded a copy onto a memory stick and it occupies about 95Mb