Driver being cooked by heater

[Broch Hunter]

Travelled for 200 miles today in my 2 month old T6 Ocean and found I was being cooked by the heating system. I had the climatronic on the lowest auto setting 18.0c, but while my front seat passenger was very comfortable I certainly was not. I eventually realised that the source of my discomfort was a lot of heat emanating from the vents in the B pillar by the side door. Checked obvious things like heated seats and made sure the parking heater wasn't switched on, but nothing I tried seemed to stop the unwanted flow of heat from the B pillar vents. I will take this up with the dealer when I get home in a few days, but in the meantime wondered if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

 

[WelshGas]

Travelled for 200 miles today in my 2 month old T6 Ocean and found I was being cooked by the heating system. I had the climatronic on the lowest auto setting 18.0c, but while my front seat passenger was very comfortable I certainly was not. I eventually realised that the source of my discomfort was a lot of heat emanating from the vents in the B pillar by the side door. Checked obvious things like heated seats and made sure the parking heater wasn't switched on, but nothing I tried seemed to stop the unwanted flow of heat from the B pillar vents. I will take this up with the dealer when I get home in a few days, but in the meantime wondered if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

Interesting. I do not have a T6 but as far as I am aware the T5 and T6 share the same heating system. There is no connection between the engine operated heating system and the B pillar vents which are used exclusively by the Eberspacher Diesel Parking Heater. This heater takes air from vents in the Drivers footstep area, heats it and blows out via the B pillar vent. Also it does not heat continuously as it is temperature controlled.
As the Parking Heater was Off I just cannot visualise any possible cause, but I presume this happens every time you are driving?
Please let us know what the Dealer finds.

 

[DM]

I certainly don't have that problem on my T6. The only time heat comes from that vent is when the parking heater is on. I know you've checked but is it possible to have the parking heater on whilst driving ? I've not actually tried.

Let us know what the dealer finds?

 

[WelshGas]

I certainly don't have that problem on my T6. The only time heat comes from that vent is when the parking heater is on. I know you've checked but is it possible to have the parking heater on whilst driving ? I've not actually tried.

Let us know what the dealer finds?

Yes, you can use the Parking Heater when driving.
During winter, if you want to maximise Leisure Batteries use, fire up the Parking Heater 20 mins or so before setting up camp while driving to campsite. The heater uses most electrical power to fire up and minimal to keep going, so you fire up while engine going.
Also, on cold mornings, fire up Parking Heater before leaving home and leave it on until Engine Heater takes over, especially if you have rear passengers.

 

[Hotel California]

Almost no other solution is probally the heater has put in "program" and you think it's off ....does your Cali stayes outside at night ? Becose if stored in a garage you defanatly need to check if there's a program switched on....

 

[Broch Hunter]

Thanks for the input guys. It is all very strange, as the unwanted heat was definitely coming from the B pillar vents. The parking heater was certainly off when I arrived at the campsite as I had to switch it on. I will double check that there is nothing set in the programme that could have activated it whilst en route.

 

[CaliCrazy]

I had the same problem with that on my new T6! I fiddled around with all the heating controls on the dash and managed to switch it off somehow.

 

[GrannyJen]

As HC said, check your heater programme mode.

It's easy to forget you have programmes set .... until it kicks in and does just as you have experienced!

 

[Broch Hunter]

I had the same problem with that on my new T6! I fiddled around with all the heating controls on the dash and managed to switch it off somehow.

Interesting, as I haven't found anything set in the programmer I will give random button pressing a try tomorrow.

 

[stephen watson]

Travelled for 200 miles today in my 2 month old T6 Ocean and found I was being cooked by the heating system. I had the climatronic on the lowest auto setting 18.0c, but while my front seat passenger was very comfortable I certainly was not. I eventually realised that the source of my discomfort was a lot of heat emanating from the vents in the B pillar by the side door. Checked obvious things like heated seats and made sure the parking heater wasn't switched on, but nothing I tried seemed to stop the unwanted flow of heat from the B pillar vents. I will take this up with the dealer when I get home in a few days, but in the meantime wondered if anyone else had experienced anything similar.

You have my sympathy. I managed to flatten the battery on my new Ocean today (separate thread). I had a minimal handover at the dealer - most of the time was spent sorting paperwork etc. There is a LOT to read in the manual - I'm surprised some enterprising education authority isn't offering an NVQ. Ah well, at least we have this brilliant forum.

 

[GrannyJen]

Interesting, as I haven't found anything set in the programmer I will give random button pressing a try tomorrow.

The best random button to press is the on/off switch for the control panel. Bottom left. Turn control panel off, then on, all heating programmes eliminated.

 

[B J G]

Had the same on my first run out today. Haven't looked into as yet but good to know where to look.
not set anything or had the Aux. heater running either. Not knowingly that is.

Well timed thread for me.

 

[stephen watson]

I think you GrannyJen, and WelshGas ought to run a summer school for all us newbies!

 

[GrannyJen]

I think you GrannyJen, and WelshGas ought to run a summer school for all us newbies!

Summer school?

Never!

Winter, off road, snow, ice, howling wind ..... and how to be in love with a warm, snug and safe Cali

 

[T6 CFO]

It's very easy to turn on the heater accidentally with the remote. In your pocket??
I took mine of the keys and it now lives in the cubby hole on dash.


Mike

 

[SimonB]

I think you GrannyJen, and WelshGas ought to run a summer school for all us newbies!

Are you able to come to one of the Meets around the country?
You'll be able to find answers to most of the questions you have, possibly to some questions you haven't thought of yet as well. We had a very detailed handover, but learned more in half a day from experienced owners than we did in days of reading the manual.
We have been to a number of Meets over the last 18 months and have met so many kind helpful owners at each one. Learning what to do but most important, what not to do.
This is one of a series of very helpful YouTube videos

that one dealership has put together on a range of subjects. You can find the rest from this one. Simon

 

[Kevthegas]

Have you got the rear temperature set too high, ie higher than the front. On the control panel if you press rear you can adjust the rear temperature from the right hand temperature dial.

 

[Broch Hunter]

The best random button to press is the on/off switch for the control panel. Bottom left. Turn control panel off, then on, all heating programmes eliminated.

That is what I thought and I tried it when I stopped for a brief halfway pit stop. I made sure everything was off and the only thing I switched back on was the fridge.

The heater remote is safely stored in the dashboard top cubby hole so that is also ruled out.

 

[B J G]

Had a look this morning and only thing I found was that the rear panel (behind the side door) showed heat high.
Pressed temp - button and it showed Off.
Haven't been out for a run but that was probably why I was being cooked yesterday.

Couldn't see any problems on the front heater control panel that would explain heater being on.
Heater was only on when driving not parked or locked up.

 

[Broch Hunter]

Had a look this morning and only thing I found was that the rear panel (behind the side door) showed heat high.
Pressed temp - button and it showed Off.
Haven't been out for a run but that was probably why I was being cooked yesterday.

Couldn't see any problems on the front heater control panel that would explain heater being on.
Heater was only on when driving not parked or locked up.

Only had a shortish run today and I also found this to be the answer. I don't know how or when they were changed, but I found the rear heater controls were set at high. Resetting them to a more acceptable level has solved the problem. I initially reset the rear at low and found a comforting blast of cold air from the B pillar vents. So it seems that, contrary to what I and some others thought, the B pillar vents are not just for the parking heater but are also used by the normal climate control system.

 

[WelshGas]

Only had a shortish run today and I also found this to be the answer. I don't know how or when they were changed, but I found the rear heater controls were set at high. Resetting them to a more acceptable level has solved the problem. I initially reset the rear at low and found a comforting blast of cold air from the B pillar vents. So it seems that, contrary to what I and some others thought, the B pillar vents are not just for the parking heater but are also used by the normal climate control system.

On the California with Full Climate Control Heating/AirCon there are 2 systems, one in the Engine compartment and behind the dash for the front with air coming out from various dashboard vents.
The second system is in the rear of the vehicle , opposite side to the wardrobe. Air is taken in via the vent in the boot side panel, heated/cooled and sent out via the roof level vents above the rear passenger seat. There is a fan, heat exchanger and AirCon exchanger behind that panel.
Unless they have drastically changed things on the T6, and according to my information they haven't , there is no connection from either system to the floor level vent in the "B" pillar. This vent ONLY connects to the Eberspacher Parking Heater.
I believe California Beach's with Climatronic AirCon, and NO Parking Heater do not have the "B" pillar vent.

More likely to be Air directed from the Rear vents.

 

[Broch Hunter]

On the California with Full Climate Control Heating/AirCon there are 2 systems, one in the Engine compartment and behind the dash for the front with air coming out from various dashboard vents.
The second system is in the rear of the vehicle , opposite side to the wardrobe. Air is taken in via the vent in the boot side panel, heated/cooled and sent out via the roof level vents above the rear passenger seat. There is a fan, heat exchanger and AirCon exchanger behind that panel.
Unless they have drastically changed things on the T6, and according to my information they haven't , there is no connection from either system to the floor level vent in the "B" pillar. This vent ONLY connects to the Eberspacher Parking Heater.
I believe California Beach's with Climatronic AirCon, and NO Parking Heater do not have the "B" pillar vent.

More likely to be Air directed from the Rear vents.

I hear what you say WG, but all I can say is that with the rear climatronic set at low I received a blast of cold air directly from the B pillar vent. I will test further tomorrow, but so far the evidence I have suggests that the B pillar on the T6 is used for both the parking heater and the Climatronic systems

 

[B J G]

I hear what you say WG, but all I can say is that with the rear climatronic set at low I received a blast of cold air directly from the B pillar vent. I will test further tomorrow, but so far the evidence I have suggests that the B pillar on the T6 is used for both the parking heater and the Climatronic systems

I'll have a play as well when I can find some spare time.

 

[2haw]

On the California with Full Climate Control Heating/AirCon there are 2 systems, one in the Engine compartment and behind the dash for the front with air coming out from various dashboard vents.
The second system is in the rear of the vehicle , opposite side to the wardrobe. Air is taken in via the vent in the boot side panel, heated/cooled and sent out via the roof level vents above the rear passenger seat. There is a fan, heat exchanger and AirCon exchanger behind that panel.
Unless they have drastically changed things on the T6, and according to my information they haven't , there is no connection from either system to the floor level vent in the "B" pillar. This vent ONLY connects to the Eberspacher Parking Heater.
I believe California Beach's with Climatronic AirCon, and NO Parking Heater do not have the "B" pillar vent.

More likely to be Air directed from the Rear vents.

I have a T6 Beach with 3 zone Air-con and no Parking Heater and do not have the B pillar vent. Mine does have a low level vent in the C pillar.

 

[ROKET]

Thanks for the input guys. It is all very strange, as the unwanted heat was definitely coming from the B pillar vents. The parking heater was certainly off when I arrived at the campsite as I had to switch it on. I will double check that there is nothing set in the programe that could have activated it whilst en route.

I have the same problem on my T5.Sometimes with out touching any controls for no apparent reason the rear heating comes on and i have to go back and turn it off and the extra heating around my legs is coming from the B pillar.I have found if i press the Sync button it goes off.