New Owner - Aux heating problem.

[Mags21]

We took delivery of a new Cali SE 180 DSG 4 Motion in Sept.

When dealer did the handover it showed "Heating not Possible" on the control panel. The dealer took the car back into their workshop a few days later to check it out. Meanwhile I asked why we did not have remote to control for the auxiliary heating. The initial response was that "yes we should have a remote" but when the van was returned from the dealers workshop we were told the technician said that this model did not have a remote and that you cannot control the auxiliary heating from the control panel just to use the controls in the rear of the van.

Question is, having now had the time to go over the van thoroughly I can see no way to control the auxiliary heating as the controls in the back of the van are doing nothing. Am I missing something -how do others bring on/control their overnight heating?

Any advice very welcome - we are hoping to go on our first overnight trip soon and obviously need to have the heat fully functioning.

Thanks.

 

[Martin]

When you say control panel at rear, do you mean the Climatronic panel ? ifso, this does not control the diesel heater. Have you managed to get the heater working from the central control panel?

 

[calikev]

Complete rubbish. You should be able to control the heating by the remote that you should have and by the control panel in the front.the rear control panel will be the climatronic if fitted

 

[Mags21]

Thanks for the quick replies. I am now convinced the dealer is talking nonsense - he has bluffed his way through when we have asked him other technical questions rather than admit he doesn't know the answer - I don't think they sell many Cali's.
The panel in the back has a hot/cold dial and a fan dial - we do not have climatronic fitted so what does this panel do?

Is it possible that the auxiliary heater has been fitted but is not connected to the control panel and if so will they be able to do this now if it was not done at the factory? Although I was told last week that the technician said it was not controlled from the panel. I
s an auxiliary heater always installed in these vans?

Sorry for all the questions.

This could be a disaster for our first trip away next week - no heating overnight!!

 

[calikev]

The dial in the back is the vans heater control there is a button on the dash that says rear that needs to be pressed then you can have heating in the back with the engine warm and running.
The wiring looms should be in place so I can't see that the heater would not be connected
To the control panel. Maybe you live near another owner who could show you how it works on the left of the control panel the top button will put the heater on try that to see if it turns red.

 

[GrannyJen]

The dealer is talking absolute rubbish.

 

[2into1]

If your dealer is that rubbish it may be worth trying another (but keep chasing your remote) and perhaps try and find a member nearby who could show you how to control the heater from the front panel??

 

[Mags21]

Thanks again.

I understand now, we did have the rear heating on when we were driving one day and turned it down to cold in the back (using the dials in the back) as it was too warm and that definately worked so that is fine. I have seen the rear button on the dash so thats all okay when we are driving.

As to the control panel when we press the heating button nothing happens it does not turn red and the display says "heating not possible". What concerns me now is they knew this when they handed it over to us, then they took it back in to investigate why this message was displayed then brought it back saying all okay and aux heating not controlled from the control panel.

I am paying them a visit tomorrow and not leaving until I get some sense from them!

Can I ask one last question -is the Aux heating a totally separate heating system from the one that is used when driving? ( I know it runs off the leisure battery and also the diesel and it has an exhaust under the side door and you need to ventilate and have a co2 detector from reading I have done on this forum).
Thanks for all your comments

 

[calikev]

Yes the aux heater is totally separate from the van heating all Cali se 's should have it fitted as standard you have the heater button on the control panel you should have a heater

 

[Mags21]

Thanks for that - and I meant carbon monoxide detector not CO2!!

 

[GrannyJen]

The CO detector is a sensible precaution.

A small one, such as fire angel, needs no maintenance, takes no room, costs a shade over £20 and can save your life if exhaust gases or mis-burnt fuel gases gets inside the van.

Some people have reported problems with the side door being open and fumes coming inside the van because of the position of the heater exhaust. I have never had a problem with fumes but then I don't have the heater on and the doors open :?

As for the heater, I am sorry that you are having problems. The van you have been sold is clearly not working as it should. You SHOULD have a remote control for the heater and without it the heater SHOULD be able to be turned on from the control panel. Whoever tells you differently is talking rubbish and it is totally unacceptable.

 

[Mags21]

Thanks for that - I will visit the dealer tomorrow armed with everyone's comments and if he starts to try to bluff his way out again I will insist he is giving me incorrect info. Which is what I already suspected from reading up on here - great source of info for the uninitiated!!

Thanks everyone.

 

[Meoncoast]

Are you near another dealer? (who may know what they are talking about)

 

[Martin]

You can check on the VW commercial website who are the specialist California dealers in the UK.

Just out of interest, which dealer is it?

 

[snowy55]

The remote control only turns the heating on and off you can't adjust the level of heat.
Have you tried the reset procedure. Press and hold the bottom left button on the control panel I think others will confirm this.

 

[AlanC]

One last thing to check is that there is a parking heater fitted.

Have a look at the 'B' pillar inside the driver's door, (or as in my case on the edge of the drivers door), to see if there is a label there. If you have the parking heater fitted, there should be a label which states the Eberspascher or Webasto heater that is fitted to your van.

If that is there, then it is controlled by the control panel. The failure to be able to do this can only be down to coding the vehicle systems correctly.

Alan