Error - auxiliary heater - not workin at all

[TomVT]

Hi everybody,
Looking for some advice on the heater here:

Details:
* California Ocean T6.1
* 2023, newly registered in July
* Built in auxiliary heater, never needed/tried on the auxiliary heater untill 4 weeks ago.
* Full battery, full diesel tank, both on hook-up and without.
* Issue: heater not working at all: code on the control panel: 'Error: auxiliary heater'
* Subsequent issues: control panel stalling on 'please wait': solved by reset by pulling out the fuses.

I've tried on the auxiliary heater about a month ago in the morning --> first 'heat immediately', but nothing reacted. No ticking sound, no heating coming on, nothing.
--> I drove to work, had no symbols or errors or anything.
--> in the evening I tested again, but after some reading up during the day I tried 'heating continuously' on various settings (5 tot 10), still nothign coming on.
--> after trying this 2-3 times I get the message 'Error: auxiliary heating' returning to the main menu afterwards.
--> If I push my luck and try the 'heat immediately' 1-2 times again I get the notice 'please wait' staying on for minutes-hours. This can be fixed by resetting the control panel, but still no heating.

I've went to the garage and tried the control panel software update, but without luck.
I've went back a 2nd time and they replaced the leasure battery, but also without luck.
I've went back a 3rd time and they resetted the system (seems to be necessary after replacement of the leasure battery), but no luck again.
I've been booked for a 4th visit on 28th November where they will check the pump of the auxiliary heater.

Even though I'm happy they try to figure out the issue, it would be nice to find out what's the actual issue.
It's a brand new car that should be covered under warranty, but VW doesn't allow the garage to test anything without their consent.
Is there anyone on here that had the same issue and got it resolved?

I've read everything on this forum about the heaters, but don't seem to find an idential problem?

Thanks in advance for reading!

 

[WelshGas]

Hi everybody,
Looking for some advice on the heater here:

Details:
* California Ocean T6.1
* 2023, newly registered in July
* Built in auxiliary heater, never needed/tried on the auxiliary heater untill 4 weeks ago.
* Full battery, full diesel tank, both on hook-up and without.
* Issue: heater not working at all: code on the control panel: 'Error: auxiliary heater'
* Subsequent issues: control panel stalling on 'please wait': solved by reset by pulling out the fuses.

I've tried on the auxiliary heater about a month ago in the morning --> first 'heat immediately', but nothing reacted. No ticking sound, no heating coming on, nothing.
--> I drove to work, had no symbols or errors or anything.
--> in the evening I tested again, but after some reading up during the day I tried 'heating continuously' on various settings (5 tot 10), still nothign coming on.
--> after trying this 2-3 times I get the message 'Error: auxiliary heating' returning to the main menu afterwards.
--> If I push my luck and try the 'heat immediately' 1-2 times again I get the notice 'please wait' staying on for minutes-hours. This can be fixed by resetting the control panel, but still no heating.

I've went to the garage and tried the control panel software update, but without luck.
I've went back a 2nd time and they replaced the leasure battery, but also without luck.
I've went back a 3rd time and they resetted the system (seems to be necessary after replacement of the leasure battery), but no luck again.
I've been booked for a 4th visit on 28th November where they will check the pump of the auxiliary heater.

Even though I'm happy they try to figure out the issue, it would be nice to find out what's the actual issue.
It's a brand new car that should be covered under warranty, but VW doesn't allow the garage to test anything without their consent.
Is there anyone on here that had the same issue and got it resolved
I've read everything on this forum about the heaters, but don't seem to find an idential problem?

Thanks in advance for reading!

I don't think your Dealership are very competent with regards to the California.
These are the acknowledged experts in your region. I would visit them.

Volkswagen Campercentrum - Officiële dealer van Volkswagen Campers

Volkswagen Campercentrum is sinds 2001 specialist in compacte campers van Volkswagen. Deze campers worden zowel verkocht als verhuurd. Ook ..

volkswagencampercentrum.nl

 

[TomVT]

I don't think your Dealership are very competent with regards to the California.
These are the acknowledged experts in your region. I would visit them.

Volkswagen Campercentrum - Officiële dealer van Volkswagen Campers

Volkswagen Campercentrum is sinds 2001 specialist in compacte campers van Volkswagen. Deze campers worden zowel verkocht als verhuurd. Ook ..

volkswagencampercentrum.nl

Hi WelshGas,

I'm indeed under the impression they're knowledgeable about VW but less about the California part.
Someone also recommended me the guys you point out. It's certainly worth giving them a call, but since the appointment is set at the Dealership and the warranty claim is open with them, I do want to give them a chance to resolve this.
--> But if the 4th time isn't providing a solution, I'll certainly get in touch.

Just trying to figure out if I'm actually the only one with this issue, or if somebody else had the same, and fixed it. So I can also inform the Dealership further.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi WelshGas,

I'm indeed under the impression they're knowledgeable about VW but less about the California part.
Someone also recommended me the guys you point out. It's certainly worth giving them a call, but since the appointment is set at the Dealership and the warranty claim is open with them, I do want to give them a chance to resolve this.
--> But if the 4th time isn't providing a solution, I'll certainly get in touch.

Just trying to figure out if I'm actually the only one with this issue, or if somebody else had the same, and fixed it. So I can also inform the Dealership further.

I'm not aware of anybody on the Forum having the same problem as you have mentioned, complete failure of the auxiliary heater to work in either mode, heat immediate or heat continuous. Almost sounds as if the heater is not connected , either a wiring fault or fuse blown.

 

[Roger Boeken]

I recognize the problem. Sometimes heater does not start without reason.
things you can try:
use setting 10
open the front door to let cold air reach the heater temperature sensor
turn on the ignition before starting the heater
start immediate heat, stop it, and start the aux heater
on the 4 or 5 occasions over last year it did not start I always succeeded to get it running with one of the methods above..
did not take it to the dealer because no confidence they will be able to repair..

 

[scottk]

You do have it set to heat and not ventilate?

 

[TomVT]

Yes it's set to heat.
Short update: the car is still in the garage:
* software update control panel: no change
* replace leasure battery: no change
* replace diesel pump auxiliary heater: no change
--> next step is to replace the regulator and sensor in the heater, which is already 5 days on its way from Germany to Belgium.

I've asked if it wouldn't be cheaper replacing the complete heater, instead of spending multiple days on a heater of 1500€, but it seems VW warranty doesn't allow this, and all small steps need to be taken first.

 

[TomVT]

When it gets fixed I'll update the post here so hopefully somebody else is helped with it.
I've spend the last week on my motorcycle commuting and visiting customers. Even though I'm fanatic about it; a heated car would be a nice back up ;-)

 

[Nik_campervan]

Buy yourself a copy of vcds connect via laptop and identify what is wrong. Pulling the heater and doind a basic service than the garage randomly replacing parts ffs.

 

[Roger Boeken]

Buy yourself a copy of vcds connect via laptop and identify what is wrong. Pulling the heater and doind a basic service than the garage randomly replacing parts ffs.

Do you really believe the garage did not use vcsd or alike to diagnose before replacing parts at random ?

 

[Nik_campervan]

Do you really believe the garage did not use vcsd or alike to diagnose before replacing parts at random ?

This forum alone is full of woeful dealership california diagnosis, they know virtually nothing about the camping side of things to them its simply a van.

 

[cguncha1986olot]

Cuando se solucione, actualizaré la publicación aquí, así que espero que alguien más pueda recibir ayuda.
Pasé la última semana en mi motocicleta viajando y visitando clientes. Aunque soy un fanático de ello; un coche con calefacción sería un buen respaldo ;-)

hola!!, soy nuevo en el foro, tengo el mismo problema "Error calentador auxiliar" gracias al foro he podido reiniciar la pantalla que estaba bloqueada, quitando el fusible debajo del asiento del piloto, he intentado reiniciar la centralita pero, al parecer esta totalmente bloqueada, he llamado al concesionario VW y este próximo miércoles, actualizarán el software, que puede ser el culpable del error. en cuanto tenga solución, informaré por si ayuda a alguien.

 

[TomVT]

14 days after I brought my car to the dealer, I'm still without it...
They've now replaced the regulator and sensor in the heater but there seems to be an electronic issue with the coding of the new part, so it can't synchronize.
--> Again they're asking for information at the VW factory...

Next step will be a legal letter to VW.
I have the car 5 months, of which it spent overall nearly 4 weeks at the dealer, just for an auxiliary heating error. In the meanwhile I'm paying monthly financial lease for a car that haven't seen this month...

 

[cguncha1986olot]

14 días después de llevar mi coche al concesionario sigo sin él...
Ahora reemplazaron el regulador y el sensor en el calentador, pero parece haber un problema electrónico con la codificación de la pieza nueva, por lo que no se puede sincronizar.
--> Nuevamente piden información en la fábrica de VW...

El próximo paso será una carta legal a VW.
Tengo el coche 5 meses, de los cuales en total pasé casi 4 semanas en el concesionario, sólo por un error de calefacción auxiliar. Mientras tanto estoy pagando mensualmente el arrendamiento financiero de un coche que no he visto este mes...

hola!!!, hoy han realizado el diagnostico en mi furgoneta.
# actualización de software para evitar posibles averías futuras, Al parecer el fallo del calentador auxiliar es más común de lo normal.
#sustitucion bujía del calentador auxiliar, encargada del encendido.
#esto se realizará la próxima semana cuando llegue la pieza, y no se descarta algún otro problema en el calentador auxiliar hasta no desmontar y cambiar bujía.
#mi vehículo es del 2021, periodo de garantía terminado.

Coste de reparación 450 €
Actualizaré información la próxima semana.

 

[Rhubarb]

Hi @TomVT - did you ever solve this ? I seem to have a similar problem on my brand new California Beach.

 

[TomVT]

Hi @Rhubarb
It finally got solved after 4,5 months for me by replacing the fuel dosing pump that was feeding the auxiliary heater.
Before that, VW changed;
- Leasure battery
- Software update
- Heating module
- Complet heater
--> none of them were the issue, but they claimed they had to follow the VW procedures.
These procedures force them to just replace part by part, instead of actually troubleshooting.

Now the temperatures are rising, my heater is finally working. ;-)