Not possible to use heater

[icic]

I just got my van back from the dealer. They replaced all 3 batteries as they where shot as they did not charge them when the van had been sitting with them for 6 weeks. One of the issues they where going to fix was the kitchen under light coming on and off. They tell me they fixed this. I told them about the Poole breeze suggestion on this site for fixing this. I presume they did this

When I got home I went to put the cabin (not engine) heater on. I get the message heating not possible on the control panel. I followed the suggestions on the site in regards to checking for errors in the controller submenu, it says no errors. The fuel tank is full. Also tried it again tonight when it’s getting cold. Any suggestions ? I really don’t want to have to take it in again to the dealer, that wil be the 4th time in 3 months, each time them putting right the things they messed up the time before.

We are new to the California (9 moths). Is this normal to have so many things go wrong and be constantly go back and forth to the dealer ?

 

[ThomasHJ]

Read this thread in which @WelshGas has a good suggestion that solved the same problem for another owner. (Heating not possible) Hopefully it will work for you as well.

This is what @WelshGas suggested:

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.

For member @Strong step 1 (rebooting the control panel) fixed the problem.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I just got my van back from the dealer. They replaced all 3 batteries as they where shot as they did not charge them when the van had been sitting with them for 6 weeks. One of the issues they where going to fix was the kitchen under light coming on and off. They tell me they fixed this. I told them about the Poole breeze suggestion on this site for fixing this. I presume they did this

When I got home I went to put the cabin (not engine) heater on. I get the message heating not possible on the control panel. I followed the suggestions on the site in regards to checking for errors in the controller submenu, it says no errors. The fuel tank is full. Also tried it again tonight when it’s getting cold. Any suggestions ? I really don’t want to have to take it in again to the dealer, that wil be the 4th time in 3 months, each time them putting right the things they messed up the time before.

How much fuel in your tank? I understand that if it’s low the heater will not function.

 

[Soton Campers]

We are new to the California (9 moths). Is this normal to have so many things go wrong and be constantly go back and forth to the dealer ?

Thankfully it's not normal. Unfortunately what is normal are dealerships who don't really understand the inner workings of the California. I am so lucky to have the fantastic people at Breeze Poole and Breeze Totton. Are you able to get them to look at it? I guess lockdown isn't helping.

 

[Soton Campers]

Read this thread in which @WelshGas has a good suggestion that solved the same problem for another owner. (Heating not possible) Hopefully it will work for you as well.

This is what @WelshGas suggested:

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.

For member @Strong step 1 (rebooting the control panel) fixed the problem.

OP this won't work on a T6.1 however, the control panels are different.

 

[icic]

Read this thread in which @WelshGas has a good suggestion that solved the same problem for another owner. (Heating not possible) Hopefully it will work for you as well.

This is what @WelshGas suggested:

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.

For member @Strong step 1 (rebooting the control panel) fixed the problem.

Yes done all this, still won’t work. The fuel tank is full, so it’s looking like yet another trip to the dealer

Love to go to Poole breeze bit it’s 2 1/2 hours away

 

[Perfectos]

Hook the van up to 240v EHU and try the heater, then leave the batteries on charge via EHU for 48 hours

pls report back if the EHU allows the heater to fire up ?

edit have you checked the batteries (both) have actually been replaced?

edit, did you get warranty paperwork to prove both bats have / were changed ?

 

[icic]

Hook the van up to 240v EHU and try the heater, then leave the batteries on charge via EHU for 48 hours

pls report back if the EHU allows the heater to fire up ?

Even though all 3 batteries (2 leisure and one engine battery) where replaced this week by the dealer ? Just so I can understand why might hook up work when there are new batteries

 

[icic]

I only ask as I can’t hook up for 49 hours as where we are is street parking

 

[Perfectos]

If the batteries are insufficiently charged the heater may not work

did the dealer provide you with paperwork to prove the bats were changed ?

Alternatively try the heater on a low setting to fire it up, make sure it’s not on high (above 50%) see if it will fire up, the glow plug needs to heat up first to allow the heater to run !
Do you get cold air from the B pillar vents ? Or no air at all ?

A visual indicator for the battery change is, the new batteries may have a paper sticker with the dealer details and date stuck to the top of each battery. You can also check the year of manufacture of the batteries.
(search function is your friend)

 

[icic]

Thank

If the batteries are insufficiently charged the heater may not work

did the dealer provide you with paperwork to prove the bats were changed ?

the panels says the batteries are 100% so the reading on the control panels could incorrect ? Hence the need to see paperwork ?

As for setting a lower heat, I can’t get to that point, it just says heater no possible, so can’t reset the temperature

So the dealer may have put batteries in but nit checked the charge ? But why would the panel say it 100% at 12.6 Volts

 

[flying banana]

Try it with the engine running? Other than what's suggested above I would have a look under the passenger seat where one of the leisure bats lives and make sure everythings connected there.

 

[WelshGas]

OP this won't work on a T6.1 however, the control panels are different.

The OP has a T6, so it will work. But as you say, not on the T6.1.

 

[WelshGas]

Thank
the panels says the batteries are 100% so the reading on the control panels could incorrect ? Hence the need to see paperwork ?

As for setting a lower heat, I can’t get to that point, it just says heater no possible, so can’t reset the temperature

So the dealer may have put batteries in but nit checked the charge ? But why would the panel say it 100% at 12.6 Volts

Ignore the %, concentrate on the Voltage only.
At 12.6v the batteries are fine, and you have fuel.
The error message you mentioned indicates the Control Panel is not linked to the Parking Heater electronically for some reason.

Switch Off the Control Panel using L lower button.
Leave Off for a minimum 1 hr, or overnight.
Switch On Control Panel with L lower button.
Try Parking Heater.

Report Back , please, if you get any error messages.

Just to confirm, there are no Diagnostic codes in the hidden Control Panel Menu?

 

[flying banana]

Check the fuses. Also under the seat. Loz has a list in the download section. VW may have blown a fuse . If the control panel was removed for any reason I believe the plugs at the back of it can become loose. Ask the amazing master tech exactly what they did.

 

[Perfectos]

Report it to the dealer,take it back and let them sort it

 

[icic]

Ignore the %, concentrate on the Voltage only.
At 12.6v the batteries are fine, and you have fuel.
The error message you mentioned indicates the Control Panel is not linked to the Parking Heater electronically for some reason.

Switch Off the Control Panel using L lower button.
Leave Off for a minimum 1 hr, or overnight.
Switch On Control Panel with L lower button.
Try Parking Heater.

Report Back , please, if you get any error messages.

Just to confirm, there are no Diagnostic codes in the hidden Control Panel Menu?

Switched off control panel overnight yesterday, and switched on with lower same message.

There are no error messages in the VW diagnostic menu

As the dealer fiddled with the fuses when sorting the under light comping on randomly, I think most likely he has messed the fuses up some how. The breeze pool fix on the site was to rewire some of the fuses, so maybe they solved one problem and created another. Back to the dealer by the looks of it. The receptionist at the dealer recognises my voice, without giving my name now ..

 

[PhilC]

Have you tried popping out the control panel and checking everything is plugged in behind it? Should be one large plug and two smaller ones. There's a video on youtube that shows the control panel removal and replacement. I assume VW would have checked this, but you never know...

I am also lead to believe the order in which these 3 wires are plugged in is critical. The two smaller plugs need to go in first and then the larger plug, otherwise you'll get the same error message. So even if they are all plugged in, try removing and replacing them in the order above.

I bought a 2015 SE last week and had the same error message coming up when trying to turn the heater on, 'heating not possible'. Looking through the paperwork it had recently had the Hydraulic roof pump replaced, which is under the headlining and would have required everything to be removed and unplugged in that area. I popped the control panel out and low and behold the 2 smaller wires were nowhere to be seen. I eventually found that they had been tucked up behind one of the other panels by accident. I reconnected them and the heating is now working perfectly!

 

[icic]

It’s at the dealer at the moment, they seem to have no clue why it’s not working, said they are going to contact VW tech as they don’t know what to do

Oh the intermittent light issue is back as well, so two electrical issues that may or may not be related to each other, both they have no idea about

 

[AlisonF]

It’s at the dealer at the moment, they seem to have no clue why it’s not working, said they are going to contact VW tech as they don’t know what to do

Oh the intermittent light issue is back as well, so two electrical issues that may or may not be related to each other, both they have no idea about

Thanks for the update. Hope you get some answers soon.
Such a shame your first few months have been full of issues...

 

[Lightning]

My under counter strip light doesn’t work properly after being ‘fixed’ once, failing again, then not fixed by a different dealer after two attempts. I gave up in the end as they don’t know what they are doing and it’s a waste of time. They seem hopeless at sorting out habitation electrical faults.

 

[icic]

Yes I agree, told them to disconnect the light, I can live without it, and don’t want the batteries running down. Heating needs to be fixed though

 

[icic]

They have fixed the heater the heater manager unit needed replacing. The light issue they won’t disconnect it, so I told them to leave it. I start a new post about how to disable the light myself, can it be done form the fuse box ?

 

[flying banana]

They have fixed the heater the heater manager unit needed replacing. The light issue they won’t disconnect it, so I told them to leave it. I start a new post about how to disable the light myself, can it be done form the fuse box ?

I reckon you could pull the wires off the back of the switch on the cupboard? Don't have that pesky light myself so cant check

 

[Properjob]

They have fixed the heater the heater manager unit needed replacing. The light issue they won’t disconnect it, so I told them to leave it. I start a new post about how to disable the light myself, can it be done form the fuse box ?

I had a similar problem recently with the heater. it failed a year ago when camping in Feb .. so a bit of a chilly weekend! It went in and out of the garage with various bits being ordered in from Germany, then that not solving it or solving for a a short while... (we thought it was sorted for a weekend in Oct but it failed again then) then them rewiring it all....and finally the same as you - replaced the heater control unit and so far it’s been fine. Took a whole year to sort because of the added problem of current restrictions. Good luck!