Rear Heater, pain in the rear!

P

Phil P

Member
1/ I had a quote £600 from company to install and program the heater with remote, does this seem about right. As it’s close to cost of a diesel diesel air heater, going for one of them?
2/ my van has rear heater in also
it’s a T6 Caravelle, however it only seems to blow warm sometimes when it feels like it, sometimes after a continuous drive but other times even when the engine temp is at 90 I can’t turn it to blow hot on command If I change the directional and other settings all happens and coool air but no heat when selected, the little flap actuator moves when temp changed? If I disconnect the white rod and move the flap there seems to be no resistance? This doesn’t alter the air temp either. Is there something I can try or does it need VDS on it?
I have been advised to get a full VCDS, anyone close able to this at reasonable cost?
Cheers
 
Thanks Jason for your help, the actuator arm that is outside the heater box is intact and l can see it move when I change the temperature. It could be inside the box the flap tha actuator is attached to?
But it is odd that it sometimes works, my thought was if a physical failure wouldn’t work anytime? There must be some temp sensor that affects the unit and maybe this is faulty but intermittently works can happen?
The diagnostics can read the temps and compare to ambient temp, I think?
It is not the end of the world but annoying as i like things to work ( who doesn’t. :)
At some point will get VW centre to fun a full check but it’s hard as their techs might not have much experience with the rear heater.
Cheers
 
How's your coolant level..? Could be an air block or possibly one of the heater ducting hoses come loose...

Odd that its intermittent....

Have you noticed any pattern... such as blows cold when engine idles even though engine is at temp..?

Blows hot after rotating temp control to cold and back to hot.. or with increased RPM's...

There's some good VAG independents around... VAG Technik in Manchester isn't far from you and he has VCDS and could probably run a scan and diagnose for you...
 
I have the rear heater and was surprised to find the coolant pipes leading to / from it were hot in the summer even when the temp dial on the dash were set to cold. This leads me to believe the heat into the cabin is controlled by a motorised flap / gate.

I think your problem is either a problem with the flap or an air lock in the coolant system.

First test is to feel the water pipes to/from the unit. I had the whole plastic panel off for sound deadening and the pipes enter the cabin forward of the o/s rear wheel. Not sure of the route to the engine from there? You may find the offshoots at floor level behind the engine?
 
JasonW said:
How's your coolant level..? Could be an air block or possibly one of the heater ducting hoses come loose...

Odd that its intermittent....

Have you noticed any pattern... such as blows cold when engine idles even though engine is at temp..?

Blows hot after rotating temp control to cold and back to hot.. or with increased RPM's...

There's some good VAG independents around... VAG Technik in Manchester isn't far from you and he has VCDS and could probably run a scan and diagnose for you...
Click to expand...
Yes it’s very odd, the coolant has never dropped, I am trying to identify a pattern like you say.
changing the heat temp has no effect when it’s not working, can’t remember if it changes to cold but I think it does, I’ve been that happy when it blows warm frightened to lower the the temp lol.
when it’s working and I park up I leave the engine idling to check it.
The only thing I have noticed is it seems to work when I have been for a descent run, not too far but say 10 miles without stops, at the moment not too many runs out. I have to go on a necessary drive today and I’m going to check if it starts working after a certain number of minutes/ miles. The bad news is that when I’m driving it’s not in reach
Thanks buddy
 
Was able to drive the van today 2 x 40 minutes drives both including 7 miles along the motorway and not very many t lights on a road. the rear heater starts blowing warm after about 20 minutes, until then it blows cold from the heater. Even though engine at normal temp? But about 10 minutes after the engine is running at 90 degrees it blows warm When I stopped I left the engine running and got in the rear, the digital display Alters temp and the directions shifts to roof if cool temp selected, turn up temp and the roof vents close and the heater blows warm through the heater on the c post base which is great. But I don’t understand why I can’t get it to blow warm if the engine temp is at 90 degrees and just idling, without a decent drive?
Makes no sense
 
I have a euro multivan so thats a caravelle on the UK. I also have the rear heater and can check what mine does.

I'm a bit confused about this part:

the rear heater starts blowing warm after about 20 minutes, until then it blows cold from the heater.
Even though engine at normal temp?

But about 10 minutes after the engine is running at 90 degrees it blows warm

Can you clarify the 10 mins situation for me pls as I don't understand you there.
 
Hi sorry for the poor description.
I’m driving, The engine reaches normal operating temp as usual but the heater vent in the c pillar base is still blowing cold air?
My front system is blowing warm air by this time.
I carried on driving and after another 10 minutes the rear heater started to blow warm from the vent at base of the c pillar?
I think the rear heater relies on coolant temperature for heat same as front so why not blow warm as the front does?
I wonder if there’s a rear thermostat or something?

I hope this makes more sense
Thanks for keeping in touch.
Phil
 
Hi just to add whilst the rear heater is blowing cold when the fronts blowing hot it has a negative effect, working against my front heaters so the rear of the Van doesn’t warm up properly, unless I go for longer drives.
Cheers
 
My money is on an air lock.

Next time I’m out in mine I’ll test the rear temp after 10mins. Mine only has low level heating, no overhead vents.
 
Thanks it is odd, the heater part of yours is probably the same?
I don’t know if mine is air con in the rear, I can sync it with my front control for temp, the rear controls are digital, I have had the van about 7 weeks and really pleased with it. Hey appreciate your help.
mine has some great spec on it but it’s better when everything works lol

8D030055-8EAD-4AAE-B2F0-483493093015.jpeg

6B141BCE-3FC7-4F3E-A1A8-7F7C370BE396.jpeg

66CE7B64-A147-422B-BAF4-5996E8D6FD46.jpeg

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Mine is a lot more rudimentary - temp dial and fan speed dial.

What happens when you press the ‘Rear’ button? Is that air con rear? Also note you’re on auto settings - what happens when you switch auto off and manually select options?

Ian
 
Also what does the 'SYNC' button do...?

Is it possible front and rear are out of sync... and thats why they're coming on at different times....
 
Hi
The sync button sets the rear temp same as front temp settings.
The rear button gives a short time to adjust rear temp independent from front. So it illuminates to enable changes, once nothing is being changed it goes out again. This took me a while to figure out and I thought this wasn’t working:) but it is.
The automatic button I presume let’s the rear manage itself to maintain any set temp?
The handbook is poor in giving the information and some of this is just by playing about and then figuring it.
Cheers
Phil
 
Sorry there’s a rest button that allows the heater system to run when the engine is switched off, it uses the residual engine/ coolant heat.
 
Hi, I'm getting warm air out of the C vent as soon as the engine temp starts to rise. Same as the dash vents.
 
On my ‘startline’ basic spec rear heater (only 2 low level vents) after a 15 min drive its blowing same/ similar temps as the front heater.

Have you tried taking it off auto? Sometimes it can apply odd priorities!
 
Thanks for info’ I was doing a bit of research on google and came across this 0n a few sites - Aux Heater Solenoid Valve Amarok Golf Mk7 Touran T5 T6 1T0820036D New Gen Part - it seems that it is fitted if you have the rear heater and auxiliary heater for coolant?
I plan to contact the van centre in the morning to ask if my van has one? If it has one of these I will ask them to speak to a master tech what he thinks about it.
It would make sense that something is not letting the warm coolant into the rear heater?
they might need to get it in and run some fish test with their computer?
they are usually good for helping me so long as I don’t become a nuisance
If you get a chance google it, I searched for T6 rear heater thermostat?
It’s a pain in the a&&& as it is very nice when it blows hot.
 
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