Aux Heater - No VCDS Indication

I physically checked and my 2013 Jetta TDI has the auxiliary heater in place right next to the heater core.There are heavy cables (brown and a red/white and red/yellow) going to the auxiliary heater.

Yet nowhere that I looked could I find a checked or unchecked box in the VCDS screens that I have looked at, that relates to the auxiliary heater.

I have the HEX-USB CAN model.

What am I missing, if anything?

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions.

In My Garage said:

Yet nowhere that I looked could I find....

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I don't see it in the Auto-Scan you posted either....

jakematic said:

I don't see it in the Auto-Scan you posted either....

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What will an Auto-Scan reveal?

Does the VCDS not show all vehicle systems if they are in place?



01-Engine -- Status: OK 0000
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
04-Steering Angle -- Status: OK 0000
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: OK 0000
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: OK 0000
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: OK 0000
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
2E-Media Player 3 -- Status: OK 0000
44-Steering Assist -- Status: OK 0000
56-Radio -- Status: OK 0000
77-Telephone -- Status: OK 0000

My understanding is that the newer ones are no longer diagnostic-capable.

-Uwe-

In My Garage said:

What will an Auto-Scan reveal?

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I was thinking I've seen them in coding, but now I think I'm thinking of the petrol fired heaters....

Till a few days ago, I didn't even know that an auxiliary heater existed in my car till I accidentally came across it while feeding the cable for my ScanGauge II in behind the console in front of the shifter.

Sure enough it was further confirmed by the wiring going to the heater.

BUT, I never had any indication last winter (my first winter with my new Jetta) that I had an auxiliary electric heater coming on...if it even comes on, which is why I'd like to check other than connecting my DMM leads to the connectors.

jakematic said:

I was thinking I've seen them in coding, but now I think I'm thinking of the petrol fired heaters....

Click to expand...

The electric "PTC Element" used to show up primarily in early Mk.5 TDIs, I think at address 7E, but, but in the later ones, they're no longer in the GVL nor do they "talk".

-Uwe-

In My Garage said:

BUT, I never had any indication last winter (my first winter with my new Jetta) that I had an auxiliary electric heater coming on...if it even comes on, which is why I'd like to check other than connecting my DMM leads to the connectors.

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On a cold day, if you get heat reasonably quickly in a TDI, it's working.

-Uwe-

Uwe said:

The electric "PTC Element" used to show up primarily in early Mk.5 TDIs, I think at address 7E, but, but in the later ones, they're no longer in the GVL nor do they "talk".

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My bad... I should have noticed the word cables in the OP and my brain went: mis-coded module -> keyless go timeout -> why you no show me Auto-Scan
PTC sounds similar to what <gasp> Ford use(s/d).

Aux heater immediately makes me think of a Webasto at 0x18.
I recently fondled a German A8 remote for one that was accidentally shipped *cough* somewhere...

I'll go away now

jakematic said:

-> why you no show me Auto-Scan

Click to expand...

And I am asking, what will an Auto-Scan show you? What is it with these Auto-Scans all the time.

I already posted the modules that appear in my post #3 above.

In My Garage said:

What is it with these Auto-Scans all the time.

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Modern cars are heavily networked with lots of inter-dependent systems in them, meaning it's essential to take a holistic approach to diagnostics.

-Uwe-

jakematic said:

I'll go away now

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Nah, please don't do that.

About a decade ago, I too was really confused why VW needed two different addresses for "Auxiliary Heater". They have nuances in German that don't translate well to English. One is a "Standheizer" and one is a "Zuheizer". In principle, you can have both of them in the same car.

-Uwe-

jakematic said:

My bad... I should have noticed the word cables in the OP and my brain went: mis-coded module -> keyless go timeout -> why you no show me Auto-Scan
PTC sounds similar to what <gasp> Ford use(s/d).

Aux heater immediately makes me think of a Webasto at 0x18.
I recently fondled a German A8 remote for one that was accidentally shipped *cough* somewhere...

I'll go away now

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Yeah, my thought was the same at first. I'm getting Webasto retrofitted to my Golf, so on cold morning i have pre-warmed comfy car.
Sneak-peak when i connected it to canbus for testing.

golfi_vend said:

I'm getting Webasto retrofitted to my Golf, so on cold morning i have pre-warmed comfy car.

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What, you're going to burn fuel and spew carbon dioxide just so you can be comfortable? That's going to cause the sea level to rise by at least 10 nm, you insensitive oaf!
[/sarc]

-Uwe-

Uwe said:

Modern cars are heavily networked with lots of inter-dependent systems in them, meaning it's essential to take a holistic approach to diagnostics.

-Uwe-

Click to expand...

The solution I was looking for is the same one I have used all the time. The same one I used to turn off the door lock beep, the same one I used to change 12H to 24H display, etc.

It went like this: Go to this module, click this, go to Long Coding, go to this byte, change that, etc. It has always worked...without an Auto-Scan.

In My Garage said:

And I am asking, what will an Auto-Scan show you? What is it with these Auto-Scans all the time.

I already posted the modules that appear in my post #3 above.

Click to expand...

To answer your question: I could probably turn up ten threads in less than ten minutes, showing where the OP only posted symptoms or codes or a fragment of a scan. Then, after we actually got an Auto-Scan, it turned out to have incredibly relevant information critical to a diagnosis. Even when they don't, they help identify the car and the relevant control modules, which will tell people how your car works or at least let them research, and shows current module coding values. When you're asking if the car is equipped with something, all of that is pretty important.

I'll ask you a question in return: Why exactly is there a problem posting an Auto-Scan? Not everybody will know off the top of their head what exactly comes standard in a 2013 Canadian-spec Jetta TDI; for that matter we don't know it wasn't purchased as USA-spec.

FWIW, I'm not sure why a separate control module would be needed for an electric PTC heater. All it needs a PWM output and a temperature sensor. Are you sure it's not owned by 08-Auto HVAC along with the rest of the climate controls? That's what operates the PTC heaters in my Phaeton. It should show up somewhere on wiring diagrams for your Jetta, and that would tell you for sure. I wonder if the Mk5 heaters were added late in the design cycle and the existing HVAC controller didn't have the necessary software or outputs.

Jason

When you go to the doctor's office, I bet they insist on weighing you and measuring your blood pressure well before the doctor comes in to see you. Think of this as a doctor's office and an Auto-Scan being the equivalent of your weight, blood pressure, pulse rate, etc.

-Uwe-

jyoung8607 said:

I'll ask you a question in return: Why exactly is there a problem posting an Auto-Scan?

Jason

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Nothing but obviously nobody has come across this before.

I do not need to see your or anybody's Auto-Scan to tell you how to make the changes I have made.

F, this fixation with Auto-Scans.

I just don't get it, why such a drama with autoscan.

In My Garage said:

Nothing but obviously nobody has come across this before.

I do not need to see your or anybody's Auto-Scan to tell you how to make the changes I have made.

F, this fixation with Auto-Scans.

Click to expand...

I'm going to say two more things, and then keep my peace.

1. A great starting point to find out if 08-Auto HVAC owns the PTC heater is by knowing its part number and current coding. That's in an Auto-Scan.

2. In case you weren't aware, Uwe is prominently listed on this page. If he's taking time out of his day to help you, I would just go ahead and assume any information he asks for is relevant.

Jason