Does my Jetta have a block heater?

iceman31

Active member
Joined
Jun 3, 2007
Location
Saskatchewan, Canada
TDI
2006 TDI
How could I tell if my Jetta has a block heater. I can not find a cord anywhere. It is a Canadian car so you would think it would have a block heater as standard issue. If it does not have one any idea ho much it will cost me to get one installed?
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
From my understanding you don't really want a block heater. Search here for a Frost heater. There is a company listed here that will sell you a very nice little kit and it does an excellent job from what I have read.

Here it is. This is the one you want:

http://www.frostheater.com/
 

CAATS_Man

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Location
South Delta, BC
TDI
2006 Jetta, Pkg2, ESP, DSG, & 8 airbags
"Does my Jetta have a block heater?"

My didn't and I don't believe it's even an option. Why don't you complete profile so we know where you live. The best bet is to check with members who live in your area to find out if it's worth worrying about.
 

Strider

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2006
Location
Port Moody, BC
TDI
2006 Jetta
At least here on the Wet Coast, they're not offered as features. :p Typically, from what I understand is unless you live in Sioux Lookout or Tuktoyuktuk, you don't really "need" one. However, on the other hand, a coolant heater (such as the aformentioned "Frost Heater" I believe) will make your car put out warm air even faster than the onboard electric air heater.

On the other hand, I don't know how much good it will do you. Even this past winter, on the few days when it hit -15 or so, I watched the temperature needle drop visibly while I sat at stop lights. The engine just doesn't put out much heat at all when idling.
 

CADtechTDi

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Location
On the road in Mn
TDI
'06 A5 Jetta 5 spd Pkg 1
The Frost Heater is a "must have" mod for anyone in the snowbelt, IMHO. This tank heater will circulate warm coolant throughout the block by convection, including inside the cabin. I plug mine in for a few hours (using a timer) each morning during the winter.

While the modern diesel glowplugs do a bang-up job no matter what the temp, using a frost heater like this makes it easier on the engine during ultra cold weather starts. The engine turns over much easier, runs much smoother after initial start-up, and having a warm cabin first thing in the morning is an added bonus.
 

odezification

Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
Location
Evansburg, Alberta
TDI
2006 Jetta
Hmmm I have a cord coming from the bottom of my car, I initially thought it was a block heater cord, but from what I have read, VW TDi's do not have frost plugs in the engine block. I would be very lucky if it was a fost heater,I sure hope it's that, but I some how doubt that. I live near Edmonton, Alberta, Canada so one would assume that every car purchased would have a block heater.
 

SilverGhost

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2005
Location
Back in So Flo - St Lucie
TDI
'05 Golf - totaled :(, wife's '13 Beetle - buy back, TDIless
Newer TDIs don't have an accessible soft plug to put a heater. But they do sell a heater that appears to function very much like the Frost Heater everyone is familiar with. It goes in line and replaces one of the small hoses from the oil cooler. The last time I looked there was also a small ECM update when you installed it - but I have no idea what the update changed.

I believe I read something about the heater was either standard or only available on Canadian cars. And VW is very proud of the fact that their TDIs don't need a heater to start at -40C.

Jason
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
OEM heater is more than twice the cost of a FrostHeater, with 1/2 the wattage, IIRC.
They don't NEED a heater, but will benefit from one in colder climates.
 

Tim$2

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2008
Location
Calgary, AB
TDI
2009 JSW
When I got my 2009 the heater was not available even though there is a grill piece that will hold the plug for it available. I bought the grill with the plug holder and a frostheater and it worked out well. As for the car starting at -40C... It will proabably start without a heater but the ruckus it makes and how rough it runs for the first bit will have you runnning to your computer to order the frostheater in a heartbeat.
 
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