UNOFFICIAL Adblue Heater Element Failure Thread

spjackson1

Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2013
Location
Cape Coral
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Update to previous post regarding ADBlue heater/level sensor code P203B and O2 sensor stuck. Spoke with VWofA explaining the circumstance with the cost and timeliness of this fault, and they are offering to pay the dealer for the repair of this problem (approx $1500). That is definitely a positive response that gives me more confidence in VW.
 

VWrussell

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2015
Location
Mansfield, Texas
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SE
Cheap DIY Fix for P205c & P205b Temp Sensor

Hello,
This is my first post as a new member to TDI club.
I recently had the Check Engine Light come on with the P205c/P205b fault codes. I did some extensive research because I did not want to spend $475 on a new part to fix this as my Passat just went out of warranty.
The failed temperature sensor is integrated inside the AD Blue Tank and you cannot change this sensor out at the component level. The part number that contains this sensor is 561-198-970.

This temp sensor monitors the temperature of the DEF fluid and if it drops below -11 Degrees Fahrenheit then it activates the heater inside this tank. Since I live in Texas I don't really have to worry about -11 degree temperatures here. There are two ways to fix this issue yourself if you do or do not live in a climate where the weather gets below -11.

before you start, purchase a 10k Ohm Resistor or Automotive grade 10k Ohm Submersible Thermistor, Solder, heatshrink.
Mouser Electronics or eBay are two places to find these components.

Once you have all your parts ready, Here are the steps to take:

  • Use the jack in your trunk to lift up the rear passenger side until the tire just barely comes off the ground.
  • Remove all the torx screws that are around the rear fender well.
    There should be 5 of them if I'm not mistaken.
  • Pull out the plastic part of your lower bumper/quarter panel.
    Just enough to give you a few extra inches for removing the tank.
  • The tank is held in place by 3 bolts, remove them and drop the tank down. (Be ready to catch it if it's full of DEF as it will be heavy)
  • Find the Wire harness that is secured to the filler neck of the tank.
  • Pins 3 & 4 are the temp sensor wires connected to the failed temp sensor inside the tank. They are purple/yellow and Brown and on the other side of the connector going into the tank the colors are Black & White.
Easy Fix option if you're lazy or live in a warm weather climate:

  • From the other side of the plug, cut the wires that are going into the tank (Black & White wires) . Make sure to leave enough slack for the resistor or thermistor.
  • Solder & heatshrink a 10K ohm resistor or 10k OHM Thermistor to the cut wires. Make sure that the connections are made back to the computer and not to the tank. Leave the wires from the tank cut off and just use some tape or heat shrink to protect them as they will never be used again.
For Cold Climate Areas:

  • Take a picture of the tank before you start, ensure you know the position of all the cables, hoses and top pump position.
  • Remove all the harness, Hoses and Pump from the Top of the tank.
  • Unscrew the Top of the tank and remove the rubber grommet and plastic circular housing from the tank. The circular housing is locked in, just twist it counter clock wise and it will become detached from the tank.
  • Find/trace the wires inside the tank that are associated with pins 3 & 4 on the outside of the tank. (black & white wires.)
  • Using a Submersible Automotive Grade 10k Ohm thermistor,
  • Solder/Heatshrink the thermistor to these wires and make sure the probe part of the thermistor is located in the small part of the tank with the other sensors. Some Drilling may be necessary.
As I live in Texas, I did not pursue or try the Cold Climate option I described above.
Also, as I was troubleshooting this issue, I actually drilled a small hole in the plastic and extended the wires so I could access them from my trunk when I was trying to figure out the correct resistor to use.

At the time I was not sure what resistor size to use. After trying different values. I borrowed a friends 2014 TDI and used my meter to find the value VW uses for this component.
The 10k Ohm Resistance reading is equal to 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. This resistance reading will make the computer think the DEF fluid is at this temperature.

In the pictures attached I show the connections to look for.
(See Links below)

If you don't want to drop the tank, another option is to cut the wires from the connector by the rear wheel and add the resistor or thermistor from there. It also uses pins 3 & 4 on one of the wire harnesses.


Once I added the 10K Ohm resistor, it took me about 4 days of everyday driving before my Check Engine Light went out. I'm not sure of the exact number but the computer needs to go through a certain number of "driving cycles" before it realizes the problem is fixed and the light goes off.


One more thing to note if your adblue tank is full, unplug the harness/hose and dump all the DEF fluid into a large clean container.
This will help out as its very hard to get the tank bolted back into position. Once the nearly empty tank is bolted back in place, just re-fill it as you normally would. I use the small Filler bottle from VW. I have a hole cut out in the bottom of it and use a funnel to re-fill that small bottle. Once its full I push the bottle down to let the DEF enter the tank. Repeat until your full....


I hope this post helps.
No sense in spending close to $500 when you can replace this with a resistor or thermistor that costs less than a dollar. (And an hour or two of your time)


~Russ

Pictures to help you:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2307.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2305.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2303.jpg
 
Last edited:

aullein

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Location
Melbourne Fl
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE 6Speed Manual
Hello,
This is my first post as a new member to TDI club.
I recently had the Check Engine Light come on with the P205c/P205b fault codes. I did some extensive research because I did not want to spend $475 on a new part to fix this as my Passat just went out of warranty.
The failed temperature sensor is integrated inside the AD Blue Tank and you cannot change this sensor out at the component level. The part number that contains this sensor is 561-198-970.

This temp sensor monitors the temperature of the DEF fluid and if it drops below -11 Degrees Fahrenheit then it activates the heater inside this tank. Since I live in Texas I don't really have to worry about -11 degree temperatures here. There are two ways to fix this issue yourself if you do or do not live in a climate where the weather gets below -11.

before you start, purchase a 10k Ohm Resistor or Automotive grade 10k Ohm Submersible Thermistor, Solder, heatshrink.
Mouser Electronics or eBay are two places to find these components.

Once you have all your parts ready, Here are the steps to take:

  • Use the jack in your trunk to lift up the rear passenger side until the tire just barely comes off the ground.
  • Remove all the torx screws that are around the rear fender well.
    There should be 5 of them if I'm not mistaken.
  • Pull out the plastic part of your lower bumper/quarter panel.
    Just enough to give you a few extra inches for removing the tank.
  • The tank is held in place by 3 bolts, remove them and drop the tank down. (Be ready to catch it if it's full of DEF as it will be heavy)
  • Find the Wire harness that is secured to the filler neck of the tank.
  • Pins 3 & 4 are the temp sensor wires connected to the failed temp sensor inside the tank. They are purple/yellow and Brown and on the other side of the connector going into the tank the colors are Black & White.
Easy Fix option if you're lazy or live in a warm weather climate:

  • From the other side of the plug, cut the wires that are going into the tank (Black & White wires) . Make sure to leave enough slack for the resistor or thermistor.
  • Solder & heatshrink a 10K ohm resistor or 10k OHM Thermistor to the cut wires. Make sure that the connections are made back to the computer and not to the tank. Leave the wires from the tank cut off and just use some tape or heat shrink to protect them as they will never be used again.
For Cold Climate Areas:

  • Take a picture of the tank before you start, ensure you know the position of all the cables, hoses and top pump position.
  • Remove all the harness, Hoses and Pump from the Top of the tank.
  • Unscrew the Top of the tank and remove the rubber grommet and plastic circular housing from the tank. The circular housing is locked in, just twist it counter clock wise and it will become detached from the tank.
  • Find/trace the wires inside the tank that are associated with pins 3 & 4 on the outside of the tank. (black & white wires.)
  • Using a Submersible Automotive Grade 10k Ohm thermistor,
  • Solder/Heatshrink the thermistor to these wires and make sure the probe part of the thermistor is located in the small part of the tank with the other sensors. Some Drilling may be necessary.
As I live in Texas, I did not pursue or try the Cold Climate option I described above.
Also, as I was troubleshooting this issue, I actually drilled a small hole in the plastic and extended the wires so I could access them from my trunk when I was trying to figure out the correct resistor to use.

At the time I was not sure what resistor size to use. After trying different values. I borrowed a friends 2014 TDI and used my meter to find the value VW uses for this component.
The 10k Ohm Resistance reading is equal to 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit. This resistance reading will make the computer think the DEF fluid is at this temperature.

In the pictures attached I show the connections to look for.
(See Links below)

If you don't want to drop the tank, another option is to cut the wires from the connector by the rear wheel and add the resistor or thermistor from there. It also uses pins 3 & 4 on one of the wire harnesses.


Once I added the 10K Ohm resistor, it took me about 4 days of everyday driving before my Check Engine Light went out. I'm not sure of the exact number but the computer needs to go through a certain number of "driving cycles" before it realizes the problem is fixed and the light goes off.


One more thing to note if your adblue tank is full, unplug the harness/hose and dump all the DEF fluid into a large clean container.
This will help out as its very hard to get the tank bolted back into position. Once the nearly empty tank is bolted back in place, just re-fill it as you normally would. I use the small Filler bottle from VW. I have a hole cut out in the bottom of it and use a funnel to re-fill that small bottle. Once its full I push the bottle down to let the DEF enter the tank. Repeat until your full....


I hope this post helps.
No sense in spending close to $500 when you can replace this with a resistor or thermistor that costs less than a dollar. (And an hour or two of your time)


~Russ

Pictures to help you:

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2307.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2305.jpg

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j215/ntrussellh/IMG_2303.jpg

Wow I mean Wow!!! :D Mega Props to you my friend!! If this truly works for everyone's issue what a money saver this is. Thanks for taking the time to experiment on your own car and then writing it up on here. Im F$kin stoked as being I'm in Fl. 500$ is just for the part... you have another couple hundred at least in labor!! big time saver

FYI i could not get the pictures to work
 
Last edited:

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
That's a great plan until you travel north. AdBlue freezes at -11 Celsius, which is +12.2 Fahrenheit.
 

paver

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Location
southern us
TDI
2013 Treg
Year: 2013 Treg
Mileage: 50,500
Warning Light(s): Steady CEL
Code(s): P202A and P202B
Any symptoms or problems before diagnosis: may be unrelated but particulate sensor needs replacement. CEL for this came 1000 mi before tank heater issue.
 

aullein

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Location
Melbourne Fl
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE 6Speed Manual
Year: 2013 Treg
Mileage: 50,500
Warning Light(s): Steady CEL
Code(s): P202A and P202B
Any symptoms or problems before diagnosis: may be unrelated but particulate sensor needs replacement. CEL for this came 1000 mi before tank heater issue.

Hey Paver just a heads up I drive a '12 passat and I have a P202B code as well. Our systems are identical I believe just diff vehicles. I have been driving with the CEL on since beginning Feb and prob close to 4k miles and nothing else has occurred. I'm not saying don't ge it fixed but in case you dont feel like dropping the $$ for it now you should be ok to drive unless you get a countdown. I haven't experienced any other CEL's or issues with the car since it has come on. You could be ok for a while living in the south
 

paver

Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2015
Location
southern us
TDI
2013 Treg
Hey Paver just a heads up I drive a '12 passat and I have a P202B code as well. Our systems are identical I believe just diff vehicles. I have been driving with the CEL on since beginning Feb and prob close to 4k miles and nothing else has occurred. I'm not saying don't ge it fixed but in case you dont feel like dropping the $$ for it now you should be ok to drive unless you get a countdown. I haven't experienced any other CEL's or issues with the car since it has come on. You could be ok for a while living in the south
Thanks...I just ordered the parts. I'm going to try to fix it myself. Found a good step by step guide with photos on ClubTouareg.
 

dministrator

Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
Location
WA
TDI
2012 Passat TDI Sunroof+Nav
2012 Passat TDI SE
about 41,800 miles
P205B - Reductant Tank Temperature Sensor Circuit Range Performance.
I got MIL two days ago; reset using the app. It was fine for a day and came on again this morning. Hopefully the extended warranty covers it.
It is being taken to the dealership now, I'll post an update when I know more. Like someone said on another thread, all the savings we achieve in fuel is meaningless if we have to shell out big $$$ for service.
Update 4/30/2015:
It is covered by fidelity extended warranty. The concerned part was on backorder status. When I asked the service tech if he has seen the same failure before in this or comparable models, he said no. He also speculated that if a part is on backorder, it is very likely becoming a common issue.

Update 2:
It cost me $100+$7 in NJ Tax for Fidelity's deductible. I tried to complain about this to VWOA; $107 is no small amount for us. But they said it is not their charge but Fidelity's. Just because the original warranty is over, doesn't mean they are free of their responsibilities.
 
Last edited:

Softrockrenegade

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
Howellbama, NJ
TDI
None...2011 Golf DSG (replaced by VW W/) 2013 Passat SE 6M(bought back) Current 2017 sportwagen TSI 4Motion.
Guess I can join the club. MIL light on at 78k with a P205B code. Has anyone with geico MBI had to file a claim with it. Talked to a Indy shop today and they seemed hesitant to want to deal with a insurance claim.
 

kydsid

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2012 Passat
That's a great plan until you travel north. AdBlue freezes at -11 Celsius, which is +12.2 Fahrenheit.
Mad props he figured that out but another caveat is emissions. DEF effectiveness is temperature dependent. This is why its heated and there are temp sensors all over the scr system. A car with this mod may fail emissions checks if a sniffer probe is used as the def rate may be incorrect for the NOx emissions being produced.
 

skinnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Western, NC
TDI
2013 JSW TDI
2012
69800 mi.
CEL
P203B - Reductant level sensor
no indications of failure until CEL came on.
Repair Time: estimated 1 day
Scanned with VCDS and took print out to dealer. Talked to service advisor who had seen this problem before. Verified that parts are in stock and setup appointment for next week. Will be covered by fidelity platinum warranty with $100 deductible.
 

jreed2528

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2015
Location
Indiana
TDI
2012 passat
2012 Passat TDI SE
P202a and P202b codes
Been driving it for a couple months now with the engine light on, nothing different other than looking at the engine light. Purchased a heater unit, just waiting for the DEF tank to be empty.
 

toddoxley

Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Location
Phoenix
TDI
Titan Black, 2006 Jetta TDI
I have a 2013 Passat TDI SEL, Purchased new and have 57500 miles. 3 weeks ago the adblue light came on indicating 1500 miles to go, at 600 miles to go I filled it with 2.5 gallons of Peak DEF.

This adblue fill was my second time to do this myself as dealer had topped it off at 10k, 20k and 30k scheduled maintenance .

The day after I filled it the CEL came on and I went to O-Reillys and the code was P-205B " Reductant Tank Temperature Sensor". After reading this thread on the subject and realizing this was a 1000.00 + fix I called the dealer in Phoenix that I purchased the car from and they gave me VWOA phone #, I called and filled a complaint and was given a case # and was told to schedule a service appointment.

They called me today and stated that VWOA would pay 75% of the cost to replace the adblue sensor and I would owe 217.00.

I am very happy with his outcome but am very concerned about the long term cost of maintaining this car.

I have had minor issues with the car ie: leather seats cracking, high pressure fuel line leaking, blower motor squealing and wind noise from three windows and sunroof.

Good Luck to all of you who are having similar issues..
 
Last edited:

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
UNOFFIAL Adblue Heater Element Failure Thread

I too got caught in this web of AdBlue component failure-

2012 W/73k miles. Threw a 0202A hard code (Cleared and returned four times in less than 40 mile intervals).

VW Service informed me that it may be one of three related issues: Sensor, Module, or Heating Element. In order for them to fully diagnose the problem they disassembled the rear bumper et.al., and pointed to the costliest repair- the heating element. Est. T&M = $1,200. Part needed to be ordered but at least I was given use of their Loaner for the next two- four days.

Up until this incident my car ran flawlessly.. I always topped off the AdBlue when the descending counter was between 5k -3.5k miles left. Oil & Filter between 1k-1.5k miles left. Here's the funny part-

Received three mailers and one phone call from VW trying to buy my "Highly desirable "'12 6MT" IN TRIPLE BLACK. Each offered me to choose any new (Similar) car with $0 out of pocket at 0% up to 72 months.

Yup, right after I pick mine up from a three or so day layover from VW Service.....


2012 Passat TDI SE. 6SpM
 

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
PARTS UPDATE: I was told the replacement element will arrive late next week. Blasphemous! I'm going through... Wait for it- TDI Withdrawals!


2012 Passat TDI SE. 6SpM
 

skinnyb

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 19, 2009
Location
Western, NC
TDI
2013 JSW TDI
The parts for mine came in and I had mine repaired today. The Fidelity Platinum warranty paid to replace the entire heater assembly and refill the fluid. Out the door for the $100 deductible. I usually don't get extended warranties but I am glad I did on this one so far.
 

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
Has anybody sought out Federal Emissions Standards to be financially liable since (I believe) the Adblue system is covered by the 100k Fed. Emissions Statute?


2012 Passat TDI SE. 6SpM
 

shegel

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 1, 2007
Location
bonney lake
TDI
99.5 jetta 2015 Passat
I just read the entire thread. A large portion of reported failures came from cars reported to have used PEAK DEF fluid. At first I was thinking maybe it was coincidence but now... not so much.

I'm keeping an eye on this thread as I just bought a 15' SE 6mt last friday.
 

kydsid

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2012
Location
Texas
TDI
2012 Passat
DEF is defined by an ISO standard that is followed by every manufacturer. Peak brand def is the most prolific def available at the retail packaged level. I wouldnt subscribe the use of the easiest to obtain brand as a culprit in failures.
 
Last edited:

phlfly

Banned
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Location
N.VA
TDI
Passat SEL
Heater is not moving part so what could be a difference in fluid for none moving components. Unless, Peak has some kind oxidizer that can effect electrical components.
 

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
Nobody at VW knows how long it will take for the German sourced part be ready for shipment. I've already gone on Twitter to start quantifying how big of a problem this is- On Twitter go to: @VW and use hashtag #VWFixMyTDIAdblueSystem


2012 Passat TDI SE. 6SpM
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
Hmm, I have used Peak DEF in our car. It meets the SAE spec supposedly, and if there were any issues with it I would think the car would throw other faults.

-J
 

Softrockrenegade

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2011
Location
Howellbama, NJ
TDI
None...2011 Golf DSG (replaced by VW W/) 2013 Passat SE 6M(bought back) Current 2017 sportwagen TSI 4Motion.
I only used vw adblue and have a failed heater element.
 

ZootsAlures

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2013
Location
Windsor, CT
TDI
2012Passat SE TDI
UPDATE: Got hold of VW North America's Customer Service- Advocate Group last week and a follow up this past Monday. I off loaded to this person for at least seven minutes regarding VW's failure to: Plan, forecast, deliver, and accurately communicate effectively to their own dealerships. Coincidentally, a Heater Element had arrived at my dealer's service/parts department right as I received the call. As soon as I completed the call with VW NA, I called the Service Manager who was pleasantly surprised to actually confirm that it had arrived. He had zero notification or communications from any source at VW letting him know it was headed his way.

I'm hoping that my car is completed PDQ!


2012 Passat TDI SE. 6SpM
 

cattlerepairman

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2003
Location
Ottawa
TDI
none
I realize this is for Passats and I have a 2012 T'reg with a failed tank heater, but the principle applies.

I am "just" out of warranty. Opened a case with VWoA and they agreed to cover 1/3 of the total cost for part and labour. My share is about $550, they pay $ 208.

I am on the hook for hotel and rental car (due to distance to dealership) after they messed up the parts order and "overnight" turned into two days.

If you are out of warranty, seriously think about purchasing the repair kit and having it done elsewhere, at a lower labour rate.
 

Sprocket

Sprockette's hubby
Joined
Nov 18, 2004
Location
MI
TDI
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Eco Diesel, 2005 Passat Silverstone Grey, 1996 Passat Storm Grey
I just replaced mine too this past Monday night on my 2010 Touareg. Kind of a pain to get to with the Touareg as the rear exhaust system / muffler needs to be dropped. I was pretty surprised at just how much the muffler weighs! Once that's out of the way it's easy peasy.

I was getting codes related to the reductant level sensor.

The only thing I noticed comparing the old unit with the new unit is that there is insulation on the wires leading to the heater element. The original unit's wires were unshielded from the heater & approx 2" up.

The heater repair kit part was $323.00 from 1st VW Parts

So far so good.
So, everything was good for a couple of weeks and now I'm getting the code below. I haven't had a chance to really research or dig into it yet.

1 Fault Found:
008430 - SCR NOx Catalyst Bank 1
P20EE - 001 - Efficiency too Low - MIL ON
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 11100001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 3
Reset counter: 255
Mileage: 169561 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2015.05.07
Time: 18:05:04

Freeze Frame:
RPM: 2184 /min
Speed: 110.9 km/h
Voltage: 14.14 V
Temperature: 258.0°C
(no units): 0.00
(no units): 0.55
(no units): 1.37

Readiness: 1 1 0 0 0
 

stephane

Member
Joined
Oct 24, 2004
Location
Canada
TDI
2012 Passat TDI SE
You may be looking at a Nox sensor replacement near the Nox catalytic converter. This is the revised part number (for 2012 passat) -> 03L 907 807 AD

Not 100% sure but this is most likely your problem, not the adBlue tank sensor.

Got mine from amazon for 330+. Dealer quoted me $1020+ for the part only. Be weary of dealers.

Edit: Part number for 2010 Touareg would be 059907807H for front Nox sensor and 059907807G for rear sensor.
 
Last edited:

Fixmy59bug

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, NV
TDI
2015 Passat TDI SE
Hey guys....

Got room for one more in this clubhouse? =^(

CEL came on last night at 41,xxx miles. So just outside of warranty.
Came back with code P205C Reductant Tank Temperature Sensor Short to GND
No previous hints of impending failure.
Fortunately I bought the Fidelity Platinum extended warranty when I bought my car so they will be picking up the tab.
Since it is not a level sensor failure, I am not getting a "xxxx miles to no start". So I will continue to drive it while I wait for the part to come in. It is on back order so they said about a week.

The good thing is that since I now work at my servicing dealer, I will know the minute it comes in. I HATE seeing the CEL on...
 
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