Block Heaters?

Can we get block heaters from the factory in the US? I've noticed that you can get it in Canada, but haven't seen anything for here. I know that VW says that it'll start at -20 f, but I'd feel alot better if I could keep it warm for cold MO mornings!

the one i have is a coolant heater, or so ive been told. im assuming you can get from dealer, if not you can probably get aftermarket, check out frostheater in the vendor section if vw cant help you

yes you can, its called a cold weather package, for 250$ i think you get the heated seats, heated washer nozzels and coolant heater. I dont see the option online for some reason.

If dealer doesnt have it then its just a simple coolant heater, easy to install and its Frostheater as pipes has mentioned.

Does that come with the plugin cord?

i would assume yes, but i do not know if it can be intigrated in the front bumper like mine from factory(canadian model).

Found this on www.myturbodiesel.com.

article updated for most current info from the info in this thread:
Details and pricing for 2011 Jetta are here!

Here are some of the additions:
There are only 2 trim levels: TDI and TDI with the nav package. Dealer installed options like body kits or floor mats will be extra.
Standard TDI trim level: 4 wheel disc brakes, 16" "mambo" alloy wheels, trip computer, sunroof, RCD 510 touchscreen 6cd changer radio w/SD card reader, cold weather package (heated front seats and windshield nozzles), leatherette (v-tex vinyl) seats, leather multifunction steering wheel, parking brake, and shift knob, bluetooth, MDI ipod cable, Sirius radio, keyless entry, and 6 speaker sound system.

Safety equipment: front, side, and head curtain airbags, ESP (stability control), ABS, TMPS (tire pressure monitor sensors), LATCH (child seat anchors).

Navigation package ($1200 MSRP): this is the only factory installed option package on the Jetta TDI trim level. You can add dealer installed options like all weather floormats or body kits later. This adds: RNS 315 GPS navigation w/SD card reader, foglights, chrome trim on the grille and windows, keyless access with engine start button, and driver's seat lumbar adjustment. See 1000q: RNS 315 GPS FAQ for more info on the GPS system.


So, according to this, the block/coolant heater is standard on any TDI model. I hope so, because it gets pretty cold here & diesels do like to be warm, at least my Cummins does. She'll start when the temps are below 0 F, but she's much happier starting after being plugged in!!

Hey, thanks for quoting my site myturbodiesel.com but the block heater is standard only in Canada. I don't know where you're seeing it. It's not a factory option in the US but the dealer can add it. http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a6/2011-VW-Jetta-TDI-buying-guide-reviews.htm Here is the buying guide for the new mk6 Jetta, the post you linked to was early info anyways.

chittychittybangbang said:

Hey, thanks for quoting my site myturbodiesel.com but the block heater is standard only in Canada. I don't know where you're seeing it. It's not a factory option in the US but the dealer can add it. http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a6/2011-VW-Jetta-TDI-buying-guide-reviews.htm Here is the buying guide for the new mk6 Jetta, the post you linked to was early info anyways.

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Thanks for the update. I'll make a mental note about the block heater, but it's weird that the option is not listed on VW's site.

I have an '11 TDI but don't know where the plug would be, I'll check if I've got one if someone can tell me about where it would be. This is my first Jetta, and the only other experience with one was back in mid-90's, my dad had a 2.0 Gasser.

tkegumby said:

Can we get block heaters from the factory in the US? I've noticed that you can get it in Canada, but haven't seen anything for here. I know that VW says that it'll start at -20 f, but I'd feel alot better if I could keep it warm for cold MO mornings!

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In the US, No, you can't. Any type of engine heater in the US will be after-market. I bought one from Frostheater.com. It works great.

VW engines have not had frostplugs for several generations, so you can't install a traditional block heater. You have to install a coolant heater, as others have mentioned. Look up FrostHeater.com.

pipes p said:

the one i have is a coolant heater, or so ive been told. im assuming you can get from dealer, if not you can probably get aftermarket, check out frostheater in the vendor section if vw cant help you

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mo_focus said:

yes you can, its called a cold weather package, for 250$ i think you get the heated seats, heated washer nozzels and coolant heater. I dont see the option online for some reason.

If dealer doesnt have it then its just a simple coolant heater, easy to install and its Frostheater as pipes has mentioned.

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A coolant heater is a factory/dealer option in Canada. The Cold Weather Package in the US does not include a coolant heater. A dealer would probably install a Frostheater type kit if you paid them to, but you can't order the car with one.

zarrinvz24 said:

I have an '11 TDI but don't know where the plug would be, I'll check if I've got one if someone can tell me about where it would be. This is my first Jetta, and the only other experience with one was back in mid-90's, my dad had a 2.0 Gasser.

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You're not going to find a plug, unless you bought your car in Canada.

Thanks, I took a look before I bought it but didn't see it anywhere. I guess that's why - it's not there.

I'm pretty sure that the Frost Heater (http://www.frostheater.com/) is the same unit that is available pre-installed on the Canadian vehicles.
Available as a DIY type kit on the website.

It sucks that you can't get that from the factory here in the US. It gets just as cold here as it does in Canada, but I guess the folks in Stuttgart don't see it that way. If we can get the car for a good price, I'll probably be giving the frostheater guy a call in a couple months. BTW Thank you all for the info!!

Volkswagen sells what they call an "Engine Pre-Heater TDI Manual Transmission", item number 5C7-054-915-D.

I ordered one back in July from Hiley Auto http://tinyurl.com/665hx9c/ $465.46 with shipping. I was told after placing the order, that the item was on back-order, and had been so since December.

Today, I received word that the item was in, and the guy in the parts department said he had his hand on it. They shipped it today.

I plan to do the install myself, and will let y'all know how it goes.

Also, newbie question here . . . how to post photos I assume y'all will want to see ? That is, how to post the photos so they appear in the posts, as opposed to a link to the photo section ? Thank you.

joesmoe3 said:

Volkswagen sells what they call an "Engine Pre-Heater TDI Manual Transmission", item number 5C7-054-915-D.

I ordered one back in July from Hiley Auto [http://vw.partsestore.com/]; $465.46 with shipping. I was told after placing the order, that the item was on back-order, and had been so since December.

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Wow! You overpaid by about $300! A Frostheater kit runs about $130 shipped.

This thread was about "Factory" heaters

And now they're available.

Yes, a simple, less costly thermal-only unit will (and has) appeal to many. Good for Mr. Frost. Using the same analogy, I will not buy a nav unit from the car company because the lesser performance is not worth the cost of the better integration.

The factory heater is more integrated, and that is my wish as well as others here. So I'm not willing to pay $1,300 for integration of a nav unit, while I am willing to pay $300 for integration of a heater. Different strokes for different folks.

Frost heater is tops in ontario canada great product simple to install dyi

What sort of heater did you buy? My phone won't load any pictures. What does "more integrated" mean? Is it the Diesel fuel fired type? Or the plug-in type?

I bought a zero start and was gonna do my own install. After looking at it and mocking stuff I sprung for a frostheater. Great product and instructions.

joesmoe3 said:

And now they're available.

Yes, a simple, less costly thermal-only unit will (and has) appeal to many. Good for Mr. Frost. Using the same analogy, I will not buy a nav unit from the car company because the lesser performance is not worth the cost of the better integration.

The factory heater is more integrated, and that is my wish as well as others here. So I'm not willing to pay $1,300 for integration of a nav unit, while I am willing to pay $300 for integration of a heater. Different strokes for different folks.

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So are you touting the OEM coolant heater the Canadians have installed is somehow better than a frostheater? care to elaborate on that? what's the wattage of the OEM vs the Frost heater? is the plumbing different? How is it more integrated?
My understanding is VW doesn't even make their own coolant heater, it's a euro brand (different than zerostart, which is actually used in the frost heater) they just adapted it for the engine and slapped a part number on it. The wattage of the OEM is substantially lower wattage than frost heater (granted they are both controlled thermostatically to prevent overheating the coolant, but the frost heater would preheat in less time than the OEM).
so are you saying you'd pay more than twice as much for a coolant heater that has less heating capacity? The only advantage I see with the OEM install is the plastic bits in the grill to polish off the looks.

Did it today. Had to undo more than I expected -- a learning experience. The engine pre-heater fits like a glove. The parts match the rest of the car, and the kit came with a re-printed page 172/173 for the owners manual.

Draining the antifreeze, as someone here warned me, was a mess. Also, I was not careful enough removing the cover on top of the engine, and broke it. It's foam with a thin and fragile plastic veneer on top.

Not to worry, I ordered all the accessories from Mr. Frost -- so have all my bases covered. ;-)

Looking forward to winter with less rattle and more roll, and oh yeah, heat on those chilly mornings.

I couldn't have done this without the help of the list --

THANK YOU !!!! :-D

So you got the OEM unit? What's the wattage of the OEM unit? How much did you have to spend?

BTW how cold does it get in NoVA?

Not only is that kit overpriced, it looks like it's overly complicated, too. Where's the heater element? Can you take a pic under the hood of the installed kit?

As for being "more integrated", unless you see the a/c cord, it's hard to tell at a glance that I have a frostheater kit installed.

first pic its the element on the left with the "L" hose coming out the bottom, last pic bottom centerish shows the plug pins on the heater element,

BTW what do you do if the "pig tail" becomes disconnected from the heating element? you have to crawl under and replug it in?

120V a/c cord . . . if one looks in the top photo (and I'm disappointed in my photography -- I'm supposed to be smarter than the camera and I got lazy and trusted the auto-focus until too late), there is a plastic bag with small parts, and there is a lemon-lime colored part there. That part is a retainer clip that firmly secures the round a/c receptacle to the heater unit. A short distance away (~12 cm) from the installed position is a bracket bolted to the side of the transmission (as the car was delivered -- not part of the kit) and the cord comes with a clip that mates to that bracket, thus providing excellent strain relief. I have confidence that the arrangement will hold until a person intentionally disconnects it.

The heater itself mounts low, to the front side of the motor/transmission mount on the left (driver's) side of the car. In the photo above, the heater element comes already attached to the long outlet hose and a short 'curly-que' input hose. On the manual transmission car, there are two hoses that connect the head to the engine oil cooler. Both of those come off. The outlet hose of the heater is connected to one of the block connections. The "L" hose in the photo connects the other block opening to the engine oil cooler. The short hose in the photo is connected to the other connection of the engine oil cooler, and has a stamp on it to ensure proper orientation when installing. The metal pipe in the photo -- the curved part connects to that short hose on the engine oil cooler and routes down to meet the short 'curly-que' inlet hose at the bottom of the heater. Note the pipe has a welded bracket that mounts to the same hole on the front of the motor/transmission mount as the heater itself.

It's a tight fit, and well engineered to make best use of the heat.

So, no disrespect to another solution, and high praise to those more capable than me to make sure another solution is installed in the car taking into account all the elements of systems engineering for an excellent, long-lasting installation.

For me, it was worth the extra money to have the designed, form-fitted pieces that neatly avoided what was needed while making the connections, and had the right brackets to bolt to points on the engine so as to best withstand that high-vibration environment -- "best" meaning best available within my capabilities.

740GLE said:

So you got the OEM unit? What's the wattage of the OEM unit? How much did you have to spend?

BTW how cold does it get in NoVA?

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The Calix heater is half the wattage and 3x the price of our FrostHeater kit. Basically it's for assisted starting purposes only and not for instant heat or reduced wear.

yeah but it's OEM!!!!!

How long did the install take? The frostheater kit took me about 2.5 hours at an Ho5G event, but no one there had ever installed one on a '10 (or '09).

Took me all day, mostly thinking how to get to what needed gettin' to without the benefit of a shop manual. If I discount that, the installation would probably be in the ballpark of two hours.

And about the statement, "Basically it's for assisted starting purposes only and not for instant heat or reduced wear. ", what does that mean ? How can one "assist starting" but not reduce wear or have heat sooner ? Care to back that up with test data ?

The OEM heater is plumbed to both the block and the oil cooler. This morning with temps below freezing, I ran the heater, and just as expected, the engine starts right up and the fan switch produces warm air. I don't know what Terry is talking about, but statement is incorrect for the heater on my car.

joesmoe3 said:

The OEM heater is plumbed to both the block and the oil cooler. This morning with temps below freezing, I ran the heater, and just as expected, the engine starts right up and the fan switch produces warm air. I don't know what Terry is talking about, but statement is incorrect for the heater on my car.

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My car started just fine at 25F this morning. The heater also produced warm air from the electric heater in the HVAC system. What was your temp needle reading at startup? Two to three hours with a frostheater and my temp needle is at 190F when starting and HOT air blows from the vents.