Smelly Heat (Antifreeze smell)

I've got smelly heat every time I turn on the heat on my newly aquired 05 Passat TDI. I thought it might be a coating that would burn off. I've ran the heat on full on for a couple days straight and driven the car 2500 miles, and it still persists. I'm afraid it is the heater core. What is taken apart to replace the core? Will it start to leak heavily? Will I get antifreeze on the carpeting if I don't take it in right away for warranty? I was hoping to go to the dealer at 5000 mi.

Joel

I have the exact same thing with my 05 Passat. I now have 1,600 miles and can't seem to burn off the smell. It is still warm here so it has been a long process. We have been keeping a close watch on the coolant level and none seems to be leaking out. The dealer has tried to help, but still the strong smell.

Me too, but use it very little still...

I have not noticed the smell in my 2005 Passat TDI with 600 miles on the odo. In Indiana we are now using the heater, especially in the mornings. If the heater core is leaking, you will get a lot of moisture build up on the interior windows as the hot air evaporates the water from the coolant.

I'm bringing my 2004 in to the dealer on Monday for this same problem. I'll let you know what they do to fix the problem.

Oops, we have used coolant. Looks like some of the 05 group got bad heater cores? Taking it in to the dealer tomorrow. It wasn/t leaking enough to cause condensate on the window. I can remember how this worked because the first car I ever owned did this and I had to replace the heater core.

well guess what, just got delivery of my 2005 Passat TDI wagon and I have the same problem, smelly heat, I am just wondering how can this be on our health?

I've been driving the car for a couple of days and heat is definitely required as we as in the lower 30's F or 0 celcius recently and it gives me a bad headache???

What can or could be done, I'll be going back to the dealer next week and him chech it out, pretty awfull on a brand new car though!

Will keep informing you all.

I too have the smell of anti freeze thru heater vents
on my 05 tdi passat.had to add coolant as well.
only 2000 kms on odo.will let you know what dealer does.

Sounds like another rash of defective heater cores for the 05's. Went through this with this body style in late 01.

Might bother someone who as asthma. Can't be good for you.
Who want's to smell it?

I just hope my dealer want tare everything up replacing the heater core and they don't try to take as long as they did with the glow plug.

My 04 heater core went with 400 miles on the car. No leak just condensation and smell. The entire dash came out and I thought the car would never be the same. To my surprise, the dealer did a great job and 2,000 miles later, there is no rattle, smell or leak. While they did skuff up several of the cosmetic pieces, they ordered new ones and replaced them upon arrival. All in all a pain but a good dealer experience.

Glad I read these posts as I have the same smell to. I was not sure that it was the heater leaking and been waiting for it to burn off. It is not getting any better and we are using the heat more now. Are the dealers aware of this problem. Does any one know how long the dealer needs to keep the car if they are willing to fix i?. We use our car every day and I do not want to take it to our local dealer therefore have to go about ninety miles to another dealer.

We also have a vibrating driver side headlight and a fair amount of wind noise at above 60mph. Has any one taken these issue up with the dealer as well? Also the ride is still hard (3000 miles). We get a lot better ride from our 2000 Golf with 16" wheels. I do not have a problem with the ride being a bit hard because of the superior handling but if I drive on a section of highway with a bad surface for a long time, I end up with my whole body being jarred.

Chippie, It takes about a day to do the heater core if they have the parts.

As far as your stiff ride, look into the front wheel wells at the struts and see if there is a red thing around the shock. It sounds like whoever did the PDI didn't take out the suspension blocks.

05 Passat

I have same issue but seems to stop smelling near the end of
my commute.Does not smell when temp on full cold.Still hot here so I have ac on and raise heat in morning.Must be really
small leak.Any news on repairs?

Just got my 2004 back with a new heater core. Scary thing is that it is a 6.5 hour labor charge, which at $85/hr, would have been over $550 before parts. In any case, the smell seems to be gone, but it is still fairly warm here, so I haven't given it a good testing. Obviously, this is a common issue, and I suspect that non-TDI's are probably also suffering from the same condition. I don't really think it is a health and safety issue, however, so they'll probably just fix them as they come in, rather than a recall. Anyways, if it comes up again, I'll be sure to post a follow-up.

I saw my 05 today as I was picking up a loaner. It has been there two days already and Wallis VW of Garland, Tx said it would be another day or more.

This is what I saw: Parts on top of my new 05 Passat, parts all over the back seat, the back floor board and the stearing wheel and some more parts were in the trunk. I ask them to take the parts off the top of my car. What did they do? They put them on the shop floor so they could step on them.There were two guys working on my car. That was a bad scene. Made me sick. I don't know if this dealership is capable of fixing it correctly.

I hope none of you guys have this problem.

I'm sorry you had to see your car is the sad shape. If the people working on your car really knew what they were doing, it would take about 2.5 hrs to replace the heater core, and the steering wheel doesn't even come off.

Hi TDItech
What is the reason that the heater cores are failing?
Any giudance from vw on the problem.
What does have to come off and what about parts availability?
I have an 05 and its smells slightly like antifreeze its
almost like it stops leaking after driving awhile.Why does it not smell with the ac on and the temp set to full cold, is there a coolant shut off valve to the core?
Any info you have would really be appreciated.

Not yet a TDI owner, but hope to be in less than 2 weeks - and I am worried about this problem

Can anyone out there confirm if this similar situation is possible in the Passat? In my 2002 Mazda MPV van, the dealer overfilled the coolant recovery resevoir (i.e., when it's cold, it's above the hot mark). So, when the engine is all warmed up, some traces of coolant (liquid and vapor) are released into the engine compartment and thus, the intakes to the cabin - you guessed it - a coolant smell without the leak...

RBB

It's probably just a bad batch from the vendor. The gassers are having the same issue. Probably the reason it quits smelling at this point when war is something is swelling up and sealing.

As far as repair goes, here we have the parts in stock or overnight. The bad news is the whole dash has to come out.

The reason there is no smell on full cold is there isn't any airflow across the core, so no smell.

Sure it's possible. Question is; is the smell there all the time, or only when the temp control is on warm or hot?

According to VW of America. We are not have heater core problems. They never heard about any bad 04 or 05 heater cores. My dealer said this was the first 04 or o5 he has had to fix.

I guess we are all crazy.

This crazy person still doesn't have his new 05 Passat back yet and they tell me it will be at least another day. Four days and counting.

As for there not being any glow plugs in stock for the PD engines. VW of America said this was unusual.

Well, what can I say??????????????????????????????????

abctdi

I am not a mechanic but this is what I guess is happening. The smell is only there when the heat is turned on. I would guess there is a valve that let hot coolant go to the heater core when heater is turned on. This would be the reason there would be no smell with the a/c on or the heater setting on cold. The other reason I believe the core is leaking is there is a very thin film on the windscreen as we have been using the heater for defrosting.

I have not taken the vehicle to the dealer as I have another 2000 miles to the first oil change. I talked to them and they were not surprised and will look into it when it comes in. What was interesting is I called five dealers to find out the cost and the kind of oil they used on the first oil change. Only one said that they use 505.1 and he was not sure about it. The others all said they use the standard oil they use in all cars and their prices were $59.99 when it should be about $80.

I am worried about how the dealer is going to change the heater core without damaging the interior. It pisses me off when you get a car back from the dealer and nuts and bolt are round off or missing and marking on any of the surface.

I still not disappointed about buying the car adn this is just one of those things

I'm like you, why go to the dealer more than you have to, but waiting another 2000 miles is up to you. I'm pretty sure I will change my own oil, based on dealer prices and the high potential to get the wrong oil. I haven't used my heater much, but am slowly resigning to the fact that there may be a warranty issue. Any damage done by the dealer will be fixed by them...good thing I have a spare vehicle. I guess you have to expect some of this with a new car.

Take it in, and have the dealer replace the heater. Be prepared for a wait. Mine is in 4 days (and counting) for a leaking heater. The dealer didn't argue at all, he said yup it leaks.
The car sucks, bad glow plugs, leaky heater, stumbles. 3 of the 4 known problems that VW won't admit to.

I will pick up my 05 Passat (replaced heater core) this afternoon. I just hope the dealer did a good job. The shop manager said I was "pickey". In my way of thinking I have that right in that they didn't give me the car. I have, in my life time purchased close to 40 new vehicles. Over those years I've dealt with many automobile dealers. This isn't the worse but close to it.

took car to dealer with coolant smell,left dealer without
coolant smell 1 hr later.dealer said couldn't find anything wrong.concerned about possible use of "stop leak additive"
by dealer.may put car up for sale now.2005 passat.

Wallis VW of Garland, Tx did a perfect job in replacing my heater core. I could find nothing wrong. My wife and I both looked very close. Everything looks just like a new car as it should.

What did I learn. If this happens to you, do not go to the dealers until the job is complete. I had to pick up a loaner car so I saw what they were in the middle of.

Actually chippie. The coolant runs through the heater core all of the time. It's the air flow that is changed. You want cold air, it does not run across the haeter core. You want hot air, it goes through the core.

When you get your car back, instpect it. If there is anything that is damaged, they need to replace it. This job should be done without you not even being able to know that the whole dash has been removed.

hyfye,
don't be rash about selling...does the coolant look different in color? if not, they did not add stuff. i heard that the pink stuff changes color when anything else besides more pink stuff is added.