Aux heater smell

[CRPauletto]

Hello all, this is my first post as a new member. I just bought a 12' TDI Jetta last week. I wanted something for mileage as my 3 other vehicles (4x4's) get 11-16 mpg, except my 61' bug.

Does the smell of the aux heater ever go away. It smells like someones "BO", yes as in body odor. It is only when first started cold and the heater is on. Once up to operating temp it goes away. Other than that I love the car.

 

[Dieselducky]

I would be taking it back to the dealer and let them figure out why the car has BO

 

[Ski in NC]

Probably electric heating elements cooking off something as they heat up. Should go away, mostly, with use.

 

[TDI_Timmy]

Smelled smelled like the melting plastic insulation around wires. Had me concerned, but I never saw smoke and it went away after a few uses.

 

[probstkr]

Smelled smelled like the melting plastic insulation around wires. Had me concerned, but I never saw smoke and it went away after a few uses.

I've noticed this as well. Wasn't sure if it was the HVAC aux heater or the seat heaters. Worst part: didn't even catch a slight buzz off the fumes...

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

Take it back if you're concerned; that's what the warranty period is for.

That being said, my Aux heater had a slight funny smell to it the first few times it operated, but that smell subsided quickly and has never returned. The smell was similar to the smell when you break out a space heater that's been stored all summer for the first time in the winter; I just assumed it was the 'newness' cooking off.

 

[RickD]

Don't laugh.......what auxillary heater ?

 

[tcp_ip_dude]

Don't laugh.......what auxillary heater ?

The 09' and 10's have a 1000 watt Aux heater to heat the air while the water temps come up; I believe your car does as well. Others will know for sure.

 

[V-Rod]

The 09' and 10's have a 1000 watt Aux heater to heat the air while the water temps come up; I believe your car does as well. Others will know for sure.

About time, i wish my 06 had this!!

 

[jnmarshall]

The 09' and 10's have a 1000 watt Aux heater to heat the air while the water temps come up; I believe your car does as well. Others will know for sure.

I have an '12 Jetta and haven't noticed this. It takes about 5 minutes driving to warmup or over 10 minutes at idle in the driveway. Just like all my other cars.

 

[tdipoet]

yeah, if i have one, i haven't noticed it.

 

[jnmarshall]

yeah, if i have one, i haven't noticed it.

Probably removed in '11+ to save money. But the VW site lists this standard feature
"Heater, electric auxiliary"
Haven't found anyone at the dealer that can explain it.

 

[Ekb16hatch]

I had the same smell when I first purchased my 12' Jetta...I looked everywhere underneath the hood for something that had burnt mainly rubber because thats what it smelled like to me. I couldnt find anything so I contacted the dealer and they said the smell is coming from the exhaust. The factory puts some kind of coating on the exhaust during production. Eventually it will burn off and the smell will go away. Hope this helps.

 

[CRPauletto]

Thanks everyone for the replies. It has been 2 weeks with the car and it is starting to go away. I truly belive it was the cab heater not the exhaust. It must just burn off the residue when it is new. I will say it takes forever to heat the cab up and defrost the window. It is normally in a heated garage all night, but the other day I drove it to the fire station. The next morning it took around 10 minutes to defrost the front window enough to drive.

 

[theslag]

I had the same smell when i started to use the heated seats, but i noticed it started going away. I thought the car was going to catch of fire, but it hasnt happened since..

 

[FVWVWF]

I had the same smell when i started to use the heated seats, but i noticed it started going away. I thought the car was going to catch of fire, but it hasnt happened since..

Same here.
First time it happened, I pulled over and spent 90min wondering/looking what it was. Knowing now what it was....my blood pressure has gone down.

 

[vtbigdog]

I am still perplexed as to whether my '12 Jetta TDI or my girlfriends '11 Jetta TDI has this auxillary heater. I don't notice any warm air blowing until both are driven.

 

[NAZ TDI]

I think it is temperature activated; the auxiliary heater won't come on unlesss the outside temp is below 20 deg. F or so; not exactly sure at what temp but on a real cold day (like in single digits) I have warm air before going two blocks from home.

 

[GaGolfSup]

I'm not positive, but I think the temp knob needs to be turned all the way to the right I order to activate the aux heater. There is a little detent there similar to when you turn it all the way to the left and the AC comes on. All I know is this TDI warms up way faster than my 2004.

 

[G_Monee]

I just picked up a 2012 TDi Premium on Monday and had this exact same thing tonight. Came on here via google and was trying for the life of me to figure out what it was. At first I thought it was a vehicle in front of me so I turned the air recycler on. but it continued, and was a mix of new heater / burning rubber / electrical smell. It went away after a while though.

 

[CRPauletto]

Mine is gone now so it just needs to burn it self clean. I think it had residue on it. My car is 3 weeks old now. I will say it still takes forever to actually warm the car up though. My other diesel (Powerstroke)has a lot better heating. I think these are so small of motor they just dont produce the heat, except for the DPF. You need the RPMs to get it warm. I wish it had a coolant temp guage.

 

[GR8GIFT]

Had the smell on my first few uses of the aux heater in my 11 Jetta. My Jetta warms rapidly it hardly take 2 or 3 miles to start putting out hot air on it's own. Temps from around 0F to 30F. Wasn't home when it got to -8F so can't say how long it would have taken to heat up. The last detent on the heat activates my aux heater.