Frost Heater

[mshaw1]

According to the frostheater directions, where is the unit supposed to be installed on an 09 TDI? I had the unit installed at the dealership and now just in time for winter when I plug the heater in nothing happens!!!
Thanks!

 

[Concat]

Well you have to install it first... jk

 

[MBoni]

The heater attaches to the hoses for the cooling system. The heater itself sits very low in the engine bay, near the front left corner. I think you can find it by taking off the side grilles (where fog lights get installed) and following the power cord back into the engine compartment.

Are you absolutely sure it's not working? It's got no pump or lights, and makes no noise when plugged in. It takes 2-3 hours for it to warm up a cold engine (use a timer to get it to come on ~3 hours before your expected morning drive). On mine, the temp gauge will show 190 before I start the engine, but it drops way down as soon as the coolant is circulating. However, it doesn't drop all the way down, and is back to 190 much quicker than if the engine was really cold.

 

[mshaw1]

Thanks for the location. I let it sit plugged in for 12 hrs and no heat, made sure the outlet was working as well. I am just not sure what could be causing the problem, I am hoping that now since I have an idea of where the heater is at I may be able to better follow the wires around and see if something on the heater just did not get knocked loose. There really isn't too much to frost heaters, it will be interesting to see if I can find anything wrong with it.

 

[penclnck]

So are you saying you plugged it up without it being installed? No coolant in it? Could that not burn the heater element up?

 

[mshaw1]

No, I had the frost heater installed at the dealership upon buying the car last winter. The heater worked great all last winter, but upon plugging the heater in this winter nothing happens. I am hoping to figure out what could be causing the block heater not to work?

 

[Concat]

Just curious, but is it at a parking lot?

They often have their outlets on a on/off cycle

 

[mshaw1]

No, but that is a very good point.

 

[shocker]

Plug the cord into the wall and pull it out quickly. If you see no sparks each time, you aren't drawing any current. Pull on the cord end, if it pulls away like its an elastic...your cord end is bad.

 

[mshaw1]

I checked the cords, they are in good shape. I made an appointment to take it to the dealership on Monday, not sure what else to do. I will post what they figure out.

 

[EddyKilowatt]

Plug the cord into the wall and pull it out quickly. If you see no sparks each time, you aren't drawing any current.

Doesn't really work reliably with a pure-resistive load like a heater. I plug and unplug mine live, daily, and can seldom tell whether it's on or not... unless I happen to notice a light on the same circuit dimming slightly.

*Inductive* loads, like motors, will shoot big sparks... and high-inrush loads like tungsten lights will make a pop when plugging in. Heaters are pretty well-behaved.

 

[mshaw1]

Got a good look with a flashlight today, it was a MOUSE. Looked like a damn big one too, perhaps it was a rat or wayward squirrel. I do not understand why anything would willingly chose to chew on a wire, copper does not taste good!!! Took it to a shop they quoted me 80+$ to resplice the wire. I consulted a second shop and made an appointment tomorrow, they should be cheaper. I am tempted to just buy another frostheater if I am going to be paying an upwards of 80$. Ugh, time for some mousetraps.

 

[eric_x]

Where is it chewed through? Patching a cord isn't that hard of a job depending on the cord and where it is chewed through. Of course, I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself if you haven't, but $80 seems a bit steep. Perhaps a non-auto repair shop would have a better rate.

 

[cd2573]

mshaw1 you have a pm

 

[shagin'wagen]

$80 to splice a cord?!?! I'd be pretty rich if I got that where I work...