Disconnecting Aux Heater?

[Scope]

I am having problems with lots of white smoking coming from the Aux heater, is it possible to disconnect to until I can get it looked at? My wife refused to drive in it this morning, so we had to take the other car instead. lol.

 

The ford warranty from the garage runs out today but they have agreed to look at it next week and fix whatever needs fixing. But for now, can it be disconnected (easily)?

[stevie m]

If it's a mkII galaxy number 12 fuse.

[Scope]

If it's a mkII galaxy number 12 fuse.

 

It is. thanks. :D

[stevie m]

If it's a mkII galaxy number 12 fuse.

 

It is. thanks. :D

 

In most cases it will be the glowplug. Easy fix.

[Tram]

Hi and Happy New Year to you all.

My rear/aux heater works fine but it is a waste of time as we do lots of short runs in winter. I doesn't run long enough to make any difference to the car temperature and it smells of diesel fumes outside the car when we stop as it runs on for a minute. It must be a waste of fuel, so if I pull the Number 12 fuse will it simply stop working and not do any harm to it long term?

[mumof4]

well my aux heater never worked the 4 yrs i had my galaxy, so i doubt disconnecting it will damage it in the long term.

[stevie m]

Hi and Happy New Year to you all.

My rear/aux heater works fine but it is a waste of time as we do lots of short runs in winter. I doesn't run long enough to make any difference to the car temperature and it smells of diesel fumes outside the car when we stop as it runs on for a minute. It must be a waste of fuel, so if I pull the Number 12 fuse will it simply stop working and not do any harm to it long term?

 

I had mine dicconnected for nearly 2 years due to the fact it had gone pear shaped. Then when i got round to doing it the heater worked fine. If you pull the fuse yes it will stop working. I don't think it wastes that much fuel to be honest. My gal smelt of fumes when it wasn't working anyway.

[Beyond Help?]

I don't think it wastes that much fuel to be honest. My gal smelt of fumes when it wasn't working anyway.

 

I can tell you it uses 0.62 of a litre of fuel on full heat and 0.27 litres on low heat. Mine runs on high heat for about 8 minutes before it switches to low. How long it runs on low depends on how fast I have the blower motor running.

 

How much fuel it wastes is impossible to say as the car's engine uses more fuel when the engine is cold anyway so the booster heater heating the water up probably saves a little that way, but it will only be a little!

[beppe786]

i have a 2003 ford galaxy smoking can i just remove the number 12 fuse in the winter too slove my smoking problem

[lazyb5]

Hi Beppe,

your car only smokes because the ambient temp goes below about 11 degrees and this is when the aux heater fires up if you pull fuse 12 the car will take longer to heat up ....so Ford say never tried it myself :rolleyes: but i may need to shortly because mine is starting to smell and smoke so glowplug is on hand for a summer change when the weather here is warmer.

[stevie m]

It will solve it for now. Repair tho only takes about an hour.

[beppe786]

i booked it in too ford for a check. they told me its the Aux heater and its

[stevie m]

I would give the glowplug a try. I think you will find it's that. It takes about 1 hour to do and it easy job. Info on what you require for job is here. If you pm after me after i will tell you where to get the cheapest new type glowplug from too. :wub:

[gregers]

beppe the trouble with FORDS is they have no bloody idea about booster heaters,so they nearly always wright it off when in fact it could only be a glow plug required,as mentioned above try the glow plug 1st then take it from there.

[systalink]

I am having problems with lots of white smoking coming from the Aux heater, is it possible to disconnect to until I can get it looked at? My wife refused to drive in it this morning, so we had to take the other car instead. lol.

 

The ford warranty from the garage runs out today but they have agreed to look at it next week and fix whatever needs fixing. But for now, can it be disconnected (easily)?

 

 

 

HI

 

I'm also having a white smoke and diesel smell issue with my gal. Is your smoke getting into the car itself, or is it just outside?

[Scope]

HI

 

I'm also having a white smoke and diesel smell issue with my gal. Is your smoke getting into the car itself, or is it just outside?

 

I havent noticed any smoke inside the car, but I wouldnt be surprised if some will find its way there if you are stationary and the smoke if coming out. :wacko:

[Sher]

My Aux Heater stopped working whilst in Southern Spain in November. Well its rather warm daytime but cold at nights, thats how I knew.

 

Before I returned to the UK a few days ago I checked the oil and for the 1st Time ever I had a small amount of creamy deposit on the inside of the filler cap showing that the oil had to do some work at removing condensed water from the oil.

 

Personally, if you expect to keep the motor for some time, I would recommend fixing the heater if its only the Glow plug and as for disconnecting it to save such a small amount (if at all) it seems short sighted to me.

 

Note:- I think the consumption figures are in Litres/hour (and it switches off after 10 minutes or so in my experience)

[Time]

My 52 plate Zetec 115bhp started to exhibit the symptoms described in this thread about a week ago. I got very worried about what it could be, then I found this forum. Pulled fuse 12 and hey presto sorted!

I will order up a new glow plug for the aux heater, fit it and see.

Thanks guys 'I'll be back!'

[iaing]

The problem started on our Alhambra TDI SE 2001 today and I am glad I found this on the forum. I just looked at the fusebox and see that on the fuse chart fuse 12 shows the symbol for heating and air con. Will the air con be affected if I remove fuse 12? Fuse 16 also shows the aircon symbol.

 

Does anyone know if its the same glow plug for the Alhambra as for the Galaxy as I'm going to order one from Hans Motors in Birmingham as advised elsewhere in the Forum.

 

I'm sure I would ahve been fleeced by my SEAT dealer without this forum. Many tks

[Steve-vc]

I too have an Alhambra TDI SE (53 Plate), and removed the No 12 fuse, but the heater still chucked out large amounts of smoke. Also went to Hans Motors in Birmingham "now called GSF" ( I work just down the road from them) and whilst very helpful, they couldn't locate the part from the number I gave them from this forum, the chap on the phone quoted a different price and part number, then the other chap found another, but it was only

[iaing]

Steve

 

Hans Motors (GSF) sent me the right part as advised by the forum. Next day delivery total cost

[Steve-vc]

Thanks for that Iain,

 

Get your fingers under the clear plastic cover and pull towards you like hell and it will pop off, had agro at first with mine, but once you get it off, it comes easier next time.

I had no success with the number 12 fuse, still smokes like it was on fire, my wife will no longer drive the thing and I don't blame her...

 

Good luck

 

Steve.

[zeuren]

We had the smoke problem. We took it to frauds who ripped us off hundreds. They fixed it but the problem came back about 6 months later. So i decided to just take the fuse out. That was about 2 years ago, no problems since.

[Geez63]

I lent the Galaxy to a friend and this morning he called me about huge clouds of smoke. Very relieved when I read all this forum. Heater seems to be working as it makes a buzzing noise. Is it possible that the motor is more smoky after a summer without use? Will it get better after a few cool mornings?

[chrispb123456]

Short start stops dont do these heaters any good but if it continues to smoke after a few minutes of running at full speed then you will at least have to replace glow plug.

Lot of info in the FAQ's about this.