Galaxy Aux Heater Smoking- Warranty ?

[Guest Galtaxy]

Hello Forum regulars!

I would like to say I am new to this (forgive the mistakes) and only a virgin 6 month Galaxy owner! ex Voyager & Picasso.

The Galaxy is much much better than than the other two even though the Ford dealers are crap. VW had to get the replacement footwell mat fixings that were missing on purchase.

To the point !

Is there anyone who can advise me on the best route to avoid being ripped off on repairing my heavy smoking Auxillary heater, the one under the rear of the car.

The car has been a lot smelly for most of the winter, but yesterday it vanished under a haze of white smoke, so I decided to run it in too the main dealer. On arrival it was ok again as the Aux heater had finished heating.

 

The dealer has told me that he will replace the glow plug with a modified one under warranty on Thursday 23rd feb. But if this fails to resolve the problem they want to charge me

[johnb80]

Take it up with Ford customer relations and stand very firm. It's dangerous, it's a known fault and TSB's have been done about it. I would furthermore say it is your intention to 'reject this vehicle' because it's not fit for the purpose for which it was sold. That should get the ball rolling.

 

Contaminated diesel is complete rubbish, ask them what sort of contaminants could cause this clear overfuelling situation. The most likely fault is that it has been overfuelled from new, it's now getting more and more sooted up, changing the glowplug will make little difference.

 

Regards - JB

[Gadgetoid]

The fact that your dealer knows anything at all about glowplugs and aux heaters should fill you with confidence - because most main dealers think you are talking about the engine if you mention glow plugs, and if you have a problem with the aux heater think that the only solution is to replace the entire unit.

JB could be right about the overfuelling, but I wouldn't be surprised if a new glow plug (and clearing the fault codes from the ECU - remember to ask them if they have checked this) sorts the problem.

I'm starting to wonder if lots of short trips allows gunge to build up in the aux heater (and on the glowplug tip) as the aux heater doesn't have time to burn off the initial extra fuel it receives instead of a choke. Would this fit with the previous use of your car?

[johnb80]

The fact that your dealer knows anything at all about glowplugs and aux heaters should fill you with confidence - because most main dealers think you are talking about the engine if you mention glow plugs, and if you have a problem with the aux heater think that the only solution is to replace the entire unit.

JB could be right about the overfuelling, but I wouldn't be surprised if a new glow plug (and clearing the fault codes from the ECU - remember to ask them if they have checked this) sorts the problem.

I'm starting to wonder if lots of short trips allows gunge to build up in the aux heater (and on the glowplug tip) as the aux heater doesn't have time to burn off the initial extra fuel it receives instead of a choke. Would this fit with the previous use of your car?

Why would an aux heater need extra fuel instead of a choke? It's not an engine that has to self sustain, do you have extra gas on your gas cooker when you light it ?

Short journeys should make little difference, in it's basic form, it's an electric fan, a fuel injector that sprays fuel onto a glowing glow plug. All of this being surrounded by a water jacket.

 

Regards - JB

[Guest Galtaxy]

Thanks chaps for the advise (JB & gadgetoid)

Believe it or not, it messed about smoking for a couple of days and then settled down again although it still stinks! The car is in the main dealer today for the replacement of the glow plug to a modified one.I have taken your advice on board and my original feelings and asked the dealer not to do the fuel system drain. Also someone else told me there is a filter in the pipe between the heater and the fuel tank, in this case why would the system need draining?

We do short journeys to school sometimes as suggested by Gadgetoid, but then it is used 5 days a week to do a return trip of 10 miles daily, perhaps this is a short journey as well? It initially started smoking a couple of days after I took it up the M40/42 to Birmingham and back from Reading, perhaps the long journey fully laden, blew some silt out from somewhere?

In response to rejecting the car on not fit for purpose, I don't think I would be able to pull that one off as we have been using it since July and it was ok up until now (winter) and the family like it to much. I am going to try it out for a while and see how it develops. I keep this site updated for others. I will ask them about the ECU fault codes as I didn't think of those- cheers.

 

Thanks for your help,

Regards,

Andy

[johnb80]

I collected my Gal tonight supposedly having had a new aux heater fitted and 4 new alloys. Drove off into the middle of Lincoln and yes the turbine sound was there followed by a collosal amount of smoke. I rang the dealer, the service manager assured me it was all ok, it had been checked. I drove back to the dealer, you couldn't see the car behind at all. I reversed up tpo the showroom door, left the car running, opened the door which accidentaly stayed open :ph34r: and went over to service reception. I then had a call on my mobile and had a chat with one of my engineers. After about 3 minutes the fire alarms went off and then the dealer principal appeared. He was pretty agressive telling me how stupid it was drive round in a vehicle in this condition. The service managers face was a picture as I explained that this had just been fixed and that his employee who was stood behind him had assured me it was fine. The dealer principal di an about turn and summoned the service manager to his office.

I now have a Galaxy 150 on loan until they sort mine out, I'm going to get some mileage out of this before I'm done though.

 

Regards - JB

[mumof4]

good one jb!! B)

[gregers]

wot a bloody good idea,top man very inpressive B) :D

[johnb80]

When I turned round to look towards the door I couldn't beleive how much smoke I'd put into the showroom, I nearly died, then i thought b*ll*cks to em, they told me it's OK so it must be OK B)

 

Regards - JB

[JToh]

B) Brilliant JB. If I were you I'd try and extract as much as possible out of them!

 

A class act mate.....those sufferers of this problem should do the same, otherwise these guys would never take the problem seriously.

 

Mine is in the workshop for a new booster heater, replaced under warranty. This is after I threathened them with legal action as the white smoke was getting so bad, it was coming into the cabin and I have two young daughters!

[johnb80]

Just had a phone call to say my cars ready, they've taken a new heater off a brand new car and it's working fine. Told them I can't pick it up, I'm working in London for the next 10 days #8o) He started to go on about mileage and they needed the car back, I just reminded them if they'd fixed it yesterday I'd have been here in my car not theirs. I asked if they'd done the valeting to be told they hadn't intended to do any, again I mentioned all of the oil film from the smoke and he took the hing, full valet coming up and they've even offerred me free service vouchers for the next 2 services, that should be good, the cambelt comes up on the second one :D

 

Now should I drive back mid week next week or stay down here ?????

 

Regards - JB

[JToh]

:D Well done! 2 free services, christ...that's generous of them!

 

Picking mine up tonight. The mechanic reckons that he has sorted out my "Alternator Workshop" bleeping headache and that this is related to the booster heater not igniting properly and this in turn, triggers the bleeping. It doesn't sound that logical to me! They rather replace the whole unit than changing the glow plug which is alot cheaper. Mind you, Ford doesn't sell the glow plug individually! They kept the car overnight and they said that it started without this bleeping this morning! We'll just have to wait and see, I guess! I did point out, as you so logically suggested, that it is most likely to be the fan belt but they thought otherwise!

 

regards

 

JT

[Masked Marauder]

They kept the car overnight and they said that it started without this bleeping this morning!

When it has been parked in their warm dry workshop, or did they leave it outside?

[JToh]

:huh: Well MM, Fraud left the car overnight (after fitting the new booster heater) outside the workshop and they said it started without the warning message. No sign of the "Alternator Workshop" bleeping over the weekend and this morning taking my daughter to school which, in similar conditions, would have given me plenty of grief! I am still not convinced - that they say the two events are related - booster heater failing to ignite causing "Alternator Workshop" message flashing up! One member (Denis) who has this problem drives a V6 and doesn't have a booster heater! It seems more logical that it is the fanbelt (as JB suggested) &/or the battery (as you pointed out). They say that it will also sort out the white smoke problem I have been having on and off. Mind you, only had this once this year!

 

The dealer even suggested that some owners have had the booster heater disconnected to cure the white smoke problem. Surely this can't be sensible!

 

Watch this space!

 

regards

 

JT

[tim-spam]

Is the metering pump part of the heater unit? If it isn't, and the smoke is due to over-fuelling, then changing the heater unit may not cure the problem. The auxilliary heater in my Alhambra seems to work really well, and never produces more than a faint whiff of smoke - hope it stays like this!

[JToh]

;) Not sure about the metering pump but the engineer told me all the parts have been replaced. Mind you, despite the cold I haven't heard the jet engine noise nor seen any white smoke since I picked it up last week. Does this mean it's not working?

[johnb80]

if you go for a short drive - a couple of miles or so, get out, switch off, you should hear the turbine running nicely and ramping down over a 2 to 3 minute period. It really impresses the baseball hat clad yob's with their Corsa's.

 

Regards - JB