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marthawolf66

Audi Q3 Hybrid Parking Heater Failure Fix Guide

My relatively new Audi Q3 Hybrid (2023, 184964 KM) has been giving me trouble with the heating system lately. The parking heater wont turn on at all and the check engine light is showing an error code. Had some questionable experiences with mechanics before, so Im a bit hesitant to just drive to any repair shop. Has anyone dealt with auxiliary heater problems on this model? Looking for recommendations on what could be wrong and trusted repair options. The climate control system otherwise works fine, just the parking pre-heat feature is completely dead.

4 comment(s)

helmutmoon7

Had a similar issue with my 2020 Audi Q5 Hybrid last winter. The auxiliary heater failure was connected to a faulty glow plug, which is a common weak point in the heating system. The temperature sensor was reporting incorrect values, causing the entire parking heater function to shut down as a safety measure. The repair involved: Complete diagnostic scan of the climate control module, Replacement of the defective glow plug, Recalibration of the temperature sensors, Software update for the ventilation system control unit This was a relatively serious issue that required specialized diagnostic equipment. The auxiliary heater problems can lead to increased fuel consumption in cold weather since the engine needs to work harder to reach optimal temperature. Would strongly recommend having this checked at an authorized dealer since they have specific diagnostic tools for the hybrid system integration. The parking heater is interconnected with several other systems, including the battery thermal management, so proper diagnosis is crucial. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, fully functional climate control but completely non-responsive parking heater with error codes. This typically indicates an electrical issue rather than a mechanical problem with the heating system itself.

helmutmoon7

Had a similar issue with my 2020 Audi Q5 Hybrid last winter. The auxiliary heater failure was connected to a faulty glow plug, which is a common weak point in the heating system. The temperature sensor was reporting incorrect values, causing the entire parking heater function to shut down as a safety measure. The repair involved: Complete diagnostic scan of the climate control module, Replacement of the defective glow plug, Recalibration of the temperature sensors, Software update for the ventilation system control unit This was a relatively serious issue that required specialized diagnostic equipment. The auxiliary heater problems can lead to increased fuel consumption in cold weather since the engine needs to work harder to reach optimal temperature. Would strongly recommend having this checked at an authorized dealer since they have specific diagnostic tools for the hybrid system integration. The parking heater is interconnected with several other systems, including the battery thermal management, so proper diagnosis is crucial. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I experienced, fully functional climate control but completely non-responsive parking heater with error codes. This typically indicates an electrical issue rather than a mechanical problem with the heating system itself.

marthawolf66 (Author)

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Q5. The symptoms sound identical to what I had. My ventilation system is also acting up now, even though the blower motor was working fine when the initial auxiliary heater issue occurred. Would you remember roughly how much the repair cost in total? Wondering if I should prepare for a significant expense. Also, have you had any other heating-related issues since the repair? Just want to know if fixing the glow plug and temperature sensor resolved everything completely.

marthawolf66 (Author)

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Q5. The symptoms sound identical to what I had. My ventilation system is also acting up now, even though the blower motor was working fine when the initial auxiliary heater issue occurred. Would you remember roughly how much the repair cost in total? Wondering if I should prepare for a significant expense. Also, have you had any other heating-related issues since the repair? Just want to know if fixing the glow plug and temperature sensor resolved everything completely.

helmutmoon7

Following your advice, I took my Q5 to the dealer and can confirm it was exactly what you suspected. The total repair came to 440 Euro, which covered the glow plug replacement and all associated diagnostic work. The ventilation system issues you mentioned are likely connected to the same underlying problem. Since having the repair done, the auxiliary heater and all related climate control functions have worked flawlessly. The blower motor performance improved as well, likely because the system was no longer trying to compensate for the faulty glow plug. The investment was worth it as the car now heats up properly on cold starts, and the parking heater function works perfectly. No additional heating problems have occurred in the months since the fix. The technicians explained that these auxiliary heater malfunctions, while frustrating, are quite straightforward to resolve once properly diagnosed.

helmutmoon7

Following your advice, I took my Q5 to the dealer and can confirm it was exactly what you suspected. The total repair came to 440 Euro, which covered the glow plug replacement and all associated diagnostic work. The ventilation system issues you mentioned are likely connected to the same underlying problem. Since having the repair done, the auxiliary heater and all related climate control functions have worked flawlessly. The blower motor performance improved as well, likely because the system was no longer trying to compensate for the faulty glow plug. The investment was worth it as the car now heats up properly on cold starts, and the parking heater function works perfectly. No additional heating problems have occurred in the months since the fix. The technicians explained that these auxiliary heater malfunctions, while frustrating, are quite straightforward to resolve once properly diagnosed.

marthawolf66 (Author)

I wanted to update everyone on how this turned out. Finally took my Q3 to an authorized dealer after getting this helpful advice. The diagnosis confirmed a faulty glow plug in the heating system, plus some related issues with the temperature sensors. The final bill came to 520 Euro, slightly more than expected because they found the blower motor needed recalibration as well. The heater core was thoroughly inspected but thankfully didnt need any work. The climate control is now working perfectly, both the main heating system and the parking pre-heat feature are back to normal. Really glad I didnt try any quick fixes or cheaper alternatives. The ventilation system issues completely disappeared after they sorted out the primary problem. Its been about a month since the repair, and everything is still running smoothly. The car warms up much faster now, and the auxiliary heater kicks in exactly as it should. Definitely worth the investment to have it properly fixed at the dealer.

marthawolf66 (Author)

I wanted to update everyone on how this turned out. Finally took my Q3 to an authorized dealer after getting this helpful advice. The diagnosis confirmed a faulty glow plug in the heating system, plus some related issues with the temperature sensors. The final bill came to 520 Euro, slightly more than expected because they found the blower motor needed recalibration as well. The heater core was thoroughly inspected but thankfully didnt need any work. The climate control is now working perfectly, both the main heating system and the parking pre-heat feature are back to normal. Really glad I didnt try any quick fixes or cheaper alternatives. The ventilation system issues completely disappeared after they sorted out the primary problem. Its been about a month since the repair, and everything is still running smoothly. The car warms up much faster now, and the auxiliary heater kicks in exactly as it should. Definitely worth the investment to have it properly fixed at the dealer.

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