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thomasflame4

XC70 rough cold starts

Hi, I'm having a weird issue with my 2013 Volvo XC70 diesel. Lately, it's been running really rough during cold starts, like it's struggling to get going. I've also noticed my fuel consumption has increased. Plugged it in and it's throwing an error. I suspect the electric auxiliary heater is faulty. Any ideas?

4 comment(s)

ludwigmaier25

Hey! I have an XC70 too, and that sounds suspiciously like the PTC heater issue I had last winter. I was getting cold air blowing from the vents even after the engine warmed up a bit, and the car felt sluggish. Does the car eventually run fine after it warms up?

thomasflame4 (Author)

Yeah, that's exactly it! Once it warms up, it runs perfectly fine. Cold air from the vents is also a good description! Where was the heater located and what did you do to fix it?

ludwigmaier25

Mine was the PTC element itself. If I remember correctly, it sits somewhere near the blower motor, but I didn't fix it myself. I took it to a workshop because I wasn't sure how to replace it. They confirmed it was a faulty heater and replaced it. Issue solved!

thomasflame4 (Author)

Okay, thanks for the confirmation. I was hoping it was something simple, but a defective electric auxiliary heater makes sense. I'll book it in at the workshop this week. The estimated repair cost is around 350€, so let's hope that fixes it!

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