VW Sharan 1.9TDI - smoke from under the car

[Jay1]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and hope that someone can help.

I have a new (March 2005) Sharan 130 bhp.

After a month or so, when I turned the ignition off there was a sound from under the car, close to the passenger rear wheel. It sounded like a jet engine and lasted for about 2 mins. With this was the smell of burning diesel and smoke albeit not alot. Over the last few months this has become more regular. I took it to the VW garage who first said it was a loose glow plug. This didn't fix it. They then replaced the glow plugs. Still didn't fix it. They then replaced the auxillary heater. This still didn't fix it. The car is in at the moment and they are now telling me that there is nothing wrong and this is how it should be?

Has anyone else experienced this who could perhaps give some suggestions/guidance.

[zac everett]

Has anyone sorted the smoking Sharan problem yet?

I have an 04 Sharan TDI, a couple of months ago it started smoking from down by the rear passenger door.

The smoke/exhaust was quite a lot and while waiting at traffic lights I couldn't see the line of traffic behind. Also pulling up at the local KFC drive through the smoke billowed into the restaurant and they all started coughing.

I've taken it to the Stratford VW Listers who said it's the auxillary heater which runs on diesel. Something had gone wrong with it, but I wouldn't have noticed it before because it only kicks in at a certain temperature. They replaced something anyhow. All seemed fine for a while. But now i'm back to serious smoke and higher diesel consumption.

I too experience the jet engine sound, you do get some funny looks when parking up.

Anybody had any luck with this?

I think I'll have to take it back to VW. May be Top Gear will be interested as it's probably the only production car with an inbuilt smoke screen device.

Zac

[ndeakin]

My Oct '04 Sharan TDI (130) has exactly the same problem. I first noticed the "Jet Engine" sound coming from the auxillary heater and then a few weeks later the smoke started billowing out. It seems to happen in the first ten minutes of driving.
VW Birmingham have examined it and claim it needs a new glow plug. They say if it burns at too high a temperature it tends to smoke. However, there aren't any Glow Plugs in the country and they are ordering from Germany with a 4 week lead time. I will keep you posted with my progress.

[zac everett]

Sharan, has been into VW Listers and has had a new glow plug in the aux heater.
All seems to be working fine again. No excess smoke. :-)

Didn't have a problem with getting hold of glow plug VW Listers Stratford had got one so was in and out in a day.

Wonder how long it will last.

One other point we've had our rear window handles turn round the other way to stop the back windows from dropping down after a time.

[ndeakin]

VW Birmingham have contacted me to say they now have available glow plugs. I will take it in and get it fitted. I'll keep you posted as to how long this 'fix' lasts for.

[jason]

hi, i have been having the same problems with the excess smoke.....how much does it cost to have one of these "glow plugs" fitted to the auxillary heater

[ndeakin]

Having had the Glow Plug replaced (under warranty) it has solved the smoking problem. However, the car takes 10 - 15 mins to warm up in the morning during winter and the heater doesn't produce any heat until the engine warms up. Is this normal for a diesel Sharan? Shouldn't the auxiliary heater be kicking in for that very reason? Do other Sharan diesel owners have a similar 'problem'?

[guyver]

hi every body this is my first post as i hav joined today to your great forum. and i have a sharan 52 reg tdi

i have read all the post above but a bit different, the "Jet Engine" sound remain even after the car is already wormed up i dont know how long it last but as soon as i stop the car i can still hear it for another 1-2 minutes it very annoying, so i went to the dealer in birmingham i have told them about it and they just simply said it's fine and the car is just trying to warm up in the winter, they did ask me if there is a somke coming out from ander the car and i have told them just a little.

but i feel this is not normal and it would be great if some one here could advice

[Gillie Nicholls]

I had an appalling problem with my smoking Sharan. It got so bad that people thought my car was on fire. It was a great embarrassment to be driving through a busy town and belching copious amounts of white, acrid smoke from a small pipe just in front of the rear kerbside wheel, near the passenger door. Most VW dealers told me that it was normal, which I refused to believe. It got to the point when I just could not live with it and I turned to the VW dealer in Ewhurst Surrey. An inspired mechanic told me that VW knew of the problem (something to do with a diesel powered rear heater) and he fitted something which did the trick for the last 3 winters. It has returned and I get the sinking feeling that if I go to a VW dealer they will tell me that there is nothing that can be done. HELP!

[isti3223]

VW knows is a problem with auxiliary heaters.The system automaticaly turn on with the engine running if the outside temperature below 13 celsius,and the coolant temp.below 45 celsius.The fault is the aux heater fuel supply from the fuel tank,and sometimes air getting to the system.In this condition the glow plugs working extra time,trying to ignite the fuel/air mixture wich is not possible,therefore working extra time-and burns out.The solution for the fault to remove the fuel sender from the tank and re-route the fuel suply pipe for the aux.heater.the fuel sender has an internal swirl compartment,place the fuel supply pipe inside and route down to the bottom.

[Gillie Nicholls]

The smoking problem is definitely the rear auxilliary diesel-powered heater. If there is excessive smoking a new glow plug should do the trick. I have had my Sharan for nearly 6 years and I have had to replace the glow plug twice. Both occasions resulted in complete cure of problem .... until the next time! If it is not fixed, then it is possible to remove the heater altogether.

[Gillie Nicholls]

The smoking problem is definitely the rear auxilliary diesel-powered heater. If there is excessive smoking a new glow plug should do the trick. I have had my Sharan for nearly 6 years and I have had to replace the glow plug twice. Both occasions resulted in complete cure of problem .... until the next time! If it is not fixed, then it is possible to remove the heater altogether.

[Captain Answer]

Eberspacher (other) diesel heaters always make a bit of a roar and can be quite smokey. Sometimes they need a service and de-coke (just like a normal diesel engine would). I've never seen one run to the level of creating acrid smoke though!

[iffy]

hi
ive just bought a 1998 s reg sharan, its runs and drives perfectly,73k genuine miles, after buying it ive just noticed that its giving me no more than 40 miles to a tenner, thats about 8-9 litres, ive had it on a compouter and the garage have found nthing blow all sensors are fine too, after driving for a few miles u can notice burt and unburt diesel smell,Pleas can any 1 have any suggestion
kind regards
iffy

[froggymaria]

Its funny to see the listing below on Auxillary heaters such a common fault . I bought a new SEAT Alhambra in August 04. 18 months later the heater started smoking badly. The dealer must of had the vehicle back for at leat 4 times. Replacing the glow plug for standard and a new ceramic glow plug. They also cleaned the unit and replaced it. They even asked my wife to rev the engine up and burn out the coke??? at traffic lights :zx11: . Also just 6 months from being out of warranty were given a letter to cover the issue if it returned post August 2007. Low and behold December 2007 more smoke. 4 weeks at the dealer a the auxillary unit was replaced which the dealer kindly said " SEAT had fitted this under good will and both they and SEAT had spent money doing so". The dealer would not issue warranty for this part unless we paid £77 to warrant the part for 24months.:aargh4: The part is not fit for purpose.

This is the last time we buy a SEAT car or anything with auxillary heater VW etc. The item is not fit for purpose and the manufacturer knows this.

[zorgman]

worry not sharan fans, its all normal heres what happens.
the pump does a prime you can hear it pulsing and then the fan starts up then the plug lights up, after 6 flame outs on 2000> it locks out this is when you need a new plug but make sure its the uprated one ending in 340. gsf are the cheapest at £18 whereas ford the worst at £59.
>2000 does a 3 flame outs then resets itself to try again, the smoke you see is unburnt fuel been heated up.
if your htr is working then on engine switch off it shuts the fuel off to shut off flame and runs to cool itself down.
now then if u want to stop it working on >200 cars above battery clipped to the wiper is a sensor just unplug it and its gone, on >200 i think its f12 to pull out

[Fourbears]

This is a known problem on both Sharans (and badge engineered derivatives) and Tourans. VW are well aware of the problem but seem unable to do anything about it. Indeed I've just had my 18 month old Touran replaced by a new one as VW couldn't cure the Red Arrows impresssion it did when the temp was under 5 degrees. One day it was so bad my wife was stopped by a bloke because he thought it was on fire!!! If you have a warranty, keep taking it back and COMPLAIN!!!!!!!!!!

[boomboomer]

It's really weird this heater problem, I never managed to get it working on my old Alhambra but my new Touran has performed perfectly.

The only time it smoked was on the first cold day, about six months after leave the factory, since then it's been fine. I wouldn't be without it as I used to arrive at work with the Alhambra still icy but the Touran is blasting hot air within 5 minutes.

Having said this means it'll probably break now, but it's a lease under warranty so who cares about costs?

[kimandsally]

worry not sharan fans, its all normal heres what happens.
the pump does a prime you can hear it pulsing and then the fan starts up then the plug lights up, after 6 flame outs on 2000> it locks out this is when you need a new plug but make sure its the uprated one ending in 340. gsf are the cheapest at £18 whereas ford the worst at £59.
>2000 does a 3 flame outs then resets itself to try again, the smoke you see is unburnt fuel been heated up.
if your htr is working then on engine switch off it shuts the fuel off to shut off flame and runs to cool itself down.
now then if u want to stop it working on >200 cars above battery clipped to the wiper is a sensor just unplug it and its gone, on >200 i think its f12 to pull out

Please could you explain a little better >200cars above the battery.......

Can't find anything near the battery to unplug.

Help I want to stop mine it's comming on nearly everyday even at 12c.

[marshy01uk]

Today i embarked on sorting my VW Sharan's white smoking problem. No longer I thought would I have a huge thick trail behind me nor would I cause an uproar at my daughters primary school as other parents on seeing me approaching, diving for cover to escape suffocation by volkswagon!
On advice from other forum members I stripped down and located the glow plug, contacted VW and was quoted £51 for a replacement, yes you read it correctly £51 for one little glow plug. Still, better than £400+ for a new Aux heater motor. Then I thought better test the little blighter before throwing 50 quid away. To my surprise it lit up! There I was now with a quandry, spend over £400 for a new motor or, since I had it stripped down just disconnect it and be done away with it?
Well summer is approaching............................ plus its a silly feature anyway! Oh and for all you greenies I'm now helping the environment by burning less fuel.... :biglaugh:

[kimandsally]

Today i embarked on sorting my VW Sharan's white smoking problem. No longer I thought would I have a huge thick trail behind me nor would I cause an uproar at my daughters primary school as other parents on seeing me approaching, diving for cover to escape suffocation by volkswagon!
On advice from other forum members I stripped down and located the glow plug, contacted VW and was quoted £51 for a replacement, yes you read it correctly £51 for one little glow plug. Still, better than £400+ for a new Aux heater motor. Then I thought better test the little blighter before throwing 50 quid away. To my surprise it lit up! There I was now with a quandry, spend over £400 for a new motor or, since I had it stripped down just disconnect it and be done away with it?
Well summer is approaching............................ plus its a silly feature anyway! Oh and for all you greenies I'm now helping the environment by burning less fuel.... :biglaugh:

I haven't looked under the car so have no idea but where do you disconnect it? And how do you make sure water doesn't get into the opened connections?
Thanks in advance.

[marshy01uk]

The Aux heater motor is situated underneath the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Firstly you have to disconnect the air intake pipe and the exhaust pipe, fairly straight forward (only a 10mm self tapper is fiddly, it ties the exhaust bracket to a plastic fitting that secures one of the pipes). Next the cover plate over the heater motor and other bolts of the heater bracket. Once off you will be able to drop the heater motor down to make it accessible (no need to disconnect any fuel hoses). You will notice a wiring block fitted on the outside of the heater motor (above it). I disconnected this sealing a small plastic bag around it to stop any water getting to it, plus its high up and probably not liable to alot of water ingress. At the end off the heater motor there is a removable cover (2 x hex screws and 2 x hex bolts) Once removed you will immediately locate the glow plug and wiring loom. I disconnected the wiring loom and has been left that way. The glow plug is worth testing if you've gone that far, easily done with a set of jump leads once out. Connect one end of the leads to battery, then neg to body of plug and +ve to thread the wire came off, if it heats up its workin, careful very very hot!!
After that I just put it all back together and bingo, no smoke!! Hooray :D Hope thats some help

[kimandsally]

The Aux heater motor is situated underneath the rear passenger side of the vehicle. Firstly you have to disconnect the air intake pipe and the exhaust pipe, fairly straight forward (only a 10mm self tapper is fiddly, it ties the exhaust bracket to a plastic fitting that secures one of the pipes). Next the cover plate over the heater motor and other bolts of the heater bracket. Once off you will be able to drop the heater motor down to make it accessible (no need to disconnect any fuel hoses). You will notice a wiring block fitted on the outside of the heater motor (above it). I disconnected this sealing a small plastic bag around it to stop any water getting to it, plus its high up and probably not liable to alot of water ingress. At the end off the heater motor there is a removable cover (2 x hex screws and 2 x hex bolts) Once removed you will immediately locate the glow plug and wiring loom. I disconnected the wiring loom and has been left that way. The glow plug is worth testing if you've gone that far, easily done with a set of jump leads once out. Connect one end of the leads to battery, then neg to body of plug and +ve to thread the wire came off, if it heats up its workin, careful very very hot!!
After that I just put it all back together and bingo, no smoke!! Hooray :D Hope thats some help

Thanks for the megga detail I will have a look and sort mine out.:beerchug:

[Ferd]

Hi All
I have the same problem Jet engine sound bad fuel consumption and smock from under the car once or twice.

A question for all of you who have managed to fix there fault.

Did this sort the Fuel consumption get better and is there a cheaper glow plug and Has anyone got a part number please.

98 1.9 TDi Sharan.

Ferd

[marshy01uk]

The part number on my glow plug was 0 100 226 228 it was a Beru E133 8v. I can't guarantee that all Sharan's have the same Aux. Heater Motor though?? Mine was from a 2000 (new shape) TDI

[jacarutu]

The problems with the Aux Heater glow plugs are common on Sharan, Galaxy etc.

It is an easy fix. I got a plug of ebay and completed the job in about an hour. There is a step by step with photos on the Galaxy owners club website.