Member Since: 11 Feb 2024
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 12
Cold Wife Syndrome
Dear All,
Have cold wife syndrome on my 13 plate D4 3.0 TDV6 HSE. I think it’s the matrix which has a clog or airlock in it, so will be giving it a flush. My question is that lots of videos and advice point to a Water Control Valve (Solenoid). I have the FBH, but it doesn’t have the valve on the back of the heater it’s self and the pipes for the heater matrix that come out of the bulk head don’t seem to go into any plunger type solenoid valve. I’m going to strip the pipe where I t goes from Metal to rubber and not at the bulk head (my hands aren’t that small). Anyone else know of this valve is hidden somewhere else, so I can survive the winter without cold nagging 😀😜👍🏼
Thanks
P.s Engine bay where I thought the valve might be in the gallery
Click image to enlarge
21st Nov 2024 9:53 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5040
There's no water valve as would have been the case in bygone days and so the heat control is managed by two blend doors.
In the case of fully automatic systems (high line) the doors are operated individually for passenger and driver by stepper motors. Low line manual systems operate similarly, but the blend doors are not individually controllable meaning both passenger and driver can only have the same control level.
It's a common failure of the heater matrix to become blocked with sludge which reduces the heat output usually in the passenger side first. If not addressed this will eventually affect the drivers side as well.
There can of course be a fault with one or both of the blend door motors which will have a similar heat loss effect. However this can be observed via diagnostics, or if there are fault codes logged for the blend doors this would possibly indicate the issue lies with a motor or door!
Beware of ghost fault codes being logged here though as they can be common on vehicles which have a low battery voltage condition due to short journeys! If there are codes logged note them then clear them, and then see if they come back in a day or two. If not, you're looking at a new heater matrix but you could try flushing via the two pipes on the drivers side of the engine bay as per your image above.
Sometimes it works, more often it's a waste of time as the sludge becomes compacted and very hard to dislodge. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
22nd Nov 2024 1:39 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73078
Thought this was yet another thread that needed the pressing of the red triangle!
22nd Nov 2024 2:07 am
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5040
Well at least you didn't have to use the "S" word Del. yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
22nd Nov 2024 2:15 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73078
Yet.
22nd Nov 2024 2:27 am
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 5040
Haha, I could absolutely detect your disappointment. Things must be getting boring in the UST!!yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
22nd Nov 2024 2:29 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73078
UST? If that’s the same as USofA, nah. It’s kick off the boots time & watch TV. Currently in Palm Desert, CA.
And to keep Mrs Marcrod warm, print this out and stick it over the windscreen!
Click image to enlarge
22nd Nov 2024 2:55 am
Marcrod
Member Since: 11 Feb 2024
Location: Cheltenham
Posts: 12
Thanks for the replies. I shall begin at once to print out the warm screen, whilst ducking the verbals from the Left hand seat.
In reality, I’ll try the flush and stop looking for the phantom valve after the great explanation from PROFSR G. I’ll also break out the icarsoft to check for the codes.
I’ve just had the garage with the body off for the crossover pipe and a couple of other jobs, so I’m thinking it might (fingers crossed), just be an airlock or an early a
Blockage and I can remedy it, as I don’t want to try cutting into the trim panels or spend loads with a dash removal for a ‘garage’ fix.
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