XSeries-forum

Hi All,

While under the bonnet changing a bulb, I could hear a sound like a vibrating mobile phone. It seems to be coming from the unit marked Thermo Top Z, and the hoses leaving this unit seem to pulse in time with the noise???? Everything in car seems to be fine and no lights or warnings are on. Is this normal as I can't remember hearing it before?.

Many Thanks

Reedler

Hi Reedler

If you have had the ignition on then probably normal - the Thermotop Z is an auxiliary heater and fires up when the temperature is below , I think, 5 degrees .

It does carry on running for a while after the ignition is turned off.

I , and lots of others on here , have wired up a remote to turn it on from the house. After about 20 mins or so you have a nice warm defrosted car !

Please excuse my ignorance, but how can you tell if you a Webasto unit fitted?

(New X5 owner, still finding my way around)  :-[

J.

[quote="SoapSuds70"]
Please excuse my ignorance, but how can you tell if you a Webasto unit fitted?

(New X5 owner, still finding my way around)  :-[

J.
[/quote]

All diesel UK spec models have them. And if you pop the bonnet and look for a big square box like unit in silver with a black top and possibly a sticker on it (anything with the Webasto isignia). Oh and get under the left side of the car (under the front passenger side) and look for a a silver miniture exhaust.

All of the above - you have a Webasto. 

Thanks Marlin, I knew the car had the unit fitted but I thought that it had to be activated first for it to work? If it comes on during cold spells, should I be able to set it to come on in the morning if it is forecast for cold weather?

Cheers

Reedler

Hi Reedler

I think it has to be activated (BMWScan1.4 will do it) , or a dealer can do it , to give manual control.

The default setting , in the UK at least, is for it only to come on with the ignition and below 5 degrees.

Another option is a radio remote control unit (about £18 on ebay or £30 from Maplin ) and wire it to provide +12v to pin 1 on  the unit. You can then turn it on without leaving the house 

I have done both but the little remote is brilliant - I think that BMW or Webasto do a remote kit but it isn't cheap ! Around the £100 mark the last I heard.

Do a search on here for Webasto - I got the information to wire it off here somewhere.

Below are a couple of links but there are lots.

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... ic.php?t=5

http://xdrivers.co.uk/forum/https://xdr ... 124#p51124


Just out of interest , you haven't had problems taxing yours in the last few months have you ?

I had my X5 for nearly 3 years and then it turned out to be a stolen cloned vehicle . The genuine one that the thieves had duplicated the VIN from was near Aberdeen !

It was stolen in Stroud Gloucestershire in 2008 , wearing someone else's personal plate ? Anyone ?

I could do with the spare key 

I have since had to buy it back from the insurance company and get it restored to it's original VIN.

Marlin,

Thanks again, No we haven't had bother taxing our car. But our last car an Audi A4 would receive parking tickets and speeding fines from the Bradford and Leeds area. After a couple of visits from the police it turned out that they had cloned our car, bit silly really as our plate sticks out in a crowd. We have had a lot of thefts of Audi's and BMW's in Aberdeenshire since Christmas so waiting for insurance to go through the roof soon. I believe the Audi's are getting stolen using some kind of spare key?? And I seen the X5 on watchdog getting pusher out of driveways before getting started and stolen, I think the models after 2005 had the system that was easier to steal?

Cheers Reedler