Edition 30 Heated seat - 'ON' with no one in the seat & Poor mpg.

[galaxie500]

Hi Chaps
I believe I've mentioned this before but haven't had the car scanned since;  my passenger seat heater control is often left in the 'ON' position by Mrs galaxie500 or little Miss galaxie500 at no 2 or 3 position on the dial.  I've just come back from purchasing various bits at Costco and had some paperwork on the passenger seat.  The seat was hot despite no one sitting in it. Surely 2 pieces of paper wouldn't trigger the occupancy sensor??  Is there some way of testing this?  The seat isn't meant to heat unless there is pressure on the seat pad presumably??Would a scan would show up any faults??

I've had the ED 30 for a couple of months now; I've never achieved much more than 260 miles out of a tank of Shell V Power. I do drive a lot of urban routes mixed with Dual carriageway and Motorway runs.  My tailpipes are BLACK with soot BTW. Any clues??

Thanks for your comments in advance!

galaxie500

[Nodz]

Not sure on the seat, but nearly all gti's with the standard exhaust are black, a bit of wire wool and autosol soon sorts them out.

As for fuel consumption Ivan get anything from 160 to 400 miles on a tank but usually average 325miles and normally run either v power or momentum 99. It all depends how heavy your right foot is lol

HTH

[john87]

I'd have the car scanned for faults with either VCDS or VAS, the passenger seat certainly shouldn't heat up unless the occupancy sensor is triggered, which if I recall correctly takes between 5 and 10 kg?

[skard]

I've noticed the uniccupied seat does get warm, but not as hot as the occupied seat. Is this the same?
This is with both dials at 5

[stealthwolf]

I'm fairly certain the passenger seat can be heated without anyone in there.

Tail pipes - use an engine degreaser first before a metal polish.

Mpg - something's going on. I can achieve 280 miles but that means a very heavy right foot. Normally 320-400 miles for me.

[galaxie500]

Thank's for the comments. I only mentioned the blackened tail pipes as I thought they might be an indication of over rich running hence my poor mpg. My only other symptom if you can call it that is a strange whirring or binding noise coming from 'up front'. Sounds like maybe a belt binding or perhaps the water pump chattering? Definitely rotational from engine bay.  One can hear it when idling or slowing down at lights. Wasn't there 8 weeks ago. 61,500 miles now, Cam belt done before I bought it. I guess get it to VW for check up on warranty.
Thanks again.

[skard]

A noise like that at idle may also be your alternator pulley/bearing.

[seiko]

Hi Chaps
I believe I've mentioned this before but haven't had the car scanned since;  my passenger seat heater control is often left in the 'ON' position by Mrs galaxie500 or little Miss galaxie500 at no 2 or 3 position on the dial.  I've just come back from purchasing various bits at Costco and had some paperwork on the passenger seat.  The seat was hot despite no one sitting in it. Surely 2 pieces of paper wouldn't trigger the occupancy sensor??  Is there some way of testing this?  The seat isn't meant to heat unless there is pressure on the seat pad presumably??Would a scan would show up any faults??

I've had the ED 30 for a couple of months now; I've never achieved much more than 260 miles out of a tank of Shell V Power. I do drive a lot of urban routes mixed with Dual carriageway and Motorway runs.  My tailpipes are BLACK with soot BTW. Any clues??

Thanks for your comments in advance!

galaxie500

I have both a gti and a edition 30 at the moment and in either car if the heated seats are set between 1 and 5 they wil get warm regardless of any one sitting there. 

[galaxie500]

Cheers. That hadn't crossed my mind but in my dim and distant past I recall my Mk 1 GTI having a similar noise. In 1987!!
I'll check it out. How long before it gives up the ghost of it the alternator do you think?
galaxie500

[skard]

Not sure but if a bearing is on its way out it you're better getting it looked at as it won't improve. Especially if you have warranty.

Does it go away when revs (doesn't have to be a lot) get applied?

[galaxie500]

Out in the car now and the noise isn't there; I think when it gets properly hot the noise is apparent. I'll monitor it this weekend as we're driving down to the seaside. Thanks for all your advice.