[New owner]

Hi
I am looking at buying the TCross R Line automatic and saw online somewhere that there is an app which you can use from your phone to turn on the heater of the vehicle before you get into the car, so as to defrost the windscreen and pre heat the car. I asked the VW dealer at JCT600 and he said that he knows nothing about this - Have I dreamt it or does such an app exist?
Thanks in advance

 

[neilmanc]

Hi there

There is an app but I think the functionality varies depending on the VW model. I have a T Cross and the app is pretty much one way from the car to the app. It shows if the car is unlocked, doors open, lights on, location etc and let's you receive notifications eg if the alarm activates

It doesn't let you switch the heating on for my car (a United) and I think I read somewhere that the heat up etc features only applies to models like the id3 and E versions of the Golf etc.

It's called We Connect if you want to look at reviews on the app stores and there is a 60 some page PDF on the VW We Connect web site

 

[Tricky2]

This must be a MY21 change. Our dec 2019 MY20 only had "guide and inform". "security and service" wasn't available for the 'cross back then.

 

[neilmanc]

Yes I think it is tied in with the new software version in the 21 model year. I've attached a couple of screen shots of the app to show the sorts of things you can see.

As far as I can tell everything which is available in the We Connect Plus help document at https://www.portal.volkswagen-we.com/portal/web/gb/content/-/content/help-page is available on my T-Cross apart from the mobile key and e-manager stuff which only applies to electric cars.

For the OP - there is a section in the WeConnect Plus PDF which talks about pre-departure heating and cooling (screen shot attached). My United doesn't have it showing as an option in the portal to activate it, but it only has standard aircon rather than climate control. Not sure if the SEL & R-Line have it enabled or not - if it's a deal breaker in terms of buying it, may be worth an email to VW to check and see.

 

[Kugaman]

To do what you want, you need to live outside of the UK!

VW have provided this pre heating for years in other countries.
However, it requires the fitting of an auxiliary heater (webasto was the main provider for most manufacturers) and its this preheater that uses fuel to heat up and warm the engine oil / car interior.

However, it was only an option in very cold climates like Norway, Sweden, Russia etc.....

Was never an option in the UK and I doubt it ever will be.

So if you are in the UK, forget this or go and buy a Volvo.....many of their models allow you to remote start the car so it can warm up before you even get to it.

 

[Tricky2]

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: Wish this was available for my20 models!

 

[Milu02]

VW have provided this pre heating for years in other countries.
However, it requires the fitting of an auxiliary heater (webasto was the main provider for most manufacturers) and its this preheater that uses fuel to heat up and warm the engine oil / car interior.

However, it was only an option in very cold climates like Norway, Sweden, Russia etc.....

Unfortunately not available in Sweden on the T-cross either . I've had it on my earlier Q5, Passat and Ateca so was surprised that it wasn't possible to get when my wife ordered her T-cross.

 

[PaleBlueDot]

My 2004 VW Sharan came with an aux heater - the idea being that due to the large volume of air in the passenger compartment an aux heater was needed to quickly bring the inside temp to comfort while the engine went through warm up. It worked by burning diesel over a little heating matrix and was triggered at temperatures below a certain level. They were known to be very unreliable - the glow plugs used to soot up regularly and the dealers really didn't know how to service them. The first time I became aware that it was fitted was when I got out of the car and heard what sounded like a jet engine spooling down under the car with a plume of white smoke coming out of the back end . I was quite happy when the thing eventually gave up the ghost