This morning I was having a flick through some of the screens on my Columbus and when I pressed the menu button on the heating controls dial I got the picture of the car interior with temps etc. when I went into the options page from here there were 3 options to select and one of them was auxiliary heating (I think, I can re-check) this was ticked, but I thought the auxiliary heating was something only available on the continent and installed as an option?

 

Does everyone in the UK have this option and if so what does it do?

My understanding is that a UK spec diesel will have a small electric heater in the ventilation system - diesels take longer to warm up than petrol engines so it helps out the heating for the first few miles following a cold start.  In cold countries you can get a fuel powered heater that warms the engine/car before starting.  The confusion arises because they are both called "auxiliary heater" in the handbooks. 

Cheers Peter, that makes sense, it may also explain why I'm sure I felt a change in temp in the car partway through my journey today, I wonder if this was a switch from Aux to main heating?

its labelled as "Supplementary Heater" in the heating menu.

From looking through the EA288 self study info, it looks like there is an electrical coolant heater in the circuit between the cylinder head and heater matrix. When the engine block is cold, the main coolant pump disengages. A small electric auxiliary pump sends coolant from the aluminium head to the heater matrix via the electric heater unit. This is the same pump that allows the 'REST' function to work.

This helps heat the cabin faster, as well as getting the emissions control systems warmed up more quickly.

After going through the fuse box and identifying the extra 40A fuses for the aux heater, I initially thought there would be a PTC heater in the heating ductwork. Nope........

^^^^^

+1.

 

That is how I understand it works. Mine takes only a couple of miles before the cabin starts to warm up. I don't have any "supplementary heating" option in the heating menu.

^^^^^

+1.

 

That is how I understand it works. Mine takes only a couple of miles before the cabin starts to warm up. I don't have any "supplementary heating" option in the heating menu.

I've got the option in the climatronic settings menu, this is also backed up by the presence of - IIRC - three green 40A fuses in the engine fuse box.

Picture of a VAG auxiliary heater element. There are many links with a search for "VAG auxiliary heater system" or "VAG auxiliary heater element"

 

On this diagram it looks like the heater element (#17) sits next to "wet" heater matrix (#16) (dstev2000 post refers)

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/397476-supplementary-heater/?hl=+supplementary