BMW 3 Hybrid Parking Heater Dead, Auxiliary Issue?

Hi there! I have some experience working on cars and had a similar issue with my 2013 BMW 5 Series Hybrid (also owned a 7 Series before). Had exactly the same symptoms, parking heater completely dead, no response. My trusted mechanic found it was a faulty glow plug in the auxiliary heater unit. Got it replaced and it's been working perfectly since then. The repair cost me 440 Euro including parts and labor. Before you jump to conclusions though, could you share: Have you noticed any other electrical issues? Does your car show any specific error messages? Did the issue start suddenly or gradually? This would help determine if you're dealing with the same problem I had. Let me know these details and I can share more specific insights from my experience.

Thanks for the detailed response! I haven't noticed any other electrical problems, the issue popped up suddenly last week. The only error message showing is "Auxiliary heater malfunction" on the display. Last service was about 2 months ago at 54788 KM, and everything was working fine until now. Your glow plug theory makes sense, especially since the symptoms match exactly. Really helpful to know the repair cost too. I'll get it checked out by my mechanic and report back. Thanks again for sharing your experience. It's always good to have a starting point when dealing with these issues!

Hey again! Yeah, after reading your latest update, I'm even more convinced it's the same glow plug issue I faced. The sudden onset and that specific error message, "Auxiliary heater malfunction", are exactly what I experienced with my BMW. The timing's interesting too, mine also failed out of the blue, despite having regular services. These glow plugs can sometimes just give up without warning, even with proper maintenance. And since your car's showing the same symptoms as mine did (complete silence when trying to activate), it really points to the glow plug. Quick tip from my experience, when my mechanic replaced the glow plug, they recommended checking the auxiliary heater's fuel lines too, just to be safe. Turned out to be a good call, though in my case they were fine. Might be worth asking your mechanic to take a look at those while they're in there. Just curious, have you noticed any changes in fuel consumption since this started? With mine, I actually saw a slight increase because the car was trying to compensate for the heating issue. Let us know how it goes with the repair. Always interested to hear if it's the same fix!

Thanks so much for all this additional info! Actually, now that you mention it, I have noticed my fuel consumption has gone up slightly this past week, didn't make the connection until you pointed it out. That's another symptom matching your experience. I've just booked my car in for tomorrow morning and I'll definitely ask them to check those fuel lines while they're at it. Really appreciate that tip, wouldn't have thought to mention it otherwise. Having all these details about your similar experience is super helpful going into the repair. I feel much more confident now about what's likely wrong and what to expect cost-wise. Will definitely update the thread once it's fixed, hoping it's just the glow plug like in your case! Thanks again for taking the time to share all your experience with this issue. Really helped me understand what I'm dealing with!