BMW Parking Heater Failure, Common Causes & Costs

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2011 BMW 1 Series diesel last winter. The symptoms were exactly the same, no response from the parking heater. Took it to the garage and it turned out the glow plug was defective, which is quite common in diesel engines. The mechanic also found that the control unit for the auxiliary heater was getting faulty signals, causing the system to fail. It wasn't just a simple plug replacement, they had to check the entire heating system and wiring. The job took about 4 hours to complete. This isn't something you want to leave unattended, especially during cold weather. While it's not an engine-threatening issue, it can lead to hard starts and poor performance. My suggestion would be to get it checked soon. The glow plug issue might seem minor, but the auxiliary heater problems can get worse if left unchecked. Better to fix it now than wait for multiple components to fail. Based on your mileage, this is actually quite typical timing for these issues to show up. Hope this helps!

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! The glow plug and control unit issues sound exactly like what I'm dealing with. Would you mind telling me how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also curious if you've had any similar problems pop up since getting it fixed?

Hey again! Good news, I can give you an update since I got it fixed! The repair cost me 440 € for replacing the defective glow plug, and I'm happy to report that the auxiliary heater has been working perfectly since then. Not a single problem or problem after the repair. The mechanic did a thorough job checking everything, and it turns out it was definitely the glow plug causing all the trouble. Once they replaced it, the auxiliary heater started working like new. Since my last reply to you, I've used it plenty of times without any issues at all. You'll be relieved to know that once it's fixed, it stays fixed, at least that's been my experience for the past months. No more cold starts or heating problems. Just make sure you get a qualified mechanic who knows BMWs well, it makes all the difference. Honestly, it was worth every penny considering how well it's working now. Hope this helps with your decision-making!

Thanks a lot for the detailed follow-up! After reading your experience, I finally got the courage to take my car to a new mechanic yesterday. You were spot on, it was indeed the glow plug causing all the trouble! The repair cost me a bit more, around 520 €, since they also had to replace some worn-out wiring. The mechanic was really professional and explained everything clearly, which was such a relief after my previous bad experience. He even showed me the old parts and explained why they failed. The best part? My parking heater is now working perfectly! Started it this morning and it fired up immediately, no hesitation, no weird noises. Such a relief to have this fixed before it got worse. Really appreciate your help with this. It gave me the confidence to get it sorted instead of putting it off. And you were right about finding a qualified mechanic, makes all the difference! Thanks again for sharing your experience. It really helped me make the right decision!