2008 VW T5 California – Leisure battery not charging, fridge stops, parking heater issue (Error 3100)

[Vasari]

Hello everyone,

I’ve searched the forum but couldn’t find the exact same symptoms. I’m really hoping someone here has experienced something similar or can point me in the right direction. I’m having several electrical issues with my 2008 Volkswagen T5 California, and I’m struggling to figure out where the problem might be.

Main problems:

• Rear leisure battery is not charging
• Control console shows error code 3100
• Fridge stops after a while
• Parking heater does not start

What happens with the fridge:
When I turn on the fridge, the fan runs, the compressor seems to be working, and the fridge does cool. However, after a while the snowflake icon starts blinking, and the fridge stops.


When I try to start the parking heater:

• The interior lights start flickering
• The control console shows Voltage Plausibility Fault
• When measuring directly at the battery, the voltage drops to about 12.25 V
• However, the control console shows around 13 V, which seems unrealistic because the engine is not running

Battery status:

• Both batteries are relatively new
• The voltage shown is about 12.4 V

Checks already done:

• I checked all fuses under the driver’s seat – all of them are good, although I can see some have been replaced before
• The parking heater works perfectly when the van is connected to external 220 V power

OBD fault codes:

• 00668 – Vehicle electrical voltage terminal 30 – Lower limit not reached
• 00991 – Interior lights – Electrical error in circuit

If anyone has experienced something similar or has ideas about where I should start checking (relay, battery charger, wiring, control unit, etc.), I would really appreciate your help.


Thanks in advance!

 

[WelshGas]

Hello everyone,

I’ve searched the forum but couldn’t find the exact same symptoms. I’m really hoping someone here has experienced something similar or can point me in the right direction. I’m having several electrical issues with my 2008 Volkswagen T5 California, and I’m struggling to figure out where the problem might be.

Main problems:

• Rear leisure battery is not charging
• Control console shows error code 3100
• Fridge stops after a while
• Parking heater does not start

What happens with the fridge:
When I turn on the fridge, the fan runs, the compressor seems to be working, and the fridge does cool. However, after a while the snowflake icon starts blinking, and the fridge stops.


When I try to start the parking heater:

• The interior lights start flickering
• The control console shows Voltage Plausibility Fault
• When measuring directly at the battery, the voltage drops to about 12.25 V
• However, the control console shows around 13 V, which seems unrealistic because the engine is not running

Battery status:

• Both batteries are relatively new
• The voltage shown is about 12.4 V

Checks already done:

• I checked all fuses under the driver’s seat – all of them are good, although I can see some have been replaced before
• The parking heater works perfectly when the van is connected to external 220 V power

OBD fault codes:

• 00668 – Vehicle electrical voltage terminal 30 – Lower limit not reached
• 00991 – Interior lights – Electrical error in circuit

If anyone has experienced something similar or has ideas about where I should start checking (relay, battery charger, wiring, control unit, etc.), I would really appreciate your help.


Thanks in advance!

View attachment 145011

Have you checked the Cube Fuse on the +tve pole of the rear Leisure Battery installed under the rear wardrobe?

 

[WelshGas]

Hello everyone,

I’ve searched the forum but couldn’t find the exact same symptoms. I’m really hoping someone here has experienced something similar or can point me in the right direction. I’m having several electrical issues with my 2008 Volkswagen T5 California, and I’m struggling to figure out where the problem might be.

Main problems:

• Rear leisure battery is not charging
• Control console shows error code 3100
• Fridge stops after a while
• Parking heater does not start

What happens with the fridge:
When I turn on the fridge, the fan runs, the compressor seems to be working, and the fridge does cool. However, after a while the snowflake icon starts blinking, and the fridge stops.


When I try to start the parking heater:

• The interior lights start flickering
• The control console shows Voltage Plausibility Fault
• When measuring directly at the battery, the voltage drops to about 12.25 V
• However, the control console shows around 13 V, which seems unrealistic because the engine is not running

Battery status:

• Both batteries are relatively new
• The voltage shown is about 12.4 V

Checks already done:

• I checked all fuses under the driver’s seat – all of them are good, although I can see some have been replaced before
• The parking heater works perfectly when the van is connected to external 220 V power

OBD fault codes:

• 00668 – Vehicle electrical voltage terminal 30 – Lower limit not reached
• 00991 – Interior lights – Electrical error in circuit

If anyone has experienced something similar or has ideas about where I should start checking (relay, battery charger, wiring, control unit, etc.), I would really appreciate your help.


Thanks in advance!

View attachment 145011

Flickering lights when starting the Parking Heater is a classic sign in pre- 2011 Californias of a failing Earth Shunt.

Earth Shunt (again)

I recently bought a 2007 California. My concern is fact that heater shuts down without a reason erratically, the capacity often goes immediately from 100 to 90 and later quickly to 70-60 %. the control panel does flicker but only in the initial stage of heating. I replaced the AGM batteries, no...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

 

[Vasari]

Have you checked the Cube Fuse on the +tve pole of the rear Leisure Battery installed under the rear wardrobe?

Hi, yes, you were right — the fuse was burnt out. I replaced it and then reconnected the two leisure batteries. As soon as I did that, everything on the California control panel started flashing (water tank, battery and etc.).

These errors appeared: 4001, 6001, 5001. After that, the panel started showing crazy amps, and the main battery stopped charging even though the G symbol appeared with the engine running.

Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this?

 

[WelshGas]

Hi, yes, you were right — the fuse was burnt out. I replaced it and then reconnected the two leisure batteries. As soon as I did that, everything on the California control panel started flashing (water tank, battery and etc.).

These errors appeared: 4001, 6001, 5001. After that, the panel started showing crazy amps, and the main battery stopped charging even though the G symbol appeared with the engine running.

Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this?

View attachment 145060

View attachment 145061

Have you tried this?

For those of you who don't know, if you ever get any problems with roof stuck or any other error say with the heater or fridge, you are able to access the hidden menu in your control panel as used by the VW Engineers.

Access as follows:



1. Hold down the centre of the rotary button together with the menu button (button below with the squares on it)

2. You will get the hidden menu.

3. Rotate the rotary button to get to "VW diagnose" and select this by pressing on the centre of the rotary button.

4. If no errors are present it will display "no errors"

5. If Errors are present then a list of errors will appear

6. Press the centre of the rotary button again to delete all the errors

7. Repeat process above just to check that errors have dissapeared!

8. Re-configure the time and date if neccesary.



Any problems should be resolved assuming these are Electronic and not Mechanical.





Error Codes from Control Panel.





1 = 1 = Pop-up roof

2 = 2 = Plumbing Heating

3 = 3 = Cool box Cooler

4 = 4 = Sewage wastewater

5 = 5 = Fresh water

6 = 6 = Outside temperature

7 = 7 = Battery

Error Code Defect Fault

1010 1010 Short-circuit to (earth) roof

1001 1001 Fuse / short circuit to (plus+) roof

1100 1100 Short-circuit output Roof "on"

1101 1101 Fuse roof "to"

1110 1110 Short-circuit output Roof "to"

1111 1111 Fuse starting Roof "to"

2100 2100 Short-circuit output heating on / off

2101 2101 Fuse output heating on / off

2001 2001 Interrupt input heating 30

3100 3100 Short-circuit output coolbox

3101 3101 Fuse interrupt output coolbox

3001 3001-J698-cooler input error "Active"

3010 3010 Short-circuit input icebox "actual temperature"

3011 3011 Interrupt or fuse input icebox "actual temperature"

4000 4000 Short-circuit to ground water level sensor

4001 4001 Fuse circuit to plus water level sensor failure

5000 5000 Short-circuit to ground water level sensor

5001 5001 Short circuit to plus water level sensor failure

6000 6000 Short-circuit to ground temperature sensor or for outdoor temperature

6001 6001 Fuse / short circuit to plus two temperature sensors for outside temperature

7001 7001 interrupt input interrupt input D +

 

[Vasari]

Done that, thank you. But why did those issues appear in the first place after connecting the second leisure battery? :/

 

[WelshGas]

Done that, thank you. But why did those issues appear in the first place after connecting the second leisure battery? :/

I’ve no idea I’m afraid.
But is everything working now?