How to easily check if car has electric heater?

[Zuikkis]

Hi!

Simple question that I couldn't find an answer..

When buying an 2013-2014 Outlander, is there an easy quick way to tell if the car has electric heater or not? Preferably some quick thing that could be described on the phone or email so the sales clerk can check it remotely.

I attached an image (stolen from some car advertisement). That car seems to have the heater, because settings page has "Remote climate control" -button.. Right? But is this button always there or can it be disabled somehow from the mobile app, for example? So is this 100% accurate check?

I'm looking for a car that has adaptive cruise and heater, seems to limit the results to 5% of cars..

 

[richr]

For the 2014/early 2015 UK spec at least, there’s no electric heater on the GX3H model, which also has halogen headlights and no sunroof. GX4H and GX4HS have the electric heater, and also HID headlights and a sunroof. Adaptive cruise control is only on the GX4HS model, and you’ll find the buttons on the steering wheel for that. Normal cruise just has three buttons and a rocker switch in two rows, ACC has six buttons in three rows.

Is that enough to go on?

 

[Zuikkis]

For the 2014/early 2015 UK spec at least, there’s no electric heater on the GX3H model, which also has halogen headlights and no sunroof. GX4H and GX4HS have the electric heater, and also HID headlights and a sunroof. Adaptive cruise control is only on the GX4HS model, and you’ll find the buttons on the steering wheel for that. Normal cruise just has three buttons and a rocker switch in two rows, ACC has six buttons in three rows.

Is that enough to go on?

Yeah I know how to recognize the adaptive cruise from the steering wheel.

I'm completely clueless about these GX3H / GX4H / GX4HS that UK guys are talking about. They are never listed in the advertisements. There's Instyle and Instyle+ and Executive, maybe they match those?

Anyway, is it possible to have car that has adaptive cruise control , HID lights and sunroof, but is lacking the electric heater? I showed the above picture to one seller and he said the car settings page have no "remote climate control" settings... But it did have all the other goodies.

 

[richr]

Could you let us know where you are? The best bet would be to search for a 2013/14 brochure to see the different model specifications.

 

[Zuikkis]

Could you let us know where you are? The best bet would be to search for a 2013/14 brochure to see the different model specifications.

Finland, but I also watch cars from Sweden, German and Netherlands.. They all use these Instyle / Instyle+ models.

However, this is partially besides the point.. Is the an easy way to detect the heater by pressing some buttons on the MMCS? I watched some youtube video and it had the "remote climate control" in EV settings page, not normal settings.. Are there different versions?

 

[richr]

On 2014/2015 UK models, if it’s got MMCS rather than a basic radio, it’s got an electric heater.

Hopefully someone with knowledge of the European models will be along to confirm the model variations. It’s possible they do just match up with the UK 3H/4H/4HS (and later 5H and 5HS) model levels.

 

[HHL]

On RH drive model look under the passenger side floor, you can see 2 hoses for the heater.

 

[Zuikkis]

But is it really impossible to make sure from MMCS?

See the picture in original post, then this one from other car. It's missing the "Charging timer" and "Remote climate control" buttons, which are in the first picture.. Which way it is on your PHEVs?

The car I'm currently planning to buy is in Sweden, I'm trying to make sure it has all the possible gizmos.

 

[jdsx]

I'm certain if you find a car with adaptive cruise, it will have the heater. Generally, the base model in each country did without the pre-heater (via the app). Only the top model had adaptive cruise. I have a Dutch brochure from 2014, and there are four models, Business, Executive, Instyle and Instyle+. Only the Business does without the electric heating, and only the Instyle+ has the adaptive cruise. I think this was pretty much the same throughout the different territories....

 

[jaapv]

If it has an Wifi and app with pre-heat, it must have an electric heater.

 

[anko]

If it has an Wifi and app with pre-heat, it must have an electric heater.

So how do you know it has an app (the car really doesn't have an app, your phone does) or WiFi (it might be disabled due to no linked phones)?

 

[Zuikkis]

If it has an Wifi and app with pre-heat, it must have an electric heater.

So how do you know it has an app (the car really doesn't have an app, your phone does) or WiFi (it might be disabled due to no linked phones)?

Yeah.

Perhaps this is exactly the reason why settings menu does not show "remote climate control"? It might disappear if there are no linked phones!

Anyway, I think you got me convinced, the car must have a heater. Thanks for the help.

 

[jaapv]

If it has an Wifi and app with pre-heat, it must have an electric heater.

So how do you know it has an app (the car really doesn't have an app, your phone does) or WiFi (it might be disabled due to no linked phones)?

Normally the seller should provide such information. If he doesn't walk away. What else doesn't he know about the car?

 

[richr]

The menu item is still there even with no linked phones, as that's where you set the timers without using a phone.

 

[Zuikkis]

Normally the seller should provide such information. If he doesn't walk away. What else doesn't he know about the car?

You have very high expectations of a generic car sales clerk.. They usually have absolutely no idea, unless it's a company specializing in PHEVs.

Also if asking questions by email from another country, it seems to be easiest to simply not respond to difficult questions.. They probably figure it's easier to sell the car locally than abroad.

 

[jaapv]

I don't know how it works over at your place, but when I couldn't find a car that I wanted in the past, I would order one from abroad at a local dealer, and they would handle the whole business, from finding the right car through the international dealer network to importing and registering plus the guaranty. Mostly the cars came from Germany, even with a price advantage.

BTW, if the car isn't as described, the company will have a legal liability.
If you want to buy from the Netherlands on your own, I can give you the names of a couple of reliable dealers over here. If you renounce their dealer guaranty, the price will come down. I know mine has a few nice 2013/14 ones.