2006 CDI Block Heater

[smartarse 1]

Just pickup my smart car on the 21st and noticed a electrical cord in one off the back storage pockets. 3 Prong std. electrical plug and a fancy adapter on the other end. Thinking its a block heater but no clue where it plugs in. Its a 2006 cdi with 2200km (thats right 2200km) smart dealer service loner. Also is there anyway to get the horn to beep when you lock with key fob.CheersMark

[ValgardForkbeard 2]

Greetings.Don't know about the horn beep, but the block heater cord plugs into the front of the car, bottom drivers side of the grill, behind the license plate holder. There is a screw on cap covering the matching plugin to the cord. The plugs are notched to only fit one way, so don't force it. It also powers the 110v passthru plug in the passenger side footwell (that cord may be tucked in under the carpet). Some of us use the block heater and a 900w interior heater to help make up for the lack of heat put out by small diesel engines.BTW, its lucky you actually got the cord, many second hand and demo's have been delivered without them, and it is a $110 part from the dealers.Welcome to CsCMG

[robm 1]

Greetings.Don't know about the horn beep, but the block heater cord plugs into the front of the car, bottom drivers side of the grill, behind the license plate holder. There is a screw on cap covering the matching plugin to the cord. The plugs are notched to only fit one way, so don't force it. It also powers the 110v passthru plug in the passenger side footwell (that cord may be tucked in under the carpet). Some of us use the block heater and a 900w interior heater to help make up for the lack of heat put out by small diesel engines.BTW, its lucky you actually got the cord, many second hand and demo's have been delivered without them, and it is a $110 part from the dealers.Welcome to CsCMG

so let me get this straight. If I have a plug in the front of my 05 cdi, I have a block heater and the plug inside the car can be used to power an internal heater?

[ianjay 6]

Greetings:No. Most 2005's didn't come with a block heater, just the outlet on the front and the outlet in inside the car (in the battery well) You can plug your small heater to the outlet if you connect the factory cord to the connector on your front bumper.Some 2005's had block heaters installed by the dealer - other people have resorted to oil pan heaters with similar results.Ian

[robm 1]

Greetings:No. Most 2005's didn't come with a block heater, just the outlet on the front and the outlet in inside the car (in the battery well) You can plug your small heater to the outlet if you connect the factory cord to the connector on your front bumper.Some 2005's had block heaters installed by the dealer - other people have resorted to oil pan heaters with similar results.Ian

ok that is what I thought. I have resorted to an oil pan heater.

[smartarse 1]

Thanks from the NewbieThanks for the quick response, I've done a lot of research on the smart car but nothing beats info from actual owners.CheersMark

[PrairieBoy 1]

Nobody reads the owner's manual. Theres lots of good stuff in there too!

[fast316 0]

There's a kit available at the dealer to install a block heater on the early 05's that didn't come with one. Installation involves removing the old wiring and installing the new wiring from the front of the car to the interior to the back where the block heater goes. Not sure what it costs, I wanna say around $160 for the parts.

[Fred J 0]

That sounds like the retro-fit kit that the dealers were installing at the time.Needless to say it wasn't cheap and didn't seem like good value to a lot of owners.

[fast316 0]

That sounds like the retro-fit kit that the dealers were installing at the time.Needless to say it wasn't cheap and didn't seem like good value to a lot of owners.

Des beste oder Nichts. As they say.

[Iratama 17]

Hello Everyone!

 

It's going to be VERY cold here in Edmonton in the next while and I'm trying to figure out how to plug in my block heater cord... With it only being 3 prongs on the car and several on the end of the cord (7 little holes to be percise), I am wondering if I have the correct cord?  Is it just a particular line up to accomodate the 3 prongs? (I apologize for my poor spelling  )

[LooseLugNuts 557]

that cord powers the outlet near the battery...you need to check for an actual block heater...it may or may not even have one installed

[Leadwing 565]

2 hours ago, Iratama said:

Hello Everyone!

 

It's going to be VERY cold here in Edmonton in the next while and I'm trying to figure out how to plug in my block heater cord... With it only being 3 prongs on the car and several on the end of the cord (7 little holes to be percise), I am wondering if I have the correct cord?  Is it just a particular line up to accomodate the 3 prongs? (I apologize for my poor spelling  )

 

Check out the photo (below) to see what the correct cord should look like.  It should have come with the car.

 

 

It might be longer, but using the original plug at the front of the car (See photo below) ........ that is the one you need.

 

 

It is a 110V plug which supplies power to the block heater and a female plug under the carpet near the battery which can be used for a cabin heater (see photo below) or battery heater

 

.

 

An alternative is to remove that plug at the front receiver similar to the ones you find on big trucks.  This (below) is the one in use on my winter-beater now since the original "smart" plug had contact issues.  The replacement I used takes the female end of a standard 3-prong extension cord.  Lighter duty ones are available, but this was meant for tractor-trailer rigs and meant to be exposed to the elements 24/7. 

 

 

Below is the replacement plug information

 

 

Lighter duty plugs are also available in matte black for those who would rather not have a chrome thingy stuck on the front of their car.

 

[Willys 747]

As for the block heater it could be just a stick on mat , stuck to the bottom of the oil pan. For an inside heater I simply use a ceramic type small heater stood on the passenger floor mat aimed away from anything flamable. I also only have it running for 2-3 hours not all night, either by a timer or I go out and plug it in early.  My good car, yes they multiply, beware, has the same type heater as shown above installed under passenger seat not hanging from dash and the oil pan mat, But my winter beater has what I said before. I wouldn't run either ceramic or that in car heater all night imho in fear of it setting car on fire if left on all night.  But others may differ on what they think is safe.  To each their own.  2-3 hours tops is all that's needed to warn oil to get a better cold start after glow plug routine imho.

And welcome to the site......enjoy.

[Iratama 17]

All Great Info!  Thank you Everyone!  I have one more question regarding the block heater plug.... I thought I had it connected last night, but apparently not... try as I might, I am not able to get the cord to plug in well enough to screw it in place... does anyone have any suggestions?  It did start at -35 this morning, but was a very cold drive and by the time I got to work my PJ was very difficult to steer.  it's now in the underground parkade where its nice and warm.  Does anyone else have this issue?  Thank you

[Leadwing 565]

There is a notch in the female end of the plug ( first one pictured in post #13 )  and a matching dimple on the receiver on the car which need to line up.  Once that is accomplished, it should connect ( push on )  easily unless one of the pins on the male end (on the car) got bent.  Apologies for the slightly out of focus pics.

[Iratama 17]

Do you think it would be okay if I connected the cord while the car is in the parkade and drive home with it wrapped around one of the mirrors as we used to do in years gone by?  The lighting and temperature  much more agreeable, but I'm not sure that's the best idea. My cord is quite long.

[Willys 747]

I certainly wouldn't be doing it that way....as it will scratch the paint as it flies around being so long etc etc. Better to change the plug to a house hold type or extension cord type so it's easier to plug in. It's the way mine is done.....Plus I took mine and wired it so it sticks out of the fins on the driver's side where you check your air intake filter etc.  Like the old days so to speak......it's up  high and easily got to.  Doesn't look great as in estetics but functionable it's great!  It means simply cutting the wiring and extending it up to the new location and changing the plug to accept an extension cord with a single plug.   Easy in the warmer time of the year.....I'd suffer as it is now and change it ready for next winter and install the inside heater at the same time.

Also you can add a battery blanket too if you wish.

 

[Leadwing 565]

13 minutes ago, Iratama said:

Do you think it would be okay if I connected the cord while the car is in the parkade and drive home with it wrapped around one of the mirrors as we used to do in years gone by?  The lighting and temperature  much more agreeable, but I'm not sure that's the best idea. My cord is quite long.

 

As an old fart, I found it hard to bend down far enough to see what I was doing, so it was all connected by touch.  I would take the female end and place it against the male end ( on the car ) and gently press in while rotating until the groove and dimple match up.  It would stop because the groove and dimple have connected and sort of 'mated' together.  Then it would just slip right on. 

 

Plus one on what Willys said about scratching the paint.  Not the best idea, but if you don't care about the paint, then go for it.  The original long cord can be shortened by either using zip ties after coiling up the cord or cutting the male end off and shortening the cable ( to about 6 - 8 inches ...... 15 - 20 cm ) and adding an aftermarket male end  ( available at CDN. Tire or lots of other hardware and automotive outlets ) to the now-shortened cable.  If you do the last option, be sure to get one that has been or is weather-proofed.   Leaving it attached now is ok and all you need is to carry an extension cord in the car to connect when you get to the parkade.

 

If you opt for the conversion to a standard ( photo #4 in post #13 ) plug, that would make life much easier, but would require someplace warm to install it unless you like frozen pinkies   

 

By the way, photos have been added to post # 16

[LooseLugNuts 557]

1 hour ago, Iratama said:

Do you think it would be okay if I connected the cord while the car is in the parkade and drive home with it wrapped around one of the mirrors as we used to do in years gone by?  The lighting and temperature  much more agreeable, but I'm not sure that's the best idea. My cord is quite long.

 

the previous owner of cabrio i previously owned did exactly that...zip tied it to the driver mirror...the only downside was some scuff marks where it rubbed on the front fender but the upside was that she never drove away without forgetting to unplug it (it did not have a block heater though...she was only using it to run an interior heater and a battery heater)

[Iratama 17]

Thank you everyone!  You are all so helpful!