Artificial Intelligence for T6 fault diagnosis

[mmi]

Well, inspired and challenged by @manfrotto in

Post in thread 'Lumpy engine start and idle'

23 Mar 2025

Just out of interest I put your symptoms into chat GPT IA and this is what it told me:

A lumpy or rough idle on a cold start in a VW T6 (or any vehicle) can be caused by several potential issues. Here are some common ones:

1. Dirty or Faulty Idle Air Control Valve (IACV): The IACV controls the amount of air bypassing the throttle body during idle. If it’s clogged or malfunctioning, it can cause uneven idling, especially when the engine is cold.
2. Vacuum Leaks: Any leaks in the vacuum hoses can cause unmetered air to enter the engine, disrupting the air-fuel mixture. This...

• manfrotto

A kind of interesting thing is that T6Forum is a siginificant contributor to Chat GPT's "intelligence" - both in good/accurate answers as well as in not so good answers
Hopefully the AI can filter it's own answers from the source data - not starting to get biased by it's own "intelligence".

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How to unlock webasto thermo top heater on vw transporter t6 model year 2016?

Chat GPT:

To unlock the Webasto Thermo Top heater on your 2016 VW Transporter T6, you'll need to perform a reset procedure using a compatible diagnostic tool. This process is often necessary if the heater has been locked due to repeated failed starts or other issues.

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Method 1: Using VCDS (VAG-COM Diagnostic System)​

VCDS is a popular diagnostic tool for VW Group vehicles. To unlock the heater:

1. Connect VCDS to your vehicle's OBD-II port.
2. Select Control Module: Navigate to 18 – Aux. Heat.
3. Access Basic Settings: Go to Basic Settings.
4. Select Channel: Choose IDE06654 – Disengaging Heater.
5. Execute: Click Go! to perform the reset.
6. Clear Fault Codes: After the reset, clear any existing fault codes. (Unlocking Webasto Aux. Heater on a VW Touran – Lausdahl.com, Webasto Aux Heater Unlock | VW T6 Transporter Forum)

This method has been reported to successfully unlock the heater on T6 models. (Webasto unlock | OBDeleven)

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Method 2: Using OBDeleven (OBD11)​

OBDeleven is a mobile-based diagnostic tool compatible with VW Group vehicles. To unlock the heater: (Webasto unlock | OBDeleven)

1. Connect OBDeleven to your vehicle's OBD-II port.
2. Launch the App: Open the OBDeleven app on your smartphone.
3. Select Control Module: Navigate to 18 – Aux. Heat.
4. Access Adaptations: Go to Adaptations.
5. Modify Value: Change the value of IDE06688 – Auxil. heater activation from active to inactive, then back to active.
6. Save Changes: Confirm and save the changes.
7. Clear Fault Codes: After the reset, clear any existing fault codes. (Unlocking Webasto Aux. Heater on a VW Touran – Lausdahl.com, Webasto unlock | OBDeleven, Webasto Aux Heater Unlock | VW T6 Transporter Forum)

OBDeleven has introduced a "Heater Unlock" function in their app, which may simplify this process. (Webasto unlock | OBDeleven)

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Method 3: Online Unlock Service by Xxxxx​

REMOVED by @mmi because of being actually an advertisement of a company providing related services.

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Important Notes​

• Fuel Level: Ensure your fuel tank is at least ¼ full to prevent airlocks and starting issues.
• Heater Location: The Webasto Thermo Top heater is typically located under the vehicle, near the front passenger side.
• Persistent Issues: If the heater remains locked after following these procedures, it may require professional diagnosis and repair.

If you need further assistance or have questions about obtaining the necessary diagnostic tools, feel free to ask!

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Any thoughts?

 

[manfrotto]

Garbage in = garbage out, so if CHATGPT or any other AI cannot determine the good information from the incorrect, it will be too untrustworthy to be of any use.

 

[Sasquatch]

As a point of order, it's a large language model and possesses no "intelligence" of any kind.

You and I are intelligent (questionable in my case, I admit) because of our education, knowledge, insight and powers of deduction, calculation and reasoning.

LLMs do nothing more than process vast amounts of information very quickly, displaying none of the actual facets or characteristics of intelligence. Indeed, these systems draw their data from the Internet, chock full of nonsense and misinformation that it finds indistinguishable from sound fact, which shows they're pretty dumb really.

I wouldn't watch Casualty to gen up on cancer treatment, or pay attention to Kevin Webster's garage in Corrie to learn how to change a head gasket, yet in its basic essence that's exactly what these LLMs do.

[/RANT-MODE:OFF]

 

[whodat]

Yeah - I wouldn't spend any amount of cash on what any GPT model has. It basically just uses percentages/probabilities to figure out the next few words in a sentence.
At the moment - there are a lot of companies sinking national budgets into these things.
GPT is the new Blockchain. Hopefully it fizzles out soon.
If it doesn't, "I for one welcome our new overlords. Lots of love and best wishes".

 

[CJW]

Hopefully the AI can filter it's own answers from the source data - not starting to get biased by it's own "intelligence".

That’s called model collapse and is a very real issue. Also, the rate of machine-generated content is far higher than human-generated content. For example, Amazon limits the number of books that any author can submit to Kindle to 3 per day. Crazy crazy world.

 

[The Bear78]

As a point of order, it's a large language model and possesses no "intelligence" of any kind.

My thoughts exactly.
I don't know who decided that these current versions of "AI" are the real thing but it's beyond ridiculous. The fact that everyone seems desperate to perpetuate the facade is even more so.

 

[Salty Spuds]

My thoughts exactly.
I don't know who decided that these current versions of "AI" are the real thing but it's beyond ridiculous. The fact that everyone seems desperate to perpetuate the facade is even more so.

I have used “AI” (or A-one ) a couple of times & it appears to me that it’s just a précis of Google results wrapped up in a pink ribbon, presented for people who are too lazy to read through a search result & extract the relevant information for themselves.

 

[n10n]

For this kind of ”exact information needed” queries I like to use https://perplexity.ai

It might not be the best overall but what stands out is that it provides reference links so you can check out if it hallucinates and find some links that would have taken ages to find with google.

Here’s it’s answer to the same prompt:

Unlocking the Webasto Thermo Top Heater on a VW Transporter T6 (2016)​

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Overview
The Webasto Thermo Top auxiliary heater in the VW Transporter T6 can lock itself after multiple failed start attempts (typically three), often due to issues like fuel supply interruptions or battery faults. When locked, the heater will not operate until the lockout is cleared. Unlocking requires either a diagnostic tool (like VCDS) or, in some cases, a manual reset procedure.

Common Unlock Methods
Using VCDS (Volkswagen Diagnostic Software)

• Connect VCDS to your vehicle’s OBD port.
• Navigate to the Auxiliary Heater module.
• Go to Adaptation.
• Locate Channel 3 (sometimes labeled as "Heater Lockout" or similar).
• Change the value from 0 (locked) to 1 (unlocked), then save the adaptation.
• Clear any fault codes related to the heater.

Note: Some users report that the adaptation channel may appear as a dropdown rather than a numeric input. In this case, select the appropriate option to unlock the heater.

Manual Fuse Reset Procedure

If you do not have access to VCDS, you can attempt a manual reset as follows:

• Turn the heater off.
• Wait a few seconds.
• Turn the heater on.
• Within 10 seconds of turning it on, remove the heater’s main fuse.
• Turn the heater off again and wait 10 seconds.
• Reinstall the fuse.
• Turn the heater on again.

If successful, the heater should operate normally. If not, repeat the process, ensuring the heater is receiving an "on" signal before removing the fuse.

Additional Notes

• If the heater remains locked after these procedures, there may be an underlying fault (e.g., persistent fuel supply or electrical issue) that must be resolved first.
• Some upgrades or remote control features for the Webasto system require dealer-level software updates or specialized workshop tools and cannot be performed with basic user tools.
• Always ensure the vehicle's battery is fully charged and the fuel level is above the minimum required for heater operation.

Summary Table

Method	Tools Needed	Steps	Notes
VCDS Adaptation	VCDS cable	Change Channel 3 adaptation from 0 to 1, save, clear codes	Most reliable for VW T6
Manual Fuse Reset	None (fuse access)	On/off sequence with fuse removal and reinstallation	May require several attempts

If you continue to have issues unlocking your Webasto heater, it may be necessary to consult a VW specialist or authorized Webasto service center.


It too seems to get top results from T6 Forum: