More than 800 Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT EVs have been affected by a heater matrix problem in the UK, literally leaving them in the cold.
Porsche owners have been battling with this problem for weeks. It appears there is no end in sight as they have been informed there is a wait of months for a repair. They have now been joined by Audi e-tron GT owners who reported similar problems.
Both models are based on Volkswagen Group’s J1 platform. They share many parts, including the problematic heater matrix.
There have been many complaints on the Porsche Taycan Owners UK Facebook group, where it is reported that more than 800 owners are impacted in the UK alone. The cars cannot warm up the seats or defrost appropriately in the cold weather, as reported by Auto Express.
Audi owners have also taken to the online forums to express their frustration. Hundreds of drivers have spoken out about the heating problems with their cars.
Porsche has officially acknowledged the problem and repair delays. An official statement reads: “Due to a possible material defect, failure of the heating system may potentially affect Porsche Taycan vehicle models. Should this fault occur, it is possible that the heating function and defrosting are not available, and dehumidification of the vehicles can only be performed to a limited extent.
“Replacement of the heating unit is necessary for vehicle repair. The current supply chain issues may result in delays in this regard, and vehicle repair might be postponed temporarily. We are making every effort to resolve the situation.”
A company spokesman asked affected owners to contact their dealers to join the waiting queue for a repair.
Porsche cut the Taycan’s charging time by half with a hardware update in December, a month after it made the 100,000th unit of the model.
Similarly, Audi UK has confirmed about 200 e-trons are affected. Its spokesperson said, “Audi UK is aware of the issue relating to the heater matrix on the e-tron GT and is in regular dialogue with affected customers. We are working tirelessly to resolve the matter to ensure as little disruption as possible.
“Current supply constraints mean we are experiencing delays sourcing parts, but we are making every effort to minimise disruption. Customers are being supported by their local Audi Centre while we work on resolving the matter.”
The supply constraints Audi alluded to made it stop including a heat pump in the e-tron.
