just taken delivery of a stunning 04 Freelander td5 auto for the Mrs to get to the stables n back... We knew it had heated screens and seats but On inspection it's also got the Sebastian diesel heater under the bumper, but I'm damned if I know how to work it, even in the freezing cold we have had the last couple of days nothing.. Having looked for the supplementary fuse box under the bonnet, it appears to be set up for the heated screen.. So where do I start looking for fuses etc or can anyone recommend anything to try?? Cheers

Hi and congratulations for a fine choice of vehicle.
The heater I think you are referring to is the Webasto thermo top C (generally call the FBH) fitted under the left hand front corner of the bumper. This is there to help provide extra heat for the heater during cold weather. This is because the the engine is very efficient, so doesn't dump much heat into the coolant.
The FBH is controlled automatically with no driver control unless you have the Webasto timer or some kind of remote control. If it's not working and the outside temperature is below 5°C then you can try to reset the unit by removing fuse 5 in the engine bay fuse box. Leave the fuse out of 30 seconds then refit. It's possible to test the FBH but you can trick it into running unless it's below 5°C.

Nodge68 said:

Hi and congratulations for a fine choice of vehicle.
The heater I think you are referring to is the Webasto thermo top C (generally call the FBH) fitted under the left hand front corner of the bumper. This is there to help provide extra heat for the heater during cold weather. This is because the the engine is very efficient, so doesn't dump much heat into the coolant.
The FBH is controlled automatically with no driver control unless you have the Webasto timer or some kind of remote control. If it's not working and the outside temperature is below 5°C then you can try to reset the unit by removing fuse 5 in the engine bay fuse box. Leave the fuse out of 30 seconds then refit. It's possible to test the FBH but you can trick it into running unless it's below 5°C.

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Thanks Nodge,
Im more questioning whether its even connected in to work as everything I read tells me that the supplementary fuse box should be used for either heated screen or FBH nowhere can I find any info about a vehicle with both, if you look at the exhaust on the heater it doesn't look like its ever been on the pipe is spotless but the water hoses seem to run down to it in the engine bay.. the fuse box fitted appears to be set up for the heated screen and that definitely works... just strange that they would put the expense of a heater in without connecting it??
one of the reasons behind wanting to check its operation is I want to get the remote from landrover to be able to turn it on to warm the car up for the Mrs as she has early starts daily and to be able to set it going while she gets ready to go to work would be fantastic.
confused.landrover.uk -

It will be connected to the main engine bay fuse box (fuse 5) This is large triangle shaped fuse box next to the one you are talking about. The smaller supplementary box is for the heated front screen only.
The FBH exhaust or flue as it is really doesn't soot up and if it's burning cleanly, gives no indication of its operation, other than some noise.
As I said, it will only operate when the temperature drops to below 5°C, unless the thermo switch is overridden.
Pulling fuse 5 for 30 seconds will reset the heaters ECU.

Fitting a remote is very easy. You can buy a simple remote relay for about £10. This is then used to feed 12 volts into pin 3 on the heater itself. When the heater ECU sees 12 volts, it fire's up the heater. Pin 4 on the heater will output 12 volts when it's up to temperature. This pin 4 output is used to drive a relay. The relay can then be used to power the heater fan, so warming the interior.

Freelanders can have two types of auxiliary heaters: the FBH which burns diesel and the PTC which is electric. According to my owners handbook, the supplementary fuse box is for either for the heated windscreen or the ptc heater. My guess is that both options can't be fitted simultaneously.
You might find these links helpful:
http://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/89535-servicing-the-webasto-fbh/
http://www.tony-steele.co.uk/Page_6.html

Eric161803 said:

Freelanders can have two types of auxiliary heaters: the FBH which burns diesel and the PTC which is electric. According to my owners handbook, the supplementary fuse box is for either for the heated windscreen or the ptc heater. My guess is that both options can't be fitted simultaneously.
You might find these links helpful:
http://www.caravantalk.co.uk/community/topic/89535-servicing-the-webasto-fbh/
http://www.tony-steele.co.uk/Page_6.html

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Ah in there may lie my confusion,
ive been thinking that the supplementary was used for either heated screen or the Diesel FBH as what is fitted under the bumper..

Nodge68 said:

It will be connected to the main engine bay fuse box (fuse 5) This is large triangle shaped fuse box next to the one you are talking about. The smaller supplementary box is for the heated front screen only.
The FBH exhaust or flue as it is really doesn't soot up and if it's burning cleanly, gives no indication of its operation, other than some noise.
As I said, it will only operate when the temperature drops to below 5°C, unless the thermo switch is overridden.
Pulling fuse 5 for 30 seconds will reset the heaters ECU.

Fitting a remote is very easy. You can buy a simple remote relay for about £10. This is then used to feed 12 volts into pin 3 on the heater itself. When the heater ECU sees 12 volts, it fire's up the heater. Pin 4 on the heater will output 12 volts when it's up to temperature. This pin 4 output is used to drive a relay. The relay can then be used to power the heater fan, so warming the interior.

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Ah ha.. ill try that, I did see that fuse 5 was changed from a 10a to 20a in that fusebox?
so are we saying I don't have to actually buy the landrover remote ? and I presume this remote relay works on some sort of time delay to switch it off again?
overriding the Thermo switch? done by the disagnostics system? or a case of disconnecting the sensor and bridging the wires?
apologies, i'm usually good at this kind of stuff but im working with systems ive absolutely no experience with, although we use the same heater on our horsebox for the hot water but its wired to an on/off switch lol..

The Freelander FBH is basically a small diesel fired central heating boiler. In the Freelander it has been configured as a thermo top up. This top up supplies extra heat to the heater matrix. This is only really needed at low outside temps. This is why the actual operation is controlled via an outside temperature switch.
The heater is supplied with a constant Nominal Battery Voltage (NBV) via fuse 5. This is on the X2 socket of the heater.
It has to have a NBV supply for its shut down cycle.
Sockets X3, X4 and X5 connect the various ancillary components of the FBH.
Socket X1 is a 6 pin connector. This is where configurable connections made.
Pin: 1 I'm still trying to confirm what it's for. I've only found conflicting information so far.
Pin: 2 Diagnostics port (W Bus)
Pin: 3 Fire burner when at NBV. This is where the Freelander's outside temperature switch feeds.
Pin: 4 This is a temperature controlled 12 volt, 500 mA output to drive a relay, activating the interior fan.
Pin: 5 is for what is described as a summer / winter switch. I'm not 100% sure of its function.
Pin: 6 is the output to the dosing fuel pump.
So basically if you feed NBV to pin 3 the heater will fire, until it's internal temperature sensor shuts it down. I believe shutdown occurs at about 75°C This can come from the LR timer or remote. These are just Webasto standard parts with LR wiring to suit.
Or you can make up something yourself to do what you need.
Interestingly, I've read that the heater won't fire if the sensor is detecting water above 35° C
Testing in situ is easy. Just unplug the sensor at the front of the car. It's behind the bumper, on the driver's side of the grill opening. Link the two connections in the plug with the engine running. This then supplies NBV to pin 3, firing the burner. The engine must be running for this trick to work however.

Great Thanks for that, I was following just theres that much about them that's not much info if you know what I mean.. I wanted to confirm what I thought I knew and learn more..
Bumper off on the weekend then

Hi there Nodge68 do you remove the fuse with the engine running or ignition on ,tried it with it off it does nothing ,but as it also controlls eng managment i am a bit reluctant to try ,but am sure i have read on here that somone has done it this way ,just wondered if you could shed any light on this mate ,any help greatly appreciated ,regards Trev .

tyrefitter said:

Hi there Nodge68 do you remove the fuse with the engine running or ignition on ,tried it with it off it does nothing ,but as it also controlls eng managment i am a bit reluctant to try ,but am sure i have read on here that somone has done it this way ,just wondered if you could shed any light on this mate ,any help greatly appreciated ,regards Trev .

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I'd only remove the fuse with the ignition off. If it's on, it could upset something more complex than the FBH.
If the FBH isn't running, it's one of two things.
1 it's not below 5° C.
2 the thermo switch has gone wrong.

thanks mate, i take it the thermo switch is the one thats tucked neatly up behind the bumper so i need to bridge that out and see what happens,regards trev

tyrefitter said:

thanks mate, i take it the thermo switch is the one thats tucked neatly up behind the bumper so i need to bridge that out and see what happens,regards trev

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That's the one.
Link across the contacts with a short length of wire. Be careful not to touch the wire against the metal of the car body. The start the engine. If the FBH is working, it should fire up once the engine ECU gets a charging feedback from the alternator.