Funny Smoke from a SEAT Alhambra

[Holteboy]

I have a fully serviced (lease) 04 SEAT Alhambra TDi (130ps version). After short journeys, mainly when cold, it starts to generate copious amounts of smoke from a pipe that comes out just in front of the back axle. There seems to be a fan in the catalytic converter that continues to run on after engine has stopped. The smoke also continues

Anybody heard of this before - it is capable of generating masses of smoke, so much so that people think the car is on fire !

[thesilverfox]

Alhambras have a supplementary heater which is just by the passenger side rear wheel as you describe. It runs on diesel.You probably hear a whine like a turbine as well. It only cuts in in cold weather I think to stop the diesel from waxing by heating the fuel filter.

Your lucky yours works, mine packed up after a few years.

[jennabelle42]

its an auxillary heater, you will only notice it operting in cold conditions, white smoke will billow around the n/s of the car, it is white smoke as there is no cat on the pipe, when it is warm you wont notice it, if the smoke bothers you there is a modification available from your main dealer to extend the pipework to the rear of the car. the noise is normal.