A/C not cold pre-FL MY09 RS

[pinzvidz]

My old man has had a great run with his RS that he bought back in June last year. However, his climate control has decided to stop blowing cold air just recently. Even with the temp on the lowest setting, it just blows hot air.

He took it in to the dealership (no dealership name, yet) today. After an hour or so, he got it back, with a report saying they'd topped up the A/C gas. Drove out the door and it was no different, still blowing hot air. He took it back and they said "leave it with us tomorrow, we might get a look at it, we might not, we're very busy and booked out to the end of February" and a few other excuses as well. He kept his cool and mentioned that it was booked in ages ago for the DSG recall next Thursday, and asked if they could sort the A/C then.

Later on that day at home, he gets a call from the dealership. "We're ringing to say that you have your car booked in today, but you haven't shown up". My dad was dumbfounded and told them he was already in there today, but they hadn't fixed it.

<sarcasm on> This dealership sounds like a great operation, well and truly on the ball! <sarcasm off> Unbelievable!

So, I'm hopeful that these clowns can sort this problem for dad, but I'd like to know if anyone else has had a similar issue with their Octy? If so, what was the fix?

Edit: oh, as mentioned in the title, dad's is a MY09 pre-facelift. It has the newer MY10 type dash with newer climate control (with the temp numbers listed around each dial etc.) but the body has the older front.

[schneller]

Not that I have had experience with Octavias yet... But I have a 2006 Golf GTI and after owning it for about 12months the Airconditioner Compressor in it died.

The car had exactly the same symptoms as your dad's. Just blew warm air no matter what you tried.

It was a simple replacement that was done under warranty and it has been rock solid for the last 2yrs.

So potentially the AC compressor has died - but then again maybe something else.

[gregozedobe]

Given how frequently a/c compressors pack up on Golfs that is the most likely culprit here.

I wonder how they can have the gall to call themselves a service dept :

...he got it back, with a report saying they'd topped up the A/C gas. Drove out the door and it was no different, still blowing hot air.

That means either they couldn't be bothered checking to see if it worked properly after they re-gassed it, or they did check, noticed it wasn't working and decided to say nothing. Incredible incompetence in either scenario !!!!!!!!!!!

I would definitely be taking my car somewhere else to be fixed if at all possible. If they are that bad then they are probably incapable of doing a proper job of putting a new a/c compressor in. IIRC depending on the type of failure they often have to replace other parts as well because metal shavings get pumped through to other bits, so if you just put a new compressor in, the shavings in the rest of the system promptly wreck the brand new compressor.

[code618]

Compressor in my RS is officially cactus. After months of blowing hot air I finally booked it in. After 60mins in a comfy chair at the service centre they came out and said that indeed the compressor and several other parts needed replacing.
Glad it's under warranty. I would suggest if you are not happy with the A/C performance take it in straight away.

I hope the second one lasts a little longer.

[Graybags]

Our Mkv Gold has also had the compressor changed. When it seized it locked the engine and had to taken in on a truck. Got it back after they couldnt find anything wrong and was blowing hotair. Only then they looked a bit further and found the compressor. this was B*****d P******n.

[timmy]

I've got an 08 Octavia and it seems that the aircon from the back seats vent is not cold... i'm not sure how this could happen if the air is coming from the drivers temperature.

[pinzvidz]

Sigh... well 9 months on and still not fixed. Really disappointing, considering it's such an awesome car.

Has been back to the dealer a few more times now. Got to the stage where the dealership sublet the vehicle to a A/C specialist down the road who supposedly threw some dye in, found a leak and fixed it. Interesting diagnosis, as from my experience, once an A/C system starts leaking gas, it never really gets cold again until it gets fixed.

Dad's RS A/C is intermittent - some days it's freezing cold, other days it just doesn't want to get cold at all and just blows warm air.

I can't see him keeping it for much longer...

[Jake02]

Sigh... well 9 months on and still not fixed. Really disappointing, considering it's such an awesome car.

Dad's RS A/C is intermittent - some days it's freezing cold, other days it just doesn't want to get cold at all and just blows warm air.

I can't see him keeping it for much longer...

I had the same problem last year, all sorted with a top-up of fluids (that was after my dealer gave it a 'service' eg not fixing or looking at anything at all and we took it back again to be fixed). Obviously this problem is a little worse than that but I'm not sure it's a good idea to get rid of a $45k car when I'm sure that a different opinion is needed (not just the side of your dealer). My guess? Take it to another dealer (Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast are there but also some VW dealers - same parts) and see what they say. Take it to a mechanic or air-con specialist that ISN'T associated with your dealer. It's always wise to have more than one opinion . I'm probably stating the obvious and if so, I'm sorry.

[K1W1]

Dad's RS A/C is intermittent - some days it's freezing cold, other days it just doesn't want to get cold at all and just blows warm air.

I hope somebody has looked at the external air temperature sensor.

[pinzvidz]

I hope somebody has looked at the external air temperature sensor.

Is this a common problem? I'd really like to get to the bottom of it...

Take it to a mechanic or air-con specialist that ISN'T associated with your dealer.

That's on the cards. Might go see Adam @ VA Garage yet.

[K1W1]

Is this a common problem? I'd really like to get to the bottom of it...

I have no idea but if the AC controller is getting incorrect temperature information there is no way it's ever going to work consistentaly and you seem to have had everything else checked.
You said

Dad's RS A/C is intermittent - some days it's freezing cold, other days it just doesn't want to get cold at all and just blows warm air.

if the system had a leak it would never get cold. The fact it gets hold and cold but not correctly indicates to me that the problem is more likely to be electronic than mechanical.

[brad]

After that amount of time & attempts to repair, I would be asking the dealer to get the Area Technical Rep involved. Send your request in writing to the Service Manager with CCs to the Dealer Principal & whats-her face at VWA - no point involving Skoda Customer Assist as they are useless.

[pinzvidz]

Oh, I completely forgot to update this thread (don't visit VWwC much anymore since we sold the GTI ).

They ended up replacing the A/C compressor, and so far so good. Hasn't played up since. Still waiting for some stinking hot days to arrive in QLD, which I wish we'd have rather than all this dreadful flooding.

[RaceBlueRS]

I have an 07 build RS. My air con died twice within the last 5 months. The first time they said they found nothing wrong, except it was a little low on gas. They also said they'd put some die in it so they could "find the leak next time"

It died again two weeks before the warranty ran out. They regassed it again. Again they said they couldn't find any leak.

My outside air temp indicator always displays correctly.

[MarksVRS]

I cannot believe the incompetence of some of these people! They have re-gassed it twice in 5 months and yet they are happy to leave it at "can't find a leak". I would be escalating this straight away.

Don't let them give you any garbage about being out of warranty, as it clearly hasn't been fixed properly.