A/C issue with '06 Golf

[dogsguts]

Guys im at witts end here so im desperate to see if anyone can assist me.

I have a '06 2lt TDi & after about an hours driving with the A/C on ...it stops blowing. You can still hear it roaring but no air at all comes from the vents. You can drop a tissue in front of the vent & it falls straight down with the fan on high. Its been doing it since new. Its been back to dealer about 6 times & they take it for 2 days at a time usually..they say they tried this ..tried that and its perfect.

I have offered to take them for an hours drive to see it fail but they say they dont seem keen to do that. Ive been a lic sparkie for 25 years & have raced & built bikes for that time also so i have a reasonable idea when something as simple as this is not functioning properly. I now just turn it off for 20 mins & put the windows down...it will come back on after a 20 odd min rest.

The fault appears to be in all vents & is exactly as if a blockage has occurred, like back in the '70s when the old under dash units used to ice up & you had to let some outside air in to de-ice the condenser. Once VW said they found the problem which was the fan spinning on the motor shaft & it was replaced but it soon came back.

Im off my head talking to the dealer & am at the stage of selling the car & buying a diff brand not because of the fault but VW's inability to fix it.

Can anyone offer me any ideas please ?

[Maverick]

Drive around for a while near the dealer and then visit the dealer and leaving the car running show them the problem when it occurs.

[dogsguts]

Drive around for a while near the dealer and then visit the dealer and leaving the car running show them the problem when it occurs.

Oddly enough ive never seen it happen in the city. Maybe also because i dont do those longer drives in city also. Im actually over quite the dealer to be honest.

A decent idea though...tks.

[Greg Roles]

Do a search on here mate, the Golf AC compressor is a known weak point. I believe it was fixed last year? with a different compressor being installed from new, but I'd reckon most dealers are aware of it and have done multiple warranty compressors. Your car is of the right vintage.

Personally I'd try another dealer, get a recommendation on here for your location.

[dogsguts]

Do a search on here mate, the Golf AC compressor is a known weak point. I believe it was fixed last year? with a different compressor being installed from new, but I'd reckon most dealers are aware of it and have done multiple warranty compressors. Your car is of the right vintage.

Personally I'd try another dealer, get a recommendation on here for your location.

Tks cogdoc however the problem is air flow, not temperature. Maybe this 'no air flow' is corresponding somehow via a relay/logic etc perhaps ? I had a search & couldn't find anything similar.

If i had to guess i would say its the evaporator icing up but as many times as i suggest that...the dealer says its not but they have never seen the car do it so i dont know how they can eliminate that suggestion.

Ive had old cars with the old accessory under dash evaporators and my golf is doing exactly what those units did when they froze up (with out spitting the chips od ice out at the passengers as it defrosts)

Oh yeah & i certainly wont be using that brisbane VW dealer again. This is the 2nd Golf ive bought from them in 4 years & im ready for another one shortly but i wont use them again & i think its now time for a Honda. Im an easy customer...i dont really haggle on price & i dont want any extras..i just want a new car every 2 odd years. Im easy but they even screwed that up.

[dasauto]

Hey dogsguts,

First post on the forum, but I'm a licenced Auto a/c tech and will try and help you out.
Firstly it's certainly an airflow problem as you mentioned, which rules out compressors and the like.

Secondly, in the original post you mentioned you can still hear (the fan?) roaring, yet no airflow to the vents. Does it blow out on another mode? As in does the air blow on the defrost or foot setting instead of the face?
Often airflow problems are caused by a vent control issue, where the airflow diverts to the default position, which on most cars is the defrost mode.

Thirdly, modern cars such as your Golf rarely (extremely rarely) ice up the evaporator coil to the point that there is no airflow. Unlike older cars with mechanical style thermostats, newer cars have a thermistor setup which will eliminate icing. The thermistor is usually in the clutch coil circuit, so if there is a thermistor problem the a/c will not engage at all.

Sorry for the long post, but it sounds to me like some sort of vent control issue, especially if you can still hear roaring which I assume is the blower fan.

[dogsguts]

Secondly, in the original post you mentioned you can still hear (the fan?) roaring, yet no airflow to the vents. Does it blow out on another mode? As in does the air blow on the defrost or foot setting instead of the face?
Often airflow problems are caused by a vent control issue, where the airflow diverts to the default position, which on most cars is the defrost mode.

Tks mate...i had not tried that but i will now to see if it will stay blocked in diff modes. Its def a blockage though...funny you mention that as once no matter what i did , all the air went to my feet.

[drotsap]

I would demand from the dealer to ask VW head office to replace the whole AC unit. They did it on my 05 Comfortline even though it was 6 months out of warranty. Most likely a recall issue.

[Rickardo]

Just had my condenser, compressor, seals and hoses replaced under warrenty by Highway VW.

I would of thought an 06 golf would still be covered under the three year manufacturers warrenty, unless it's a Jan/Feb 06 or covered over 100,000kms.

Still it's worth a go, especially if the service book is up to date and full of VW dealer stamps.

Best of luck

[dogsguts]

Just had my condenser, compressor, seals and hoses replaced under warrenty by Highway VW.

I would of thought an 06 golf would still be covered under the three year manufacturers warrenty, unless it's a Jan/Feb 06 or covered over 100,000kms.

Still it's worth a go, especially if the service book is up to date and full of VW dealer stamps.

Best of luck

It is still under warranty which is why im due to replace it and always had VW service even though the car was sold with 3 years set service price & every time it goes in for a service i have to argue & produce VW's A4 sales hype letter stating the prices are set.

Its not the half of it...they lied & openly admitted lying that my car was due when it was, they eventually just said sorry we lied but we sold yours.

[dogsguts]

I would demand from the dealer to ask VW head office to replace the whole AC unit. They did it on my 05 Comfortline even though it was 6 months out of warranty. Most likely a recall issue.

Tks mate..i wont let them get away with it but i was chasing to see if anyone else had the same problem. On this current golf i have, the starter motor died in the first week of owning it & stranded me in a very remote area in country NSW. Honda for me next time i think.

[Brendon]

Hi all, first post & first time visitor to this site.

Interesting to read the many threads & posts about crappy a/c in the v5's.

The compressor in my wife's 05 Golf has just cr@pped itself. It is 4 yrs old but has only done 28k, so we are not very happy at all, and will certainly be making a big song and dance about it.
cheers
Brendon

[dogsguts]

Hi all, first post & first time visitor to this site.

Interesting to read the many threads & posts about crappy a/c in the v5's.

The compressor in my wife's 05 Golf has just cr@pped itself. It is 4 yrs old but has only done 28k, so we are not very happy at all, and will certainly be making a big song and dance about it.
cheers
Brendon

The very reason im selling this one before its out of warranty. Honda are pushing a 5 year warranty and i dont think they could have worse service than the service i have rec'd from VW.

When the 2nd car i had broke down in the first week stranding me in the middle of nowhere (i think it had just 700klms on it) I rang VW's assist line & they honestly couldn't have given a rats bum. They really didnt want to know about me or that my family was stranded. I req'd a hire car to get me home & they refused so i said good we will go the media/legals with a 'not fit for sale' claim...a%$holes went to water.

Seriously its a great little car & i can totally forgive its mech issues but no way in hell will i reward bad service & empty promises.

[dogsguts]

Hey dogsguts,

First post on the forum, but I'm a licenced Auto a/c tech and will try and help you out.
Firstly it's certainly an airflow problem as you mentioned, which rules out compressors and the like.

Secondly, in the original post you mentioned you can still hear (the fan?) roaring, yet no airflow to the vents. Does it blow out on another mode? As in does the air blow on the defrost or foot setting instead of the face?
Often airflow problems are caused by a vent control issue, where the airflow diverts to the default position, which on most cars is the defrost mode.

Thirdly, modern cars such as your Golf rarely (extremely rarely) ice up the evaporator coil to the point that there is no airflow. Unlike older cars with mechanical style thermostats, newer cars have a thermistor setup which will eliminate icing. The thermistor is usually in the clutch coil circuit, so if there is a thermistor problem the a/c will not engage at all.

Sorry for the long post, but it sounds to me like some sort of vent control issue, especially if you can still hear roaring which I assume is the blower fan.

Finally !!!!!!....a fix has arrived from Germany only last few weeks. They said that the temp sensor was too long & after maybe 40 - 60 mins constant full cold...it would sense its too cold & shut the vents off. They have a modified part now that they are going to fit which basically makes it less sensitive. 2 & a half years of complaining.

[gerhard]

Before you go and get the Honda, consider this: I have been reliably informed that with the economic slowdown, Honda is shutting down their warranty service, because it is never required. They will only do oil changes from now on.