Air-con compressor slow to come on in this heatwave

[mr gee]

In this current heatwave, I find the air-con on my 19.5 Rline doesn't come on until I have driven about 5 km. HVAC settings are in auto. Just ambient air until a few kms down the road then it kicks in(blast of cold air) and everything behaves normally after. Is it some HVAC activation algorithm?

[Ozsko]

Is the cabin air temp close to what the auto temp is set to before you drive away? I think mine did the same thing yesterday so I pushed the temp setting to LO and then set it back to 21 degrees a few minutes into the journey. I did not think about the cabin temp at the time and I can't recall if it did the same today or not. The car had been siting for the best part of a week without being driven as I was driving the Golf over Xmas because that gets filled up on someone elses's dollar.

[Simonr23]

Mine kicks in straight away. To be sure I follow, are you saying that you unequivocally hear the compressor kick in- while driving, after the 5kms?

My suspicion is either

1. that the aircon is working, but you’re not getting cold air out (you are getting warm air however) until all systems have removed the residual heat- normal.

2. Your fan is faulty and not coming on- go to dealer for investigation.

3. As 1. But worse than it used to/ should be- go to dealer to have system inspected. Potential gas leak.

[mr gee]

my guess is there was some algorithm thats messing with me. Had tried various combinations of settings of the HVAC like temp control, on-off, max aircon etc. This had happen on the last three days we had heat above 39 degrees even though car was in garage where ambient temp was about 28.
have to wait for next hot day to validate

[Simonr23]

Can you please expand on what’s physically occurring.
Does fan speed change based on manual intervention and/or when lowering the climate control temp.

Fan working as expected- yes/no
A/c compressor activating(not asking if air is cold)- yes/no
Air eventually comes out cold(at same fan speed as before it was cold- yes/no

[mr gee]

Can you please expand on what’s physically occurring.
Does fan speed change based on manual intervention and/or when lowering the climate control temp.

Fan working as expected- yes/no
A/c compressor activating(not asking if air is cold)- yes/no
Air eventually comes out cold(at same fan speed as before it was cold- yes/no

Everything works except compressor not kicking in till about ten - fifteen minutes later. VCDS scan does not indicate any fault

[JustCruisn]

How are you diagnosing the compressor 'kicking in' ?
These units are variable displacement and are always engaged, a solenoid controls the activation, engine rpm will not change etc. So only a VCDS log would be able to give an indication.
I had the same symptoms on my Jetta, a new compressor fixed it.

This is the 2nd tiguan in as many weeks to report AC issue on this forum. The other is waiting at the dealer for a new compressor.
Air Conditioning not working
I suspect you have the same issue I would book in to the dealer ASAP.

[mr gee]

How are you diagnosing the compressor 'kicking in' ?
These units are variable displacement and are always engaged, a solenoid controls the activation, engine rpm will not change etc. So only a VCDS log would be able to give an indication.
I had the same symptoms on my Jetta, a new compressor fixed it.

This is the 2nd tiguan in as many weeks to report AC issue on this forum. The other is waiting at the dealer for a new compressor.
Air Conditioning not working
I suspect you have the same issue I would book in to the dealer ASAP.

Yah I read that post. Not the same symptoms.
Mine recircs room air then after a while, the compressor starts working and cold air comes thru. after that, multiple starts in the day, car works normally.
This morning, cool day, aircon works normally from the get go.

[dazag]

sounds like the Compressor control valve sticking, just get that replaced, shouldn't need to replace compressor

[mr gee]

Thanks. will raise it to service soon