Climatronic problem

[clip]

It is definitely caused by the sensor over compensating, as I can sit in an undercover car park and everything works fine. As soon as I drive out into the sunshine, the system winds up and starts to blast.

yep that's it exactly! Now, not sure where it is on the GTI, but on the Tiguan and Passat it is located in the centre of the dash where the vents are. It's got to be there somewhere. Do you have a glossy looking bit of plastic molded into the centre of the dash forward towards the windscreen?

[kleung]

Excellent thread as I'm having an issue with my Sportline's air-con not cooling down enough too.

My R36 is going in for its service next Wednesday, and poor AC performance is one of the items on the list to be looked at.

Given that AC temperature is something that no two people will ever agree on, I'd be interested to see what the actual air temp coming out of the vents is, vs the ambient air temp, the climatronic setting and the prevailing conditions (sunny, cloudy, etc). I have a multimeter that has a temperature probe attachment, so I'll try to remember to bring it with me the next time the weather warms up.

Just last Saturday when it was about 30C and overcast in Melbourne. I was driving home from Box Hill with the AC going (set to auto-high @ 22C), and after 10 minutes, the air coming out of the vents was still barely cool, and the fans were still going full wellie. MFD said that the outside temp was about 32C. To me, that is unacceptable performance of the AC.

[Steve]

For what it's worth, the Climatronic on my R36 (200 works juuuuuust fine. It's normally set to 18 degrees, AC on, auto off. Though sometimes in winter I set it to 24 degrees. It doesn't seem to go crazy or do anything I don't like. Couldn't be happier with it, to be honest.

[Gray Ghost]

For what it's worth I have a MK6 GTI MY12 and it has the same issue re: freezing your bit's off. I plan to raise the issue with VW Aust and I would like to hear from others with this same problem.

If it is an issue that effects only vehicle's that are shipped to locations around the globe where the sun shines a little brighter then I believe that VW should come up with a solution and not leave it up to the paying public. When you consider what you pay for your ride in Aust then you should at least get an in car climate control system that works!

My Renault Clio Sport has a climate control system and you simply set the temp and you get the cabin temp that you have set and you do not have to drive around in your long Johns on a day over 30deg chipping ice of the side of your face and seek treatment for the frost bite on your fingers and look a bit strange when you embark from your vehicle at the beach.

On the serious side it would appear that clip his applied his extraordinary engineering talent and saved the day for us unworthy sun loving Aussies with his incredible temporary fix to this very cold subject. Clip I applaud you and would have nominated you for Aussie of the year but sadly I am being treated for frost bite!

It may be some time before I can get to a dealership re: this issue but armed with this information from clip I will start making some enquiries at VW Aust so please anyone out there that wants to come in from the cold please let us here from you on this thread it is only when we get enough people jumping up and down about issues like this do we get some action.

In closing just remember that the "squeaky wheel gets the most oil".

[R34]

The VW dealer didn't like my "climate control calibrator" and had turned it over to hide the writing when I picked up the car after a service.
Let us know how you go with it Gray Ghost but I fear that with VW's track record for customer service you'll get nowhere.
Funny how my 15 year old GTR AC works perfectly permanently set at 23 all year round (and my previous 07 A3 for that matter)

[passatpout]

Well mine was struggling with moderate sunlight and not overly hot days recently, driving between Canowindra, Parkes and Dubbo. Outside temp was 28-31, reasonably pleasant to walk around WP Zoo, but the car was really struggling to keep it cool, even with the dial set to LO. As soon as the sun started going down, the car became a freezer, with temp set at about 23....

AC performance is just one more of those things that's really disappointed me with my car...

[clip]

Well mine was struggling with moderate sunlight and not overly hot days recently, driving between Canowindra, Parkes and Dubbo. Outside temp was 28-31, reasonably pleasant to walk around WP Zoo, but the car was really struggling to keep it cool, even with the dial set to LO. As soon as the sun started going down, the car became a freezer, with temp set at about 23.... AC performance is just one more of those things that's really disappointed me with my car...

Shhesh, I'd end up with hypothermia if I did that! There's got to be something wrong with it. I live in Queensland, hot and humid and before I did the small mod blocking the sunlight hitting the dash sensor, it was just too cold and fans blew too high.

BTW, it's still working a perfectly now. Just set it at 24 all day every day, and it's spot on.

---------- Post added at 11:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:23 AM ----------

Clip I applaud you and would have nominated you for Aussie of the year but sadly I am being treated for frost bite!

damn frostbite! but thanks anyway Gray Ghost, and I was hoping to get a crack at it this year too!

[Gray Ghost]

No worries clip don't be to disappointed, perhaps you could take up acting that seems to work?

I have not been able to try out your incredible fix just yet, reason being I also live in Qld on the Sunshine Coast and as you are aware it has been just a little wet and hot plus you can throw in a little bit of overcast weather which makes it just the right conditions for a little bit of "crouch pot cooking" geeeee, did I say that?

Well before I tackle the stone wall of VWA I plan to watch this great movie for some inspiration it's called "The Spy That Came in From The Cold". I think it's about a German agent that came across to the good guy's because he had a MK6 Golf and not one of those cars that 007 drives with a working Climatronic system?

Anyway as it's Aussie day I must go and get the beer from the back seat they should be chilled enough by now?

I will keep you all advised of my progress or perhaps lack of with VWA.

Keep Cool guy's

[Blackdakdak]

Hi, any action from VWA - not that I expect there will be. Deny deny and the customer will go away.......

My MY12 Tiguan has exactly this problem, and dealer 'can't find any problem' when servicing.

I'll try a few covers over the sensor - wonder if flyscreen or shadecloth (things I have in the garage) will work at filtering the sunlight - which seems to be causing the problem. Will let you know.

Hard to believe VWA can't or won't address the issue, but car companies are as bad as banks or insurance when it comes to customer care.

Cheers.

[buzuki]

I had a customer with a similar issue in a passat.

I also found it to be caused by the sensor over compensating.

I spoke to tech support about the issue and we fixed it.

The climatronic is set to HOT COUNTRY, which means when sunlight is on it cools dramatically. They led me through a procedure and we set it back to standard. It was a change of the hexdecimals. I dont have this written down, as it was done live over the phone..

[dopey]

I've got a bad problem with my Climatronic... it STINKS. Terrible musty/mouldy scent sometimes. I had a similar issue with my Golf too after similar mileage. I leave it on Auto 22/23 pretty much all the time. I paid to have the system flushed a few weeks back which kept the smell away for a few days... now it's back. Anyone else had this problem??

[Umai Naa!!]

Set off a disinfectant bomb in the car with the Air con on, on recirculate, then replace the pollen filter.

[cru22z]

How do u replace the filter? Mine stinks as well like vinegar.
My car is only 4 months old.

[clip]

I had a customer with a similar issue in a passat.

I also found it to be caused by the sensor over compensating.

I spoke to tech support about the issue and we fixed it.

The climatronic is set to HOT COUNTRY, which means when sunlight is on it cools dramatically. They led me through a procedure and we set it back to standard. It was a change of the hexdecimals. I dont have this written down, as it was done live over the phone..

WHAT!!! All these people here having the same problem, taking it back to their bloody dealers, only to be told "there's nothing wrong with it" - and now we find that there is a simple setting that can be changed!!!

Sheesh! If I were a dealer principal, I would make sure that at least once a week I got the head service person to sit on the bloody forums and read how to fix the cars they sell!!! I'm so pi!sed that this happens - and it happens too often.

buzuki, I (and I'm sure lots of others) would be most grateful if you could in any way post up the settings, or let us know which dealer actually knew what to do (must be the only one in Australia that does!).

[Umai Naa!!]

How do u replace the filter? Mine stinks as well like vinegar.
My car is only 4 months old.

There's a thin foam liner under the glovebox that's held in with two thumb screws. Once that's removed, if you look up, and towards the centre of the dash, behind the glovebox, there's a cover a bit larger than the width and thickness of the filter. Remove this, and pollen filter will slide out, along with a heap of foliage.

WHAT!!! All these people here having the same problem, taking it back to their bloody dealers, only to be told "there's nothing wrong with it" - and now we find that there is a simple setting that can be changed!!!

Sheesh! If I were a dealer principal, I would make sure that at least once a week I got the head service person to sit on the bloody forums and read how to fix the cars they sell!!! I'm so pi!sed that this happens - and it happens too often.

buzuki, I (and I'm sure lots of others) would be most grateful if you could in any way post up the settings, or let us know which dealer actually knew what to do (must be the only one in Australia that does!).

Most of the time, customers complain that the air con isn't cold enough. I can see where your dealership is coming from.