john banks

VW Golf GTI Mk V 2006

First warm day and the A/C is not blowing cold. No fault codes in HVAC module and there is pressure in the system.

It had a minor front end repair in October 2009 which involved a new IC, they said they kept the original coolant rad (and presumably the AC rad). It appeared to blow cold when picked up after the repair but it was October.

Based on there being pressure in the system and no fault codes, what could it be?

MMT WRX

Have you given the AC a run now and then even in the winter to keep the compressor lubed up?
Mine went on my Scoob last year. I hadn't switched it on all winter but it turned out to be the control module and the whole heater control section of dash had to be replaced.
My Mrs had a Zafira a few years ago and hers packed up. It was the clutch coil burnt out, cost about £400

Edit:

Can you hear the clutch engage or the engine note changing when you switch the AC on?

john banks

I think I can hear the clutch engine and engine note change, but it is much more subtle than a Scooby. It is on Auto mode year round, so the AC does come on now and again I believe, three previous winters it was OK.

Myles

iTrader: (40)

The system is porous, so it will lose refrigerant over the years. Mine lost over 80% in two and a half years (Leon)

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

We had to replace most of the system on our Sharan at about that age, £500, the Air Con specialist said they had a steady income stream for vw air con units, totally substandard.

Dont think it will be the accident, just corroding evap unit, condenser, dryer or whatever else we had replaced.

Apparently Japanese cars from the late nineties were rarely seen, they just keep blowing cold air until the car is scrapped.

nik52wrx

Does it just need re-gassing?

john banks

I can't hear the compressor starting up when the wife turns it on/off inside the car and I listen under the bonnet.

Need to get an aircon garage to look at it, but wife will try a guarantee policy that comes with the insurance for covering repairs for 12 months on the basis that the first chance we had to try it, it did not work.

Not kept another car this long except my 2000 Subaru which was icey cold over the five years I had it, but did take advantage of a regas opportunity at 3 years old.

PovK1

common fault, vag air con system are ****e. It wont be cheap either.

rookymatt

iTrader: (15)

The seals on a/c systems use PAG oil (which is within the a/c systems compressor/pipes/condenser) to lubricate the system and keep the seals lubricated also. When the system lies dorment for a long time the seals become very dry and contract- allowing the gas to escape! Using the system all year round keeps everything nice and lubricated.
Having pressure in the system does not indicate the system is sufficiantly gassed- just that there is some pressure.

I'd say get it gassed, and have them add a leak detector dye (it becomes glow in the dark when u/v light is shined on it!!) If the system becomes poo again have the guy then run over the system with a u/v light to see if there are any leaks.

Hope that helps!
Regards
Matt

john banks

Thanks Matt.

stilover

Funnily enough, I jumped in my 2008 Golf GT Sport yesterday, and it was blowing warm air in stead of cold. Not on A/C though, never put that on.

salsa-king

my father in law's vectra's a/c is blowing warm at the mo, he's just ordred this off ebay... £19.98 delivered.. over £50 in halfords anf £70 at vauxhall!!!! might be worth a try...
INTERDYNAMICS R-134a CAR AIR CON 19oz with GAUGE

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_t...9oz+with+GAUGE

rookymatt

iTrader: (15)

Don't waste the dosh Mr Salsa.

Once a car loses gas, it will inevitably draw in air from outside of the system. The problem with this is that the moisture in this air damages the a/c system, plus not to mention as this air will litterally boil off inside the a/c system once the dryer has become fully saturated.

Best thing to do is to get the system regassed, having a nice long vacuum introduced to it for an hour (lowering atmospheric pressure by creating a vacuum will lower waters boiling point. This boiled off water is then taken away by the a/c machine) to help with preventing saturation of the dryer built into the car's ac system.
Plus it will be gassed correctly, can have fresh oil injected, and with a leak tracer dye also added.

ScoobyJawa

My wifes Leon Cupra AC blew hot (ok its a bit older but still VAG) and her's was just a fuse

john banks

Thanks just checked and fuses OK, nearest I could find mentioned were for the blower not for A/C.

Wife took it to the garage that did the repair and they couldn't find a fault (they have in house A/C service/regas equipment and said everything read as it should. I'm sure it did blow cold even though collected in October as I deliberately checked, it was so cold you couldn't hold your hand in front of a vent.

So off to the main dealer.

G00ner

It was £800 for a main stealer to fix an Audi A4 A/C system on one of our company cars, they didn't bother to do any diagnostic work at all, just swap out the main unit.

b road blaster

http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/59897.aspx check your fans mate this is a common fault on all golfs and would appear to affect the air con

worley

The main dealer replaced the blower and fans on my old Bora twice ('twas brand new) - common problem. Initially fuses went and they changed the lot, then they changed the fuses.

Nice little earner for VAG.


Nik

Petem95

I had a similar issue with a 2004 A3 2.0 TDI I had a few years back. The compressors on these are clutchless (guess the golf may use the same unit), so you cant look under the bonnet to see if the clutch on the compressor moves when you turn it on/off.

I took the car to Quick fit as they'll regas it and only charge you if it blows colder. In my case it still didnt work, so wasnt charged. Might be worth doing similar.

I did get a quote for a new compressor which was a lot of cash (cant remember the exact amount), but I got rid of the car before bothering to get it done.

Petem95

I had a similar issue with a 2004 A3 2.0 TDI I had a few years back. The compressors on these are clutchless (guess the golf may use the same unit), so you cant look under the bonnet to see if the clutch on the compressor moves when you turn it on/off.

I took the car to Quick fit as they'll regas it and only charge you if it blows colder. In my case it still didnt work, so wasnt charged. Might be worth doing similar.

I did get a quote for a new compressor which was a lot of cash (cant remember the exact amount), but I got rid of the car before bothering to get it done.

john banks

Thanks b road blaster, will look into this.

john banks

Thanks Petem95.

I'm struggling to tell from the forum link from b road blaster if this is a MK4 only or Mk4+5 problem. Their search isn't too useful to be able to tell either.

b road blaster

the search is not the best on there mate
it seams to aply to all the mk 4,5, golfs

skoobidude

My RS is doing the same. Going for warranty check early next month

john banks

AC works, low speed fan doesn't, but the VW dealer don't seem convinced that the fans should be on at low speed when the AC is on and the car is stationary. They tested after an MOT when it had been idling for ages then the fans were on at high speed and of course the AC works.

rookymatt

iTrader: (15)

Electric fans will kick in when a/c is on and the car is stationary. Reason being is to allow the transfer of heat from the a/c gas through the condenser to air, turning the a/c gas into a condensed liquid.
This is strange, so they are saying the a/c is working or not????

john banks

Yes two other MK V GTI owners have confirmed their fans are on when the AC is on.

The AC does work when the fans are on high speed or the vehicle is moving.

They offered to regas the AC but the gas pressure has already been checked, I want new fans.

Looked at the wiring and it isn't like the Mk IV, but doesn't look like what I believe CAN bus twisted pair would look like, some say it is PWM from the ECU, some say it is has a CAN module inside the fan casing. So far I've tracked the loom back to under the battery. In the Mk IV there is a fan controller under there.

rookymatt

iTrader: (15)

Hmmm, i'm a bmw man myself. Our fans are contolled via a pulse width modulated signal, controlled by the amount of hz to negative controls how strong the fan is set to. I'd say VAG would do the same as most germans use siemens or bosch systems. VAG should be able to activate the fans using a test function with their diagnostic tester. This would confirm if it is indeed the fan causing you the greif!

rookymatt

iTrader: (15)

Hnady tip, if the evaporator temperature is above 3 degrees c (check with their diagnostic tester) then you have an ineffecient a/c system, usually pointing to low gas level. Remember good pressure does not always mean good level of gas in the system!!

john banks

It was 5 deg C. It blows lovely cold air when the fans are running.