Air Conditioning Problem

[scottishcammy]

Hi folks,

 

I bought a Skoda Octavia VRS a few weeks ago. Great car, love it:-)

 

However....like a numpty, I forgot to check the AC worked when I bought it (doh!) and yesterday I used it for the first time, well, it doesn't work.

 

The light on the climatronic for the AC goes on, I put the temp to low, but nothing happens, no difference in temperature at all.

There's no dip in the engine revs either (which I would normally associate with the clutch on the compressor in a car), literally nothing happens, so I can't imagine it needs recharging, it sound like the compressor isn't doing anything.

 

The car is two years old, and only done 21,000 miles, so I wouldn't have expected anything to fail mechanically. 

 

Thoughts anyone?

[JD52]

If the car is still under warranty, get it to a dealer?

[scottishcammy]

It ran out in December mate.

[Huskoda]

Did you buy it privately or from a trader?

 

If its from a trader, you should have some form of warranty, especially over such a short time.

 

I also thought it would have the balance of the manufacturers 3 year warranty.

[scottishcammy]

Reading the Skoda service book, it says it's a 2 year warranty from new to be free of defects, and the paint is three years. The car was registered in Dec 2011 so looks like I'nm out on that one.

 

I got a gold warranty cover from warranty direct with the car from the trader (I bought the car when I was in London, but in Edinburgh now). Just going to give warranty direct a phone, but couldn't see any mention of AC in the what's covered list...

[scottishcammy]

Phoned warranty direct, very strange conversation, straight off the bat...

"Well sir, the general consensus is it's not covered"........

how do you mean the general consensus? Surely it's either covered or it's not?...

"Well it's not".

 

Hmmm. Do the engine revs normally dip a bit when you put the AC on in this car? As I say, it doesn't when I switch it 'on'. Just wondering if it's an electrical fault, like a fuse or something not getting power to the unit. Then again, I suppose the light wouldn't come on on the climatronic?

[Huskoda]

Is the front radiator badly stone damaged? That's the one for the air conditioning and what failed on mine. If it is, its unlikely to be covered by warranty.

 

Do you get a hissing/gurgling noise from the vents when its on? Mine did that when all the gas had escaped. No change to revs for me.

[scottishcammy]

Front rad seems fine mate. There's absolutely no noise at all when it goes on, no difference in anything, temp or sound.

[Huskoda]

Then it sounds like its not trying to turn it on. Fuses?

 

Back to the dealer, I'd say, though.

[JD52]

Very strange, as I thought that there was 3 years manufacturing warranty.

That's what I got when I had the dreaded cam chain tensioner fail 9 days before the cars' third birthday. The engine was replaced under warranty.

[john999boy]

I also think it's within the manufacturers three year warranty period.

[scottishcammy]

Thanks guys. I phoned westend Skoda in Edinburgh. Very friendly young guy on the phone, but wasn't sure how long the warranty is. He 'put me through' to the service dept (which I'm pretty sure consisted of him putting the phone on the table for a minute as no one from the service dept was available and the young guy just picked the phone up again) and asked if I could pop in tomorrow so they can take a look.

Ultimately, I'm still none the wiser if it's covered as he didn't know himself!

 

I'll maybe have a quick look and see if I can work out which fuse it is and try that on the off chance...

[dirk1978]

If you paid the right amount for it (it wasn't a trade sale etc) from a dealer then it doesn't matter how long warranty they give you, you still have your statutory rights.

 

You won't feel the revs drop when aircon calls as it's a clutchless variable compressor.

 

Mine seized and broke the safety on the compressor, causing no cooling with no other symptoms.

 

I'd speak direct to Skoda UK customer services if they slap you with a bill for £2000 for a replacement of the compressor, expansion valve, condenser, radiator. Or be asking the dealer you bought it from to pay for it.

 

Forget Warranty Direct. They're not worth a penny. They'll do anything they can to weasel out of any claim.

[scottishcammy]

I didn't buy it from a skoda dealer, it was an independent garage.

Just checked the fuse, they're all fine. Wondering if it's worth getting it recharged at kwik fit? 

Edited 16 April, 2014 by scottishcammy

[Its me]

As long as your car has been serviced as scheduled it's still under warranty. Take it to a Skoda dealers.........if however the condenser has stone damage, fairly likely, it won't be covered by warranty, in which case back to the guy you bought it from.

Regards all

Juan

Sent from my iPhone using my thumbs

Edited 16 April, 2014 by Its me

[Al_Bundy]

From my recent aircon woes I've learned the following:

 

Most likely causes of leakage of refrigerant are the condenser at the front (neatly placed to catch every stone on the road, and just the tiniest of punctures, too small to easily see, will mean no gas left before long) and the hp valves. The valves are a very cheap and quick fix, condenser less so as bumber etc has to come off (on pre fl at any rate) but still not too bad. In fact most parts of aircon system are fairly easy to replace unless it's the dreaded evaporator!!!

 

If the rest of the system is working properly you won't feel any dip in revs when you switch it on and maybe not even hear anything over noise of engine.

[Geordie John]

It might be worth checking the sensors for the air con. Mine was blowing cold all the time unless you put it on max. The dealer changed the sensors and it works fine now. It will only take the dealer a few minutes to check them.

[stu220]

We bought a 2003 100k mile Shogun last year and the AC packed up 3 weeks after we picked it up. Repaired under Sale of Goods Act as the fault could reasonably have been there when we bought it. Middle part of exhaust went within 6 week and they did that as well.

 

Skoda is 2 year manufacture warranty and the 3rd year is Skoda UK. They should fix it or supplying dealer, independent or not.

[FatblokeVRS]

Should be 3yr warranty. Call Skoda UK and see what they say.

[trundlenut]

There is a fairly common problem where the compressor breaks up internally and so it doesn't actually do anything despite the fact it turns OK. You can check the compressor with vcds to see what it is or isn't doing. If it has broken up then the drier needs to be replaced too, as bits of the compressor end up in it. There are two types of drier, one is built into the condenser (radiator) and one where it is a separate unit.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[gadgetman]

As above its 3 years warranty, paint and body work is 10years

[savemejebas]

I'm having the same problem, but if anything the revs seem to pick up a bit when I press the AC button. Going back to the dealer tomorrow, still under warranty fortunately. I'll report back with the cause

[scottishcammy]

Thanks guys 

[Paulvrs200]

If anyone is in the Kent area Caffyns tunbridge Wells and Ashford are doing a half price Aircon service at the moment for £34.50 had mine done in Ashford today mine had just lost some gas after 3.5 years nice and cold now!!

[scottishcammy]

Thought I'd give kwik fit a try before going to skoda, as it's free of it makes no difference. The chap said there was absolutely no refridgerant in it at all. They filled it and it works fine now, nice andcold. They said there were no leaks they could see. 

So, why would it be empty? Few hours after its been done and I can't see any leaks around it myself, but surely it can't be right that it was empty? 

 

Here's what I got back from kwik fit, doesn't mean much to me! 

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/xa2lc7dmiuy6zd7/IMAG0627.jpg

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/pjiykyirwnnrnuj/IMAG0629.jpg

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3rfpe7nfqp2dg9n/IMAG0628.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 17 April, 2014 by scottishcammy