Aircon not working

[meaty101]

Cheers mate...will try changing that first...just need to go and get a 17mm crow foot spanner now !!!

No problem. Just one favour though, if you do change it post back and let us know if it's improved a/c temp. I won't be ordering one til July.

[phillip]

Am still wondering about the constantly fluctuating ambient temp. readout though, it can vary anywhere between -22 and +15 within the space of a few minutes, and I can't see how changing the above sensor would have any effect on that ??

[meaty101]

Am still wondering about the constantly fluctuating ambient temp. readout though, it can vary anywhere between -22 and +15 within the space of a few minutes, and I can't see how changing the above sensor would have any effect on that ??

I agree. There is a problem with either the wiring or the sensor itself. Did you say that's been replaced?

[phillip]

Yep....changed it twice but not made any difference :(

 

I have been told that there may be another one, possibly behind the dashboard/glovebox ???

Edited 26 June, 2015 by phillip

[pikpilot]

Yep....changed it twice but not made any difference :(

 

I have been told that there may be another one, possibly behind the dashboard/glovebox ???

You have proved the external air temp sensor by the front bumper is not at fault (changed twice) but not done anything about the external air temperature sensor inside the climatronic unit. This is probably the one giving the erroneous dashboard display too.

Have a look on you tube and see if there is a video showing how to change the sensor. This is how I found where it is located on a MK 1 Octavia climate control unit.

[phillip]

Pikpilot...thanks for the reply buddy, been trying for ages on here for someone to give this sort of advice as I have no idea where to look ???

 

Can't see anything on you tube...any ideas where the sensor might be ??

Edited 26 June, 2015 by phillip

[phillip]

I'm not clued up on aircon, mine is rubbish too so we're in the same boat here. You mentioned in your first post your brother in law had serviced the system but it wasn't very cold. Mine is ok and this may be quite normal for these but it's not freezing cold like i think it should be. If he's serviced it for you he will have regassed the system so i would have thought the pressure would be higher than the system says. It might be a faulty pressure sensor but you don't want to go down the route of throwing money at it blindly. I got into the climate settings yesterday following the link and mine was reading 12bar pressure and mine has just been regassed last week. A few people on here have mentioned poor air con temp and after changing the pressure sensor all was well again. So I'll be doing that soon as I'm fairly certain the compressor is fine.

 

Just priced a replacement up at Andrew Pages, and the cheapest I can get is a Valeo one at £26, but in light of the temp. display issue, I am somewhat reluctant to fork out for a replacement one (and specialist spanner to change it !!), when I am not convinced that this will cure it.

[pikpilot]

Pikpilot...thanks for the reply buddy, been trying for ages on here for someone to give this sort of advice as I have no idea where to look ???

 

Can't see anything on you tube...any ideas where the sensor might be ??

 

I found some information but was only valid for cars built up to May 2005. Looking at the other makes that use the same unit, the sensor is in the input air stream before the flap valves but I could not find the specifics for the Octy 2. 

 

I wonder if anyone on here knows how to run the diagnostic routine which reports faults on sensors, flaps etc, rather than the "diagnostic" button presses that report values.

Edited 26 June, 2015 by pikpilot

[phillip]

Cheers mate....can anyone assist with this ???

[meaty101]

Just priced a replacement up at Andrew Pages, and the cheapest I can get is a Valeo one at £26, but in light of the temp. display issue, I am somewhat reluctant to fork out for a replacement one (and specialist spanner to change it !!), when I am not convinced that this will cure it.

No i don't blame you for doing that buddy i was just giving you some other possible reasons for your fault. With the crazy fluctuation in temperature readings your seeing i would also be looking for the other sensor ( if there is 2 ). My temp reading is fine everything seems fine other than a/c that isn't very cold. Compressor was changed 2 years ago I've just had it regassed so i think I'll try a pressure sensor.

[phillip]

Cheers guys...does anyone know if there is a second sensor, and where it may be ??

[phillip]

I found some information but was only valid for cars built up to May 2005. Looking at the other makes that use the same unit, the sensor is in the input air stream before the flap valves but I could not find the specifics for the Octy 2. 

 

I wonder if anyone on here knows how to run the diagnostic routine which reports faults on sensors, flaps etc, rather than the "diagnostic" button presses that report values.

 

 

Come on guys, they're forecasting a heatwave this week, and without my aircon, I will be melting   

[phillip]

Just found this on another thread...

 

http://s236.photobucket.com/user/m_maybury/media/Page%203.jpg.html

 

 

I am guessing that the elusive sensor is the one at "G56 - Dash panel temp. sensor" ??, but looking at that diagram, it may be incorporated within  "J301 - Airconditioning Control Unit" ??

 

Can anyone tell me where this is located please ???

[phillip]

Come on guys...someone must know about aircon ???

[mattvrestate]

Sorry i forgot about the pm you sent. The diagram i posted was a mk2 octy facelift with Climatronics. Is yours pfl or fl and has it got climatronics? It sounds to me as if you have a wiring issue between the ambient temp sensor (lower grill front bumper) and the A/C c.unit. the chances are you may have a wire or 2 that could be trapped or rubbed. This can happen when the front end has been taken off + refit or even just the bumper. I would be testing the wires at the sensor 1st + checking the loom aswell if you let me know if yours has Climatronic + if its PFL or FL and I will let you know if it has another ambient temp sensor + where it is

[phillip]

Cheers matt...its a pre-fl and does have climatronics and as far as I know the front bumper has never been off.

Edited 30 June, 2015 by phillip

[mattvrestate]

Inside the car you have 5 additional temp sensors for the climatronics.

G150 Vent temp sender left (inside the left vent)

G151 Vent temp sender right (inside right vent)

G56 Dash panel temp sender (part of Climatronics C.unit J255)

G261 Vent temp sender left footwell (left footwell vent)

G262 Vent temp sender right footwell (right footwell vent)

When you plug in VCDS you should get a fault in a specific temp sender G.... if it is G17 then it is the Ambient temp sender at the bumper/ wiring at fault. You need to take the car to a specialist/ dealer because replacing sensors over + over will not fix your fault. Although if you have been fitting non-gen cheap sensors then this could be your problem. Non-gen parts can be ok but when it comes to electrical items like sensors etc ALWAYS buy genuine because I have seen so many "same as genuine" electrical sensors either last a week or dont work from the start

[phillip]

Sent you a PM mate.

[phillip]

UPDATE....been to a local Indy VW specialist this morning and it would appear that I DO have the dreaded "centre bolt problem" after all. I obviously didn't look properly when I checked it as the bolt is sticking out about 5mm ish 

 

I am conversing with Mattvrestate by pm on how to fix this, but if it does need a new compressor, both Andrew Pages and Europarts are quoting £220 for a replacement, and Skoda are quoting £486 !!!!!.

I am told that there are two different types of compressor (one has a D-shaped connector on the back ????), how easy is it to identify which I have ??

 

 

I have ordered another Ambient Temp. Sensor (genuine Skoda one this time though at £17) to see if that cures the Temp. Display issue.

Edited 3 July, 2015 by phillip

[Jelibeli]

I had a new clutchless compressor, condenser, drive belt and re-gas all for £578 fitted - condenser and belt were fitted, then a re-gas & leak check to find the leaky condenser, then the new condenser & a second re-gas.  Although I didn't buy it, the compressor was available online for a little over £200 (genuine) or a little less for a pattern part.  The condenser (including receiver/dryer) was available for just over £100.  Have a hunt around online, there are better prices around than those for genuine parts.

[phillip]

UPDATE.....I AM COOL  ....no I don't mean I've suddenly become a trendy type......I mean I now have working aircon again !!!

 

Huge thanks to MATTVRESTATE who whipped the inner wheel arch liner off and managed to nip-up the offending centre bolt with his ratchet gun yesterday, and hey presto, the AIRCON now works again :clap:  :clap: .

 

Regarding the erratic temp. display...I did replace the external temp sensor for a genuine Skoda one too, but that doesn't appear to have made any difference, as it was reading -22 degrees earlier this morning, and despite Matt's best efforts again this morning, we have been unable to pin-point exactly what is causing this. He checked the wiring and that is okay, so says that it is going to be either a problem with the instrument cluster, or the Climatronics unit itself, but my AIRCON still seems to work regardless of the temp. readout on the dashboard, so I can live with that.

 

MATT you are a top geezer....thanks again

[meaty101]

Glad it's sorted buddy. Its always nice when you fix potentially expensive faults for virtually nothing. So will the bolt come back out again do you know?

[phillip]

Hopefully not...apparently you can secure them with Loctite but he had run out unfortunately, but if it comes loose again, it won't be for long   .

 

Thanks for everyone's input on this one :clap:

Edited 6 July, 2015 by phillip

[phillip]

It has now been 2 days since Matt checked the wiring and for whatever reason the temp. display issue has disappeared. It is now reading the correct ambient temperature without fluctuating at all, so fingers crossed, it was just a dry joint or something similar....well happy...thanks again Matt

[mattvrestate]

It has now been 2 days since Matt checked the wiring and for whatever reason the temp. display issue has disappeared. It is now reading the correct ambient temperature without fluctuating at all, so fingers crossed, it was just a dry joint or something similar....well happy...thanks again Matt

Awesome m8 glad to help

Iv never had an A/C compressor bolt come back out + the only 1 I've used Loctite on was my own because the bolt was missing not loose.

Could have been a loose connection into the back of the dash? Maybe sorted it when I disconnected + reconnected the dash panel? I was going to check the voltage going to my ambient temp sensor to compare but its been on + off weather so I've not got round to it yet

Edited 7 July, 2015 by mattvrestate