oldstan

Ta for that. So, in effect, you're saying it would need to go back to the main dealer rather than take it to the independant I mentioned ? I don't have access to anything specific, nor do I have the experience/knowledge to use it even if I did. Or are you thinking it needs to go to an air con specialist? - or maybe a vehicle electrics specialist?

If it helps to narrow it down - I would say that the problem affects both sides (passenger and driver) rather than being one side only.

Very much obliged for that. It rather accords with what the lad at my independant garage said insofar as he' need to plug his computer in to see if he could find the problem. When he says that do we assume it's his standard diagnostic tool that he would use, rather than a VAG specific instument? Initially it sounded a bit vague and I wasn't sure if he was just giving me a non-comittal answer ... he didn't actually sound all that enthusiastic about the whole affair.

Again I say thanks to the above - really helpful. Do we know where the sensor is though?

Does this tell us if I have plain, manual air con, or a posher, automatic aircon?

Yes, it is.

Both the above really useful. I'm assuming I have Climatronic simply because the screen says so. however I did think that Climatronic was full, automatic air con. My screen does say Climatronic but I rather thought I had plain old manual air con. It's only an SE model. ----------- Scotwall - any idea where that air sensor is physically located? I could live with £26 plus and hours labour but can't face someone pulling the dash out. I'd be frightened it would squeak or rattle and half the controls wold stop working (maybe that's a bit pessimistic?)

That sounds sensible. I don't know where it is either but presumably it's within/behind the switchgear.

Ta, I'll put it on there now and if it contravenes any rules I imagine a Mod will let me know.

Noticed it last winter but ignored it ... but it's still doing it ... when you adjust the temperature dial from cold to hot it used to gradually and evenly increase the temperature of the air coming from the vents (both the cabin vents and the face level vents. But now, as you turn the dial round to increase the temperature it doesn't get properly warm until you're well into the HOT zone ... far more so than it used to when it was working correctly. For example, when it indicates, say, 22 degrees on the display it's still blowing virtually cold - it needs to be turned up higher before you get a respectable amount of heat . Is this something obvious that people have seen before, or does it mean a strip down and replacement parts? The car is now 9 years old. The coolant level is OK and my local independant was a bit vague and just said he'd have to hook it up to his computer and didn't hazard any guesses re. what it could be but said if it was the matrix it would be a major job. At this age I start to wonder if it's a viable proposition to spend many hundreds of pounds on it. Ta.

Is it possible to open this to one of the other, more general, forums? Maybe something like "Handy Topics and Guides"?

Update to above. Carried our the procedure - no different. It only really gets hot if the temp dial is set to max. Anything less results in tepid or cool air. Just showed it to my local independant and he said they'd have to connect a computer to it and he didn't hazard a guess as to to what it could be. He did say if it was the heater matrix it would take "hours and hours". Don't think I fancy that.

Ah - certainly not familiar with that - wouldn't have known about it if you'd not mentioned it. Will give it a go. Ta. No water leaks or anything obviously amiss.

Noticed it last winter but ignored it ... but it's still doing it ... when you adjust the temperature dial from cold to hot it used to gradually and evenly increase the temperature of the air coming from the vents (both the cabin vents and the face level vents. But now, as you turn the dial round to increase the temperature it doesn't get properly warm until you're well into the HOT zone ... far more so than it used to when it was working correctly. For example, when it indicates, say, 22 degrees on the display it's still blowing virtually cold - it needs to be turned up higher before you get a respectable amount of heat . Is this something obvious that people have seen before, or does it mean a strip down and replacement parts? The car is now 9 years old. Ta.