Hi all, Back again! My 03 plate fabia tdi has had this problem since I bought it back in november. On a journey the climate control only wants to blow hot unless you put the temp dial to the coldest setting, of which you have to wait for a good 5 mins for it to blow cold, but if you want some heat again and you will have to wait no more than 10 seconds! In addition to this, the air recirculation button only works when it wants to! Now, I have in stock a second hand control panel for this car, is it worth a try or does anyone think it is something else? I have been told that these, like the fords, have a stepper motor under the bonnet that will affect this. Has anyone had any problems with these, or could this be the problem? It is possible.

Any help would be superb!

Thanks all!

Craig!

I have exactly the same problem on my VRS, I just spent yesterday afternoon stripping the dash board and removing the heater flaps motor - the problem still persists. So i've ordered a new heater control unit & i'll hopefully get this swopped over next weekend!

Don't hold your breath mate! I swapped the heater controls today for a set I know works, that I had in stock. It's still the same! I'm going to see if someone has a computer that could re-program the climate control system and reset the controls and various motors!

Edited 8 January, 201214 yr by wig

Don't hold your breath mate! I swapped the heater controls today for a set I know works, that I had in stock. It's still the same! I'm going to see if someone has a computer that could re-program the climate control system and reset the controls and various motors!

If it's a climatronic, you can reset the flap motor reference positions without VCDS.

Turn the ignition on but do not start the engine.

Simultaneously press and hold the ECON button and the bottom left airflow button (IIRC, it's the one that sends air to the face vents).

After a few seconds, you will hear all the flaps move from limit to limit.

Hi all, Back again! My 03 plate fabia tdi has had this problem since I bought it back in november. On a journey the climate control only wants to blow hot unless you put the temp dial to the coldest setting, of which you have to wait for a good 5 mins for it to blow cold, but if you want some heat again and you will have to wait no more than 10 seconds! In addition to this, the air recirculation button only works when it wants to! Now, I have in stock a second hand control panel for this car, is it worth a try or does anyone think it is something else? I have been told that these, like the fords, have a stepper motor under the bonnet that will affect this. Has anyone had any problems with these, or could this be the problem? It is possible.

Any help would be superb!

Thanks all!

Craig!

Hi my 52 plate 1.9tdi estate had this prob. Most likely the motor assy on side heater box. Pain to get at not expensive around £20 depending on supplier. Also clean all controls on panel with switch cleaner.Its not the actual motor but the variable resistors built into the motor assembly that get dirty and cause intermittent or no operarion. If you not a reasonable DIY mech suggest you get someone to do it as it involves dismantling the dash etc to get at it, thats the motor assy and the trim panel around the bottom of console easily cracked. You can find posts with pictures on briskoda.

Changed my control unit today - seems to be working!!! fingers crossed

Hi All, I have had this problem on the wifes Fabia and its the flap motors, the air recirculate one is behind the glovebox on the nearside, and the temp motor is behind the glovebox again but on the side of the centre console behind a small duct and a bit more awkward to get too. cheers - Stuart

Changed my control unit today - seems to be working!!! fingers crossed

which part is the control unit?

Ive changed both the flap motor & the dashboard control unit. (with the 3 dials)

To change the heater flaps motor took 11 minutes and didnt even have to remove the glovebox. Just the 1 piece of velcro'd in piece of trim. hand up, unclip wiring plug, unclip basket, remove basket and motor, swop and refit. easy. But it still did the same after a while, full hot or full cold. But with the new dash control unit now in it seems to be working when I have it set half way now too, my old man said it could be the temp sensor on the control unit thats knackered. the small black unit that sits behind one of the vents - its part of the heater control switches unit.

I'll keep you informed if it starts being an arse again!

Ive changed both the flap motor & the dashboard control unit. (with the 3 dials)

To change the heater flaps motor took 11 minutes and didnt even have to remove the glovebox. Just the 1 piece of velcro'd in piece of trim. hand up, unclip wiring plug, unclip basket, remove basket and motor, swop and refit. easy. But it still did the same after a while, full hot or full cold. But with the new dash control unit now in it seems to be working when I have it set half way now too, my old man said it could be the temp sensor on the control unit thats knackered. the small black unit that sits behind one of the vents - its part of the heater control switches unit.

I'll keep you informed if it starts being an arse again!

Out of interest did you buy new or used, and if you don't mind me asking how much did you pay for it?

Cheers

Both parts were ebay specials - control panel inc fascia and dials was £24 delivered. The heater flaps motor was meant to be used, but it arrived in a vag box, sealed in plastic with an invoice pushed inside the box and a credit card receipt for £104 - paid £17 for it.

Everything seems to still be working - it moves from hot cold and back, stops in the middle. Seems to be ok. will keep all informed

You think it's just a dodgy temp sensor in the control unit? Or is there more to it?

I have had a chat with a Skoda dealer - he said the earlier ones are mainly due to either the flap motor or its the little black temp sensor in the control unit. the arse is you can test them!!

Finally got it sorted, you will never guess what it was! I put it on a friends Launch diagnostics system and it found 9 faults all to do with different actuators and motors that had somehow come out of sync with each other! Cleared the codes and hey presto, it's fine now! All that work for something that was sorted in seconds!

So, there you go, if your heater controls act up, just leave the screw drivers alone and plug it into a computer first!

JOB DONE!!!!!! Hurrah!

Thanks for all your input everyone!

Craig!

Ive changed both the flap motor & the dashboard control unit. (with the 3 dials)

To change the heater flaps motor took 11 minutes and didnt even have to remove the glovebox. Just the 1 piece of velcro'd in piece of trim. hand up, unclip wiring plug, unclip basket, remove basket and motor, swop and refit. easy.

How do you "unclip" the basket as I've been trying for ages and it won't move.

I honestly cant remember - its been be having since then!

How do you "unclip" the basket as I've been trying for ages and it won't move.

I dismantled mine this weekend - didn't replace but cleaned and freed up.

The basket is held by two points where plastic points insert into a hole they can rotate freely in (key in a lock style) and one clip on the bottom right edge (edge closest to the front of the dash).

When looking up from the footwell of the car at the motor, there is a little plastic tab sticking out on the bottom of the bottom right corner. Squeeze this into the basket and pull off (it functions like a peg) and then the basket will rotate freely around the two key'n'lock bits. Simply wiggle it free. Refitting is the reverse but you have to line up the cogs. Make sure the motor is set to full cold, and the heater flap will be at its lowest point. Connect the motor back in and move it round one cog at a time until it operates freely.

Thanks Oli, will have a go and see how we get on

No worries - will try and post some pictures later to clarify.

I dismantled my entire centre dash to get at it, but now I know how to do it I will only be removing glovebox and centre console trim in future! The only advantage of removing the whole centre dash is you can get more light on it!