I have recently changed to a 07 Skoda Fabia 3 with the 1.9Tdi engine, from my Skoda Octavia. A few niggles after purchasing the Fabia aside from this one, which I guess can be expected, and I have had it back to the Skoda dealer under warranty now twice in a month.

A wierd problem / maybe the way it works but seems odd to me although Im not used to climate control, is when it is set to ECON and Lo. My understanding is that this is when you can adjust the speed yourself and not use the air con. The fan speed on mine went up and down a heck of a lot in one minute. My father and I couldn't believe it - the fan speed went to 3 on its own, then to 2 then 1 - back up to 2, down to 1, and up to 3 and so on, changing continually on its own for a minute or so. Is this right? I have been advised it is!

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Its a characterstic of the fabia cc unit.The software is very poor and I have a constant battle fighting the unit over fan speed. I had mine replaced under warranty but the replacement was the same. In winter the unit constantly ramps up to blow a gale and in summer the opposite. The speed control is too sensitive and the fan is noisy, speed 1 is too fast and the stupid software likes to display Econ and Auto together. Basically a very poor design.

Thanks for your reply. Do you think it is worth making an issue with the dealer and getting it changed, or do you think its pointless? Im beginning to regret not researching the Fabia a bit more before purchasing it! I thought following my excellent Mk1 Octavia that I had for four years, the build quality would only get better!

Hi, when you put Econ on if Auto is still showing it will alter fan speed itself it will try and reach desired temperature just without using AC in econ mode. You need to turn the fan speed knob as well as putting it in econ so that auto disappears from screen then it should be in manual mode thats how all climate control systems I've used seem to work and certainly on Face lift model but sure it was the same on roomster with old stile climate control that I used once.

when it is set to ECON and Lo. My understanding is that this is when you can adjust the speed yourself and not use the air con

Setting the temp to LO means keep the air as cold as you can. Having ECON on means cycle the compressor as much as you can to save fuel.

To get manual control turn off the AUTO function then you can set the air direction and fan speed yourself. If AUTO is on the climate computers will be adjusting the settings for you.

Thanks for the replies. So my understanding is when it is set to ECON and LO (no AUTO) it should not adjust on its own. The problem I have had is that it changes on its own when I don't want it to! I don't use AUTO at all to be honest, as I want to try and get as much MPG as I can.

Leave the system on Auto and let it manage itself, the difference in MPG is almost unmeasurable.

The problems you are having are down to a misunderstanding of how the Fabia climate control works. LO and ECON will run the fans at maximum speed, whilst forever trying to cool the interior. HI and ECON will run the fans on maximum speed and maximum heat. The system from your description is functioning as intended.

Thanks for the clarification Manny. I will give that a go when I get it back from the garage.

I'm afraid there is a lot of misinformation here about the fabia cc unit. I have one fitted (plus a replacement to check) and the fan speed does change by itself in AUTO and ECON mode. The AUTO and ECON icons will both come on when you select ECON and a fan speed that the cc unit likes which is either speed 3 or 4 (moderate gale force).

Its a crap design .....

Edited 19 June, 201214 yr by xman

Cheers for the reply. It does seem quite confusing. I had a chat with a Skoda tech today and he said that it will increase speed when reversing, as the fresh air flap shuts whilst you reverse to stop the fumes getting in the car! Clever or what! I was quite impressed although it does add more confusion to the use of it. I will see how I get on when I get it back.

Yeah it will recirculate it does that even with the normal ac newer golfs even do this when you wash the windscreen to stop fumes coming in the cabin. Basically in terms of fan speed any time that auto is shown it will change itself as it is trying to regulate temperature to what parameters your setting. When in Econ try adjusting fan speed manually and it should take auto off the screen and therefore not adjust fan speed by itself.

The Climatronic system in the current models is generally pretty good, with almost infinitly variable fan speed control under auto mode (it could be 256 levels like in the version in the Octavia Mk,I) and has a sunshine sensor on top of the dash, so accounts for solar heat gain. The more basic twisty-knob types .... YMMV.

ECON on the climatronic at least disables the compressor so the system can't cool incoming air (I read somewhere it remains running at 5% to keep the refrigerant circulating through the system, to prevent the flexible joint seals drying out, but 5% wouldn't provide any meaningful cooling effect).

Hi my fabia is fitted with cc, when it is set to 18 degrees (not auto) the fan speed starts from 3 or 4 but after a few minutes it becomes 1, but the outside temp was around 34 or 36 degrees. I think that speed 1 is not enough for that a temp between 34 or 36 degrees, is this normal please?