This summer I had the aircon gas topped up in readiness for a trip to warmer climes.

3 weeks later, there was no cold air coming through, took the car to a local Skoda dealer who ran a check found no leaks; topped up the gas again.

On return to the UK 2 weeks later, again no cold air.

More checks by my Skoda dealer who again didn't find any leaks but came to the conclusion, that it must be a sensor located behind the dashboard.

To cut a long story short, the sensor is a relatively minor cost, but they want the car for 3 days to remove the entire dashboard in order to change the sensor and £1300 labour!

I find it hard to believe that a manufacturer would place a sensor or any other component in such a location requiring this much work.

Can this be true, or this a discouraging way of telling someone they don't want the work?

If such a sensor is located there, surely this can be accessed from the engine compartment !?

Does anyone know what this sensor is, or how it can accessed, or an approx guideline of cost?

Take the car to an independant A/C specialist.

Gain a second opinion.

With this information take the car back to the Skoda dealer and play holy hell. Ask for a refund for the work done-to-date.

Go back to the specialist and get them to fix the real issue.

£1,300? Someone in the dealer needs their face slapping with a wet fish.

Sorry I can't help you with the sensor but from what you've said I'd have lost all confidence in the dealer.

There are 2 sensors plugged into the air ducts right behind the top centre storage box (where hazard switch is). Remove the box (prise it up from the bottom with a plastic trim removal tool, or a plastic ruler end) and double-check they're both in securely first.

Thank you for all the advice.

There is no way on this earth, this life or the next that I would pay £1300 labour to replace a part that's costs £30 (if I remember correctly); thus I never commissioned the work.

As for the dealer, I think it's time for them to find a new customer; maybe the next customer will have the golden egg they're looking for !

Thank you all once again.

As said above there is a sensor in the dash if you take the centre tray out ontop of the dash it should be in there, i fitted an ipod connection and accidentally knocked this out couldn't work out why it wasn't cold when i had the aircon on now its back in its holder all is fine.

£1,300 is absurd.

All I can assume is that they think they may need to replace the evaporator.

Ask them point blank what they think the problem is/what they intend to replace. If they are not sure then - RUN!

If it's the evaporator temp sensor, then that's one of the easiest sensor to change (30 minutes). IIRC, the book time for the most difficult sensor is less than 4 hours.

I have prized off the storage box using two flat paint scrapers and using a screwdriver between the two to prise off the box without damaging the plastic. Under the box there are indeed two sensors - but what is their purpose? . It would be best to remove the hazard warning connector to release the box completely - it is not obvious how to release it. The white sensor carrier can be made to revolve easily but I have not yet succeeding in pulling it out. There looks to be a danger of dropping the connector and it might not be easy to recover it or reconnect to a new sensor.

There are 3 pictures. A general one showing the top box propped up with a torch. One white sensor can be see protruding from behind the RH horn. A tiny bit of the other sensor can be seen behind the LH horn beside the white plastic rotor.  I should like advice on how to remove the connectors and the sensors.

I have googled the problem some more and I do not believe that either of the 2 sensors that I described above are the evaporator sensor. They are more likely to be sensing output temperature.  Other google posts suggest that it is indeed difficult to get at the evaporator sensor without removing the dash.

 

See http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?4542-Sensor-for-Evaporator-Outlet-Temperature

Edited 5 July, 20169 yr by Norman Willcox

The vent temperature sensor in the near side air vent is also a sub £30 part but needs the dash out to replace it. Luckily, my first one was a warranty job and an administrative mistake by the garage meant the second one (different car) only cost me an hour's labour!

I need to replace my evaporator temp sensor in Skoda octavia 2008, where is the location of that sensor and does it require the removal of the dashboard?

Please advise:)

Picoman - Did you find where the evaporator temp sensor is? I believe it is not under the storage box (and hazard warning switch) as has been mentioned. Did you find how much has to be removed for access?  I am considering replacing the High pressure sensor G35 as it has cured aircon problems for some people and is known to be unreliable. This is a gadget which sends back Pulse-Width-Modulation signals to the controller - needing an oscilloscope and tech data for diagnosis. It costs about 57quid, but cheaper ones can be found on Ebay.

Picoman - Here is a link to useful information about the evap temperature sensor. http://www.audi-portal.com/en/diagnostic/sensors_17055.html This was posted in another Briskoda post:-You may be able to test the G263 sensor by checking the termination points of the 2 wires from the sensor. It means removing the climate panel and disconnecting the multi pin plugs but its a lot easier than pulling the dash out. (Which I did on my car and luckily it was the sensor which had failed)
grey / red wire from G263 sensor runs to terminal B15 on the climate control panel.
green wire (earth) from sensor links into terminal B5 on the CC panel.

The evap sensor wiring info may not be correct for the Octavia - it came from an Audi forum. I have removed my climatic controller from the dash and the grey/red and green wires do not go to B15 and B5.  Assuming the colour coding is still correct they seem to go to B8 and B2 respectively. The resistance reading for my cores is almost 15k ohms - well outside of the expected range.  Does this mean anything for me - I don't know!

Edited 26 March, 20179 yr by Norman Willcox
error in posting