Air Con has suddenly stopped working - Need help trying to find cause.

[Chris Berry]

Drove back from work on Friday & noticed that the air con wasnt blowing cold air. If was working fine the day before (as well as the Fabia air con works!).

The AC light comes on when I press the switch but theres no change in temperature. I've opened the bonnet & checked the fan for the air con (the smaller one on the left as you look in) & its not spinning when the air con is on.

At first I thought it could be a fuse, but there doesnt seem to be a seperate fuse for the air con, only for the heater/blower & thats ok.

So, has anyone got an ideas what could have caused the air con to just stop?

Thanks.

Edited 23 June, 2013 by Chris Berry

[Tech1e]

Many things, needs some proper diagnosis.

Compressor failure

Low gas

Wiring issue

Faulty expansion valve

Temp flap motor issue

[CL53 VRS]

Is there an issue with the temp flaps? Sometimes I turn mine from hot to cold and no difference but a few attempts and it will do it???

[Chris Berry]

Tech1e, do you do problem solving like this on Fabias? (I know you do the retro fitting of cruise control & didnt you use to work at Unit 18?)

I only live about 2 miles away & I'll be happy to pass on a few notes (£) it you're willing to take a look for me?

Thanks.

Edited 23 June, 2013 by Chris Berry

[Tech1e]

Tech1e, do you do problem solving like this on Fabias? (I know you do the retro fitting of cruise control & didnt you use to work at Unit 18?)

I only live about 2 miles away & I'll be happy to pass on a few notes (£) it you're willing to take a look for me?

Thanks.

I started Unit18 with Ali before moving away to not so sunny Worcestershire.

Sadly I don't have an air con machine which is needed to do the basic checks as well as gassing/degassing.

[Chris Berry]

Ok, no problem. Any recomendations on a good garage in the area that might be able to do some checks? Dont really want to use the Skoda garage in Powick as I've had bad experiences with them.

[Tech1e]

Really? I used to work there..lol

[Chris Berry]

They really over charged me for a simple job & when I was in the market for a VRS the sales man was a complete tit!

[JoshH]

Many things, needs some proper diagnosis.

Compressor failure

Low gas

Wiring issue

Faulty expansion valve

Temp flap motor issue

Can recirc flap motor cause it too Ross? That's the only error binging up on mine, as soon as its clear it comes back, limits exceeded or something along those lines.

[Tech1e]

They really over charged me for a simple job & when I was in the market for a VRS the sales man was a complete tit!

Agree on both comments, hence I used to work there..lol

[Tech1e]

Can recirc flap motor cause it too Ross? That's the only error binging up on mine, as soon as its clear it comes back, limits exceeded or something along those lines.

No, that only shut off outside air.

[Chris Berry]

So I guessing then its not a fuse issue as the air blower works as well as the ac light comes on?

Might see if there's power getting to the compressor by seeing if there's a voltage across the red and black wiring.

[rossa123]

I had this problem in a standard 1.9TDi - the first guy diagnosed a faulty compressor so changed it but the problem remained - eventually uncovered a broken/damaged wire under the battery housing that was causing a short to the compressor - worth a look !?

[Chris Berry]

hmmm interesting - I had the battery housing out to sort out the 'common' starter motor wire break only 2 months ago. Is the standard 1.9TDI the same as the VRS engine layout wise?

[rossa123]

I wouldn't like to say that the wiring layout is the same - fortunately I haven't had to look at the SE - hopefully someone will come along here and answer the question - good luck

[PastyBoy]

I'd point fingers at the air con compressor.

I took mine over to some guys in Gloucester who were really helpful.

plugged in his machine and the conversation went like this

"ok start youe engine and switch the AC on"

which I did

"go on then switch it on"

"it is on"

"ah then it's f*cked"

While the belt was turning the pulley, the internal clutch in the compressor that engages the pulley to drive the compressor had sharted itself.

start the engine

leave the aircon off and have a peer down the left hand side of the engine where the aux belt is and see which bit/bits of the bottom pulley are turning

turn the AC on and see if it changes.

[Tech1e]

The Fabia doesnt have a magnetic coupling on it.

[PastyBoy]

Google images did drag that out of a previous briskoda Fabia thread - hither - but was the best image i could find of the right place to be looking; the arrows were already there

[Chris Berry]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I had a look this weekend with my old man. There seems to be absolutely no change to the engine revs or pully wheels to the compressor when the AC is switched on. The air fan at the front doesnt start to spin when the AC is on. The pully wheel on the compressor is spinning freely & not jammed.

It looks like a power issue? Like I said, I'm gonna jack it up & see if theres a voltage over the red/black wires that go into the compressor.

[luke90_vrs]

I had similar problems to you and a re gas fixed them. If the system is low on gas the compressor and fans will not cut in.

[Chris Berry]

ok - thanks for that, another thing to consider!!

btw - did your AC just stop working all of a sudden or was it a gradual thing? Mine seemed fine the day before, then the next day it just stopped (didnt come one)

[luke90_vrs]

Mine just stopped, wasent gradual.

[Tech1e]

If its got a slow leak then it will just stop when the switch cuts it out.

[andyvee]

Out of interest, how do you diagnose a faulty TXV Tech1e?

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 4 Beta

[Chris Berry]

Does anyone know if removing the High Pressure sensor will 'degas' the system? or can it be changed without 'de-gassing' & 're-gassing'

 

I have a hunch that it could be High Pressure sensor that has failed & its a lot cheaper to replace that than replacing the compressor!!!