Hi,

 

Please read this through as it could be separate problems..... or it could be linked!!??.......

 

My air-con has been acting strangely since it was re-gassed during a service last September.... Gurgling noises coming from the centre console and [lately] an odd [wet dog] smell.

 

Then, all of a sudden, the air-con stopped working last week.

 

My first idea was that all the gas had leaked out and the system just needed a refill. I had this checked and the system appears, if anything, to be overfull and the gauge was [just] in the red. I realise that this could be harmful to the components in the system and could contribute to component failure.

 

Doctor Google(!) was then consulted and I read of many a horror story involving 4-figure sums and new compressors etc.

 

Then, only yesterday my engine light came on and the display read "Emissions Workshop". I have access to a code reader via work and this was connected giving a code of 'P2108' and a description detailing the Throttle Actuator Sensor. This result was, in turn, 'googled' with the results suggesting my issue could be attributed to a dodgy Inlet Manifold Flap, which in turn blows a fan fuse, which in turn results in the A/C not working.

I've cleared the fault code and [as yet] it hasn't reappeared.

 

On my return home this evening I've checked ALL fuses in the car (in the RHS of the dash and at the side of the battery) and ALL fuses are intact. My battery fuse box is of the 'Version 2' type and does not appear to contain a fuse for the rad fans anyway.

 

All of this begs the following questions;

 

1, Does one (or both) fan(s) run when the A/C is operative? (I realise that the A/C is 'always on' with the climatronic system and there's no on/off switch on the system or clutch on the compressor)

2, What can cause the fan(s) not to run

3, Are all the symptoms given above linked, or do I have separate issues?

4, What's wrong with my A/C?

 

Be gentle with me.... although ive worked in engineering for over 30 years im a newbie with HVAC and messing about with electronically controlled cars..... give me a set of points anyday!!!

 

Thanks in anticipation

 

Rob.

if you hit the eco button it will disable air con.. so it should have a clutch..

Its not a clutch based system, its always running and varies the pumping via a swash plate.

 

The gurgling noise is the first sign you will get of the system failing, usually from being empty. On my Octavia refilling it did not make it work until the system was reset via VCDS as it disables itself if there is insufficient gas or another fault.

Its not a clutch based system, its always running and varies the pumping via a swash plate.

 

The gurgling noise is the first sign you will get of the system failing, usually from being empty. On my Octavia refilling it did not make it work until the system was reset via VCDS as it disables itself if there is insufficient gas or another fault.

 

I'm surprised by that. Mine suffered from a total loss of refrigerant on two occasions due to a holed condenser. Although it had error and shutoff codes stored, as soon as the leak was fixed and the refrigerant replaced the aircon was up and running again, without the codes being cleared.

As mentioned, the system appears to be gassed, however, I noticed that the system has 2 valves on 2 separate pipes at the front left of the engine bay and the guy only pressure checked one.

 

Do both ports need to be checked? Or should they both read the same?

Fans only run when warm click on and off. When mine went it was the condensor. If it is than an indy can fit a whole new one and pump for around the 400 mark. Mine did no threw up w code.

Hi fivejobrob

 I'm a similar background as you carwise. The gauge you used to test the pressure needs to read approx. 120psi. the pressure in the system should be about 100+psi.  If you used the one from Halfords for topping up AC,  it will show well into the red section,  that is normal for VAG motors. If you are not getting fault codes or cold air  it could be the valve in the compressor which can be changed very easily but the system needs to be emptied first and then refilled after fitting. A new valve (air conditioning compressor control valve) can be got from Poland at approx. £54.00. The valve gets jammed with small fillings/ pieces of metal . I had the same symptoms with no codes as you and changed the valve lying on my back in the drive. It made the system work but I think before I sold the car, the valve had jammed open and was working all the time even with it switched off.  Ideally I should have had the system  flushed out.  VAG recommend it . search in this forum for more info.

 

The wet dog smell is a build up off bacteria on the heater matrix which can be cured by a change of the pollen filter and a AC antibacterial spray which you let off in the car with the windows closed and the ac/heater at full blast which draws the spray through the matrix.

 

The fans didn't run before I changed the valve but did though not all the time after.

 

The two pipes are high pressure and low pressure pipes one from the compressor the other to the compressor, usually only the smaller diameter pipe is used for the pressure check.

Edited 9 July, 201411 yr by erindad

No solution, sorry, but mine has done/is doing the same thing. 

Regassed last July and started gurgling about 3 months later stopped working completly in March.

Went to local independant last month and was told they found it was low on gas but found no leeks so they regassed.  It's all working now but there is a slight gurgling coming from the system but only when the car is stationary.

Many thanks for your replies, much appreciated

Car now booked into local independent specialising in VAG cars who I've used before for servicing...... lets see what they find.

 

Will post any relevant results, it may help someone out!!

So, local independent garage checked out the A/C and they found only 40g of gas in the system as opposed to the 500ish grams there's supposed to be in there. Apparently even such a small amount of gas will give a good pressure reading and the fact that there was at least some gas in the system suggests (according to them) that there isn't a leak (so quite where the gas went is a mystery!)

 

Anyway, they re-gassed the system but, alas, it still didn't work.... the compressor had failed due (or so they first thought) to the lack of gas.

 

New compressor fitted (Denso I think - £280 plus fitting). On completion they noticed the drive belt was noisy and something squeaking and they found the Alternator Pulley Clutch had failed and this had very probably been the root cause of the compressor's failure ("the clutch prevents the belt turning the wrong way on engine shut down - running the compressor, even momentarily, backwards will cause it to fail").

New Pulley fitted and everything working

 

The P2108 code was indeed the Intake Manifold Flap Motor and they offered to fix this for the princely sum of a further £430 which I declined on account of there being no re-occurance of the fault. I'll cross that bridge when (and if) I get to it.

 

All in all it cost me £530 including parts and labour to get the A/C fixed. A reasonable price to pay I thought after reading some horror stories both here and elsewhere.

 

RD Garage Services, Chertsey Road, Shepperton, Middx. Highly recommended :clap:

 

Thanks again for your comments.