Thank you!

I have just received a post card from the dealer I bought my Yeti from saying that :

"It looks like your SKODA's air conditioning system is due for it's annual service. But don't sweat it, we can take of it for you."

It sounds a bit unusual to me and a bit like an attempt to generate more income for the dealer. Has anyone else had a similar missive?

 

My car is coming up to 2 years old and I didn't get this "annual" reminder last year.

 

Fred

 

I had the same I declined when its broken I will get it fixed 

Edited 8 March, 201610 yr by RS939

As I said why not apply that to everything. Sod changing the oil, car still brakes so don't bother changing the fluid, still moves up the road so why bother checking or servicing anything at all.

The point is these are all 'service items' and part of the cars service schedule as per the list of work required in the service book and maintaining the warranty. Air con gas isn't, to my knowledge listed in the servicing schedule.

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Enlighten me, if asking what good does running an unused air con system for 5 minutes a month do I'd guess at electronics engineer.

If he looked he would see I was talking about my Skoda Fabia which most definitely has a clutch.

Have a look at your AC compressor, if it has a clutch where is the electrical connection for the clutch? You will be looking for a while.

I was under the impression it's always 'on' just not blowing cold

That shows your knowledge of car air-con.

Actually I think you'll find it does...

But as I said, the system is always on, it's always circulating. The compressor is constantly driven, it doesn't have a clutch on it.

As it seems from others comments you are an expert on the subject could you please enlighten us to the difference the on off button makes to the running of the Climate Control system as fitted to the Yeti so we could then make an informed decision on running the system?

The air con on my 1.4 16v Fabia sapped so much power it was dangerous pulling out of a junction with it on.

I was under the impression it's always 'on' just not blowing cold

One of the benefits of climate control is supposed to be that it is much better for demisting the screen in cold weather.

I would have thought that to do that it must be working (using power) to cool and condense the moisture out of the air which is then blended with hot air from the engine coolant.

That seems a needless waste of power for the 60% of the year that cooling is not required when it could be turned on for demisting for perhaps 20 minutes at a time.

I hope to learn that I have got the wrong impression as to the working of climate control.

The loading of the compressor is controlled by a solenoid that is duty cycled by the control unit. When switched off the compressor runs at 2% duty cycle (as mentioned above) so there is next to no loading but the system is still operating and circulating.

Wow! I've done it again.

A couple of years ago I asked about the dashboard lights being extinguished when going through a tunnel during daylight and that started a war that ran for weeks. I didn't mean to start another but it seems I unwittingly have.

 

Thanks for all the replies, the one thing that the missive didn't make clear was that it was chargeable, I naively thought it was included in the 3 years free service I got with the car.

I shall now retire to my bunker and keep my head down.

 

Fred

So did I :-(

 

I naively thought it was included in the 3 years free service I got with the car.

 

Fred

Check Groupon and Vouchercloud they sometimes have promos for discounted AC servicing. It was through Groupon that I got mine done at ATS Euromaster for about £30-35. Free WiFi and a decent coffee machine to boot!

and a decent coffee machine to boot!

Don't think my boot has got enough room in it for one but I'd like to try if I get the chance :peek:

Wouldn't trust ATS as far as I could throw them with air con. Nor any tyre and exhaust outfit.

The AC system uses a very specific PAG oil for lubrication. Skoda use three different ones depending on what brand of compressor is fitted. You think ATS are gonna stock all three let alone know which one to use or God knows how many other brands they are looking at. True enough to can recover on the low side that will minimise oil loss but you still see 10-20cc of oil recovered.

Air con "service" is just a license to print money for the dealer.

 

All this nonsense about "you lose 10% per year" - that's rubbish. You only lose refrigerant if you have a leak. And if you have a leak a "service" won't fix that - you need a repair.

 

Car AC systems are the same technology as used in your fridge/freezer. How often do you service them? And they're used 24/7. If you car AC needs servicing every 3 years then your fridge probably needs doing every 3 months. But you don't and 10 years later your fridge is still keeping your food cold....

Air con "service" is just a license to print money for the dealer.

 

All this nonsense about "you lose 10% per year" - that's rubbish. You only lose refrigerant if you have a leak. And if you have a leak a "service" won't fix that - you need a repair.

 

Car AC systems are the same technology as used in your fridge/freezer. How often do you service them? And they're used 24/7. If you car AC needs servicing every 3 years then your fridge probably needs doing every 3 months. But you don't and 10 years later your fridge is still keeping your food cold....

Last time I looked your fridge freezer didn't do 80mph up the motorway though, or move around with temperature changes and vibrations. An AC system can hold perfect vacuum for 45 mins but will still drop refrigerant over time. Rubber hoses and the compressor itself can all lose a bit.