Air con problem

[Neilbournemouth2]

Hi everyone,

 

A quick question about an issue with the air con on my Octavia 1.6 diesel 2010, in case anyone's seen it before...

 

The heater works as expected on warmer temperatures but the air con is very intermittent.

If I set it to the coldest setting on a hot day then the air seems to go cold and warm on repeat, every minute or so.

 

It seems to me that the aircon is turning off for a minute and then on again for the next minute!

 

It's Very strange and it doesn't cool the car down in the slightest :-(

 

Does anyone have any suggestions of where to look?

 

Many thanks,

Neil

 

Ps. I should note that I've recently had the system re-gasses and it was said to not have any leaks

Edited 6 June, 2017 by Neilbournemouth2

[Isitme]

Is it automatic ( climatronic ) system? If so, maybe the air-con is switched to auto? I have heard that auto function can do many weird thing with the heating system.

Also you could be low on the refrigerant in the system.

[AVHreplica]

Just check for the sensor which controls the frost catching on the system, it may be at fault..

This is responsible to stop the compressor in case to defrost the system thus at that time it blows hotter.

This mainly if your a.c. is not climatronic I think... 

[Neilbournemouth2]

Thanks for taking the time to reply!

 

It's just got manual controls so not a Climatronic as far as I can tell.

I'll have a dig around for the frost sensor and see what I can find...

 

In the mean time I've plugged in a an ELM327 Bluetooth reader and used my phone to look for fault codes but this came back with none.

Could just be a poor reader though I guess

[Vegasphil]

Does it blow cold when on the motorway etc. Then go warm in traffic? 

[Neilbournemouth2]

It rarely gets a decent journey on a fast road so not completely sure.

But saying that it is noticeably better when moving and near useless when sat in traffic!

 

Are you going to tell me they're all like this? :-)

[Neilbournemouth2]

Found the cause of the problem, almost exactly 2 years later!

 

During an oil change I noticed a sensor dangling on a wire and resting against the radiator.

I've attached it back into its mounting hole and the air conditioning has suddenly started working as it should.

 

Guess the temperature sensor was reading hot and cold as the radiator temperature varied and this affected the the internal air temperature.

I never saw the air temperature reading vary though.

 

Anyway thanks for all your help

 

[tintinandcharlie]

Hi Neil

Any chance you have some pictures of this sensor and its correct location please? I have exactly the same problem...

 

Adam.

[Guest]

Interesting, I too am intrigued to know what the dangling sensor was.

 

Please update.

[Neilbournemouth2]

Here's a couple of pictures taken through the front grill...

[Aston_Bodger]

It's the external temp sensor.

 

 

 

Trev

[gwm97e]

How easy was it to replace  that sensor, what's involved ?

[Aston_Bodger]

It's attached to the front cross member just behind the bumper, reach down between condenser and rear of bumper, and should be just a pull and then disconnect the wiring to it, refitting is reverse of above as they say.

 

 

Trev

[gwm97e]

is that part no 8Z0820535 by any chance ?