Got a 99k mk3 and I have noticed white dust/particles coming from the air vents. 

Had the air filter and pollen filter changed, pollen filter was stinking looked like it has never been changed. 

The dust like substance is still coming,  especially bad first thing then seems to stop..  

Seen other forums with people talking about Air Con,  someone said something about air freshener which I think is rubbish,  has anyone any experience? 

 

Or what's the best air con cleaner to buy from Europarts or Halfords? 

Not sure if it's starting to ease after the pollen filter was changed need to clean the crap up again and see if it returns... 

 

Another query is do the mudflaps from a salon fit the estate,  seen a set of after market on eBay for £14 but all for Salon? 

 

I have used this product a couple of times to clean and deodorize the air con.  https://www.forteuk.co.uk/product-detail/26/Air-Conditioner-Treatment Take out the pollen filter and follow the instructions. Leaves a nice lemon scent in the cab.

These instructions sound a bit strange to me, I would expect lowest temperature to be selected but for the chiller operation to be inhibited as the subcooling of the evaporator will just freeze on the moist detergent spray as it hits it?

I thought the issue had stopped then came out of work car was roasting, put on aircon and the white crap started again..  Thanks will get the Forte and give it a go.. 

Bought the Forte product from eBay give it a go next week. Thanks Matchman55

Was just checking different forums it seems the problem may lie in the Evaporator unit in the air con...  Not sure we're I'm going this though..  

2nd hand evaporator unit £40 but would a 2nd hand unit have the same issue..  

An evaporator is simply an aluminium radiator. Although highly unlikely IMO, I suppose it could be corroding, but first check the drain tubes from the evaporator that allow condensed water to drain out under the car are not blocked.

 

It may, by the same token, be the heater matrix corroding, leaking coolant perhaps, also made of aluminium.

 

However, to change an evaporator is a major,major job, involving stripping out the entire dash and centre console completely, then disconnecting and removing the sealed heater/evaporator/fan unit and then somehow stripping that down and rebuilding. Lots of air hoses/connectors/wiring to unplug/move, coolant hoses and a/c piping to disconnect after draining coolant and removing refrigerant (degas)

 

You'll need new coolant, a new dryer, seals, special tools for a/c fixings, a/c to be flushed and cleaned then regassed which is probably the horrendously expensive R1234yf gas in your car.  You're looking at least 2 days work, that's someone who knows what he's doing. 

 

And I hate to think the total cost for all the other bits, dryer, seals, coolant, degas/clean/regas with PAG lubricant.

 

Don't think you'll get much change out of £1000 if not more. 

 

If you somehow decide to go down this route, check the secondhand evaporator for pinprick holes, with an extended pressure test.

 

And accept it may not work, not to mention what could go wrong, not just squeaky creaky dash....although with the dash and air hoses stripped you might see where the problem lies.

Edited 19 April, 20197 yr by xman

Knew it was a big job just didn't realize how big and expensive it was xman

 

To be honest I got the car at a great price (exTaxi) less than 100k and I would put up with the white crap for 6 months then move it on.. 

 

Can't see me loosing much money if any no way I could convince my wife to put £1000 into it if that was the case just have to put the window down instead of air conditioning..

And if I was paying a grand to get the work done I'd be putting a spanking new one in.. 

 

Air conditioning on white particles all over the place first thing in this morning.. grrrrrrr

 

Edited 19 April, 20197 yr by PolG
Wrong spelling

Nearly sure I know the answer but Is there a different filter for AC as opposed to the Pollen filter, was watching a skoda ac service guide and it said about an AC filter??

 

No, just the one Pollen filter.

 

I would pull the filter out and use a damp cloth to clean as far as I can reach inside. As a taxi, it may have been used with recirc switched on with people smoking and fine ash and other stuff being pulled in from the cabin.  Or run without a filter or torn filter at some time in its life.

 

With A/c on, any ash/fine stuff will stick with the wet condensate on the evaporator. When it drys out, after being stood for instance, it is free to continue its journey to rhe vents.

 

After cleaning, turn the a/c off, recirc off, heating to full and fan to full to blow as much of the ash/debris out as possible.

You may get lucky and find someone has stashed some illicit substance in the dash, but the bag has a hole in it............

 

Maybe worth a few grand if you can find it, Lol.

I wish..... I would be 99% sure this isn't an illegal substance although there are a few dodgy taxi drivers about that you can buy all sorts from...

 

Don't know alot about cleansing AC systems, but I have seen a few videos of people using a foam to clean the evaporator through a discharge pipe, can I do this on the Superb and anyone know what I need to buy? Seen a Kia kit

 

Edited 20 April, 20197 yr by PolG

Did you solve the problem would like to know as mine also blowing out white specks like when you have been smoking and theirs ash specs blows out when start up clear for a bit then a bit more not as much happens every day  comes out all vents front and back

3 minutes ago, 36134frank said:

Did you solve the problem would like to know as mine also blowing out white specks like when you have been smoking and theirs ash specs blows out when start up clear for a bit then a bit more not as much happens every day  comes out all vents front and back

 

Whats the pollen filter like?

Have changed this no different only just bought as well 60000 miles not covered on 3 month warranty anything to do with air con about right  hey the pollen filter taken out didn’t seem bad

No changed filter problem has eased some still appear.but I make a point of using my aircon on hot some days. Not sure why exactly but I read about it on some forum. 

Nearly sure it's the air con evaporator problem but expensive job..

Taxi before hand and can't say he would run the aircon..

Bottom line is still clueless but it's not happening as much.. 

The air-con compressor runs all the time anyhow. 

Their was like a couple of very small balls looked like polystyrene only about 4 in the groves so hoping it blows clear still the same though after 2 days hoping its gone tomorrow fingers crossed just hope it was them breaking up but they were my Ute can’t see how gone to like ash dust

few months ago started getting white bits from vents but quite a lot which covers my dash and door panels, so far have done a vent bomb, put the foam through the unit behind the filter (filter is fine by the way), blew an airline through all the vents, check nothing loose letting particles in.

all this done and still the same, my reckoning is it must be something already in the system as the filter is fine, ive been to a local vw/skoda repair shop who are stumped, been to local air con specialist who not sure, i have read maybe coming from the evaporator unit ??? i love the car and plan to keep long term but cant put up with this issue any longer, i know to check the evaporator is a big job but willing to pay to solve the problem, smaller repair places are a bit unwilling to complete such a big job so i think i have to bite the bullet and go to local dealer no matter the cost!!!

 

any help or advise appreciated before i spend a fortune ????? 

Have you tried to use a vacuum cleaner to get rid of this wite dust in the vent ducts?

On 23/01/2021 at 13:27, lesw1975 said:

few months ago started getting white bits from vents but quite a lot which covers my dash and door panels, so far have done a vent bomb, put the foam through the unit behind the filter (filter is fine by the way), blew an airline through all the vents, check nothing loose letting particles in.

all this done and still the same, my reckoning is it must be something already in the system as the filter is fine, ive been to a local vw/skoda repair shop who are stumped, been to local air con specialist who not sure, i have read maybe coming from the evaporator unit ??? i love the car and plan to keep long term but cant put up with this issue any longer, i know to check the evaporator is a big job but willing to pay to solve the problem, smaller repair places are a bit unwilling to complete such a big job so i think i have to bite the bullet and go to local dealer no matter the cost!!!

 

any help or advise appreciated before i spend a fortune ????? 

I have been experiencing the same issue in a 2016 Octavia. New pollen filter made no difference.

 

Prior to losing sleep over a big job - today I emailed a local garage that specialisies in air-con servicing and auto electrics. Used them for years, and trust what they suggest. Hoping that they have experienced this before as its really annoying!

update, bit the bullet and booked it into skoda was there 4 days, fault was the evaporating unit that was breaking down and the white bits were the aluminium coating which were breaking off during use, they replaced the evaporating unit but whilst stripping the dash down the heater matrix was found to be leaking as well so had to be replaced, in total for evap unit removed and replaced was £1100, then an extra £180 for heater matrix, reason so expensive as its a full dash out job.

so if you have this issue it is an expensive fault to fix, but for me glad ive had it done as could not put up with it any longer and i intend to keep the car long term!!

@LLCC1975 @PolG

Or anyone else, does anyone have any solutions to this issue other than changing the evaporator?