I have tried using my climatronic on my 2.0 TDI Estate several times recently, but it does not seem to pull down the interior temperature and certainly does not blow cold even after many minutes of operation. This seems to be the case if the vehicle is moving or the engine just idles, the latter I can understand but it should work on the move apart from very low speed, which again makes sense.

I have set the temperature to 16c pushed the auto button only and opened the required vents and the blower cuts in with great gusto, but no cooling air.

I have checked the one and only indicated fuse, the fuse box is by the way on the RHD side of the dash panel and not the left as stated in the handbook.

Apart from the obvious, getting cool air, is there any other simple way of finding out if the air con compressor is operating when the auto switch is pressed, there is no noticeable drop in engine revs a common indicator on earlier air conned vehicles?

There is no drop as there isnt a clutch on the compressor. Id ay get the fault codes read off for the a/c system.

16c is about 61F - maybe it isn't cold enough to feel a gush of cold air. Have you tried setting it lower? [i don't know what it goes down to.]

I've also noticed that climatronic doesn't feel as "fierce" as straightforward air con, especially through the face vents.

Also make sure the "econ" part of the control isn't lit at the same time as the "auto". If it is like that, it won't go below the outside air temperature.

No only the Auto button is on and 16c is in th range of suggested temperatures to be used, but the cabin temperature continues to climb on those hot days where as 16c is a comfortable temp level.

It looks like a dealer check then and all the hassle that involves, which is a bit of a bummer on a 7 month old vehicle.

Wouldn't you see a drop in engine revs momentarily despite the absence of a clutch, the engine would surely have to respond to the increased load via the compressor. Being a fridge man I am now very curious

If there is no clutch, how does the compressor turn on and off? is there a bypass valve on the fridge side of the compressor to eliminate the need for a clutch which is the weakest part of a car air con system.

If there is no cold air from the vents when its set to 16 then it sounds like a gas leak, could it be a stone has flown up and pierced the condenser? If there is no gas there might be an LP switch that prevents the comp. from working under load.

The cooling should work regardless of vehicle speed even when parked as long as the engine is running and you should get cool air after 30 seconds at the most.

All these questions.

The compressor doesnt turn off.

The loading varies by a wobble plate inside the compessor, this is altered by a solenoid valve which is regulated on a duty cycle.

The pressure switch is a LP and HP switch, cuts out the system either way.

The other problem can be an issue with the flap motor, the a/c might be working but the flap isnt moving accross to let the cold air in.

Nice one, that answers my question perfectly

Lummox,

A bit off topic but could you keep an eye out for a dark grey octyII estate with privacy glass and 17" alloys in the near future, my firms lease company is in MK and its highly likely it will come via the MK Skoda dealer but no one will tell me when its arriving.

Im not in MK and dont work at a Skoda dealer so i'm afraid that would be a no.

Oh balls I seem to have got my wires crossed somewhere then dunno where I got that idea from then.

Must be past my bedtime.

Not crossed, just not up to date

Thanks Lummox your response also answers some of the questions going thru my mind on this and I suspect it is something simple causing the problem and a non operating flap sounds logical. Thanks for your help.

Either way it means a trip to the nearest Skoda dealer, which is not close.

My air con packed up a few weeks ago and the dealer had trouble finding the problem.

After putting some sort of colouring into the system and using a flourescent torch the problem was traced to a small hole in the condenser matrix that sits onto the front of the car radiator.

Proabably caused by a stone or such being kicked up.

New one to be fitted next week-will report back if this IS the fault.

Strange, mines booked in for the 25th with an air con fault too

Air con isn't chilling the air when set to low in mine either

Darren

Is the air con fan under the bonnet spinning? If not, it may just be a sensor that has failed which is just meaning the air con is not being enabled. This happened to my Fabia....

Chris

Hi Tone I have the same problem,1.9tdi 4x4 estate 3 months old .Very frustating and no quick fix as yet. Its been hooked up to commputer and came with a few possibiltys ? So booked in for 2 days 5th June fingers crossed, please let me know how you get on. Phew its getting warmer Bill.

Hi Bill it would appear, given the numbers of replies coming up on here that Skoda have a problem with this piece of equipment all be it a minor fault, but as you say frustrating and not expected on brand new vehicles. It is all very well having these modern vehicles electronically controlled and managed, but it then makes it harder to just sort even simple things out.

I have yet to get the vehicle booked in, but hope to do this next week if I can find the time. Being retired can be very time consuming.

Took the car in today and dealer has confirmed that air con is not blowing cold air so it is booked in for Tuesday May 30.

Have also ordered a set of black Sill protectors and headlight protectors which I will set up as headlight converters.

Climatronic checked out today and they found that the air con system needed to be recharged and it now certainly seems to working, but we need a hot sunny day to really test it out.

Thats good news, mine goes in on the 6th fingers crossed. The heats on its way BILL

Promises, promises.

Warm weather today enabled me to check out the air con and yes it is now working well and really pulls down the interior temperature.

Did they say what caused the refrigerant to leak out?

They can't just recharge it if the gas just leaked out before. Thats somewhat naughty to say the least.

If they just regassed it then you could have the same problem in the future.

No, but I guess it was not charged in the first place, it would not be the first time and as I have said before the Skoda plant is under great production pressures so checks are probably being skipped in order to keep the line moving.

If so this dangerous for image it takes time to build up a brand reputation and no time at all to loose it.

Mine is fixed also now that the radiator/condensor thing mounted in front of the car radiator has been replaced and the gas recharged for about the third time, it's blowing nice cold air - but god knows what they have done now because the air control k n o b does not now change the direction of the vents????

It is just stuck on windscreen????? So it is back to the dealer yet again now to have this sorted as I noticed it when picking the car up today at 10 past 5.

I am getting right royally p!ssed orf. :thumbdwn: