How to activate de ON/OFF center switch on the CLIMATRONIC

[Turbo_Boss]

Hello guys, I found this info on a Skoda forum from Spain and want to share it with you.

If any of you have saw the Jetta/GTi CLIMATRONIC buttons you will see that the one on the center says OFF. This mean that you can turn ON/OFF the AC just pressing it regarding of the fan speed you have.

In contary the Skoda one does not say nothing and is inoperative. You cant press it and you need to turn on and off the CLIMATRONIC turning the fan speed control

Well its look like the feature is hidden on the Skoda Control. Its look like on that button on the rear part it has a plastic part that does not allow you to press it but if you remove that plastic part you can press the botton and turn ON/OFF your AC

Check this PDF, is in spanish but the pictures explain by itself

http://www.losarchivos.net/vagclub.com/1/habilitarbotononoffclimatronic_203.pdf

Good luck,

Isaac

[cheezemonkhai]

you have to ask why in f**ks name they do this as it must cost more to make the extra buttons than they save

[andrei]

So is there any clear way of activating these functions?

[dstev2000]

Doesnt it do the same job as turning the fan speeed **** to zero buy turning it anti-clock??

Who would ever turn the climatronic off anyway?

IIRC the VW units do not have this button either.

Maybe it's just a new feature that will filter down through the ranks over time.

[VRStu]

Thanks Issac.

[a-rai]

I can picture the headlines now:-

Police baffled by theft of climate control buttons from VW's :rofl:

Alan

[Guest Fabia 12v]

So in effect.. the switch is there just they have put a blanking button over it, how odd.

[dstev2000]

I've taken the blanks off both the top and bottom and there doesn't appear to be a switch of any kind.

There are some blank soldered bits right inside the unit where a switch would most probably go but that's it.

The little black thingy in the middle of the fan speed dial has a little PCB behind it so it serves a purpose but what that purpose is I dont know.

[Organist]

I think you'll find that there is a temp. sensor behind there - be careful not to damage it in your eagerness to boldly go where no-one has been before!

The Climate control system takes info from this sensor, the one in the roof lining, the one on the middle of the dashboard and the outside temp.

[dstev2000]

I think you'll find that there is a temp. sensor behind there - be careful not to damage it in your eagerness to boldly go where no-one has been before!

The Climate control system takes info from this sensor, the one in the roof lining, the one on the middle of the dashboard and the outside temp.

I used the precision and finesse of a brain surgeon.........using a Leatherman

Joking apart, the covers do pop out quite easily.

[Turbo_Boss]

I've taken the blanks off both the top and bottom and there doesn't appear to be a switch of any kind.

There are some blank soldered bits right inside the unit where a switch would most probably go but that's it.

The little black thingy in the middle of the fan speed dial has a little PCB behind it so it serves a purpose but what that purpose is I dont know.

I going to write about what you have found on that Skoda Spain Forum to see what they say. But I have read the post and its look like several people have do this mod and its work. But is there is no switch on the PCB electronic board, how the hell this thing work:rolleyes:

This is were I took the info. This forum is in spanish:

VAGclub.com :: Habilitar boton On/off en climatronic

Isaac

[dstev2000]

You've got me on that one, but as you can see in the picture, there is no switch, just a space where a switch COULD go.

Could it be a different version of the climatronic unit with the switches fitted but blanked off.

remove the switches and save money

I have a high res picture of the unit attached.

[Turbo_Boss]

You've got me on that one, but as you can see in the picture, there is no switch, just a space where a switch COULD go.

Could it be a different version of the climatronic unit with the switches fitted but blanked off.

remove the switches and save money

I have a high res picture of the unit attached.

Could it be possible that you remove the buttons from the left or right round switch to see exactly what they have there???

Isaac

[dstev2000]

Yeah I can do as long as it doesnt wreck my climatronic:D

[dstev2000]

More pics as requested....

The scratches on the bottom dummy button did come out btw.........:P

The thing that looks like a switch is in fact the LED that illuminates the switch so it makes sense there isn't one in the middle as there is no need for the illumination.

I've just removed the little black plastic tab and guess what? IT WORKS!!!!!!

both the top and bottom tabs come off and the bottom button does something to the dual mode but I havent figured it out yet

The top button kills the climatronic instantly as well but puts the fan on the lowest setting when you press it again.

So thanks for the tip on that one

[VRStu]

Whats the tip for getting the button out then?

[dstev2000]

A small sharp blade in the horizontal gap between the buttons to the left and right of the chrome divider and a gentle prising action.

[mannyo]

I wonder if its possible to buy the plastic buttons, so you can get the VW one with "Off" printed on it.

[VRStu]

Already looked manny - afraid not.

[dstev2000]

Looks like its letraset then

[bosnjo]

Please help me to understand something here:

My Octy hasn't arrived yet but dealer says it should at 9th or 10th of October (in two days so...)

It's 2.0 TDI Sport with Climatronic.

I was suprised reading this thread that you can't switch the AC off. So, did I understand well? You can't switch it off? It's always on?

So, with that little modification on the button you can now switch it off. When you turn the ignition off and then back on does it stay off or it's back on again? Is there now any indication so you know if it's on or off?

Many questions, I know, but thanks for informations.

[jcase]

If I understand it correctly this OFF-button switches the fan unit off. The A/C is switched off by using the ECON-button.

Because the cooler-unit would freeze without the fan sucking warm air through it, it will also stop when the fan stops. This also happens when the outside air isn't warm (in winter time). Talking about winter, the ECON-button also deactivates the PTC-heater in the diesel cars. Thus saving energy in both summer and winter times. And that's why the button is called ECONomy.

By the way, could the other "unmarked" button in the centre be the DUAL-button, which sets the both sides of the car to the same temperature as the driver's side? With the dual-mode, you only need to turn one dial to change both sides' temperature setting.

[dstev2000]

When you rotate the middle fan speed selector all the way round in an anti clockwise position it will eventually turn the whole thing off, thats fan and air conditioner. There is no real reason to do this as the car will steam up pretty quickly. The blank "off" button kills the whole thing with a single push instead of turning the fan dial all the way round.

The you can achieve the same setting as this "dual" button by holding auto down for a few seconds, this resets both sides to the drivers temperature. I have fiddled with this blank "dual" button and i'm not convinced.

Maybe VW/Skoda thought this would complicate things and decided to keep the buttons and dials to a minimum as both "dual" and "off" functions can be found elsewhere.

Just for reference:

ECON light on = Air conditioning compressor OFF, fan running

ECON light off = Air conditioning compressor ON, fan running

NO lights and "off" in the temp displays = Air conditioning compressor and fan OFF

I know this has been mentioned before but thats as clear as you can get.

[jcase]

I have fiddled with this blank "dual" button and i'm not convinced.

So it doesn't do the same as pressing 2 secs of AUTO? Maybe that button's functionality is disabled in the programming of the climatronic. Or does it do something else instead?

You summed the ECON function up pretty neatly.

[bosnjo]

When you rotate the middle fan speed selector all the way round in an anti clockwise position it will eventually turn the whole thing off, thats fan and air conditioner. There is no real reason to do this as the car will steam up pretty quickly. The blank "off" button kills the whole thing with a single push instead of turning the fan dial all the way round.

The you can achieve the same setting as this "dual" button by holding auto down for a few seconds, this resets both sides to the drivers temperature. I have fiddled with this blank "dual" button and i'm not convinced.

Maybe VW/Skoda thought this would complicate things and decided to keep the buttons and dials to a minimum as both "dual" and "off" functions can be found elsewhere.

Just for reference:

ECON light on = Air conditioning compressor OFF, fan running

ECON light off = Air conditioning compressor ON, fan running

NO lights and "off" in the temp displays = Air conditioning compressor and fan OFF

I know this has been mentioned before but thats as clear as you can get.

Great info, Thanks

Just one more question:

Do you always have to change driver's AND passenger's temperature independently or there is the way NOT to have them on DUAL, I mean when you change driver's temperature it changes the passenger's one too. I'm asking that because I mainly travel alone.

Thanks