Hi all;

After advice from the forum last year, I bought a 2005/55 Octavia II Elegance Estate with the 140bhp TDI engine in October. Great car, love it, only a couple of niggles which I might post about if I can't sort them out.

I usually leave the Climatronic on Auto at 22 degrees, maybe putting it up or down a degree or two as needed; it's been left at this setting for about four/five months now plus some early mornings at "Hi" to demist the screen for ten mins.

However, a couple of weeks ago the weather warmed up here (Scotland) - yes, it does sometimes - no, it won't last.

The Climatronic threw a wobbly and made a "clacking" noise from down about the centre console, and temperature control was then very erratic - chucking out very hot air with an occasional blast of cold (still on Auto at 22 degrees). Turning it down to 18 or 19 degrees seemed to settle it, but with no useful heat output to the cabin.

Unable to get to a garage, I turned the Climatronic off until today - another warm-ish day. Turned it on, and as far as I can tell it is now behaving - gives hot air when expected, cool air when cabin is up to temp, and seems to modulate between warm and cool OK. I've tried to validate this - turned it up to Hi and waited, and it went full hot; then down to Lo and after a few seconds it went full cold - but this is hardly scientific!

From being very worried about the bill, I now wonder if it has just had a sticking valve in the fridge circuit due to running in heating mode only over the winter.

I guess the lesson is to turn the temperature down from time-to-time to force the system to reverse into cooling mode and keep it exercised, but any thoughts anyone? Should I be worried? What should be checked, if anything?

Thanks in advance!

Archie

Clicking was an issue which was sometimes resolved with a software update.

Another point to add:

The refrigeration circuit is cooling only so doesn't reverse cycle for heating and the compressor always runs off load even if set to ECON so I wouldn't worry about that part of the system.

It's a controls issue if anything.

It may have just thrown a wobbly - they do occasionally. However, if it seems to be working OK, then I would be inclined to leave it alone, keeping a weather eye on it.

Clicking was an issue which was sometimes resolved with a software update.

Mine was also improved further with new solenoid valves IIRC, virtually silent now....pity the rest of the car wasn't the same :(

Thanks for the reassurance folks - it still seems to be behaving so as it ain't broke I'll not try to fix it.

Car's due the second annual service and the first MoT in August/September so I'll make sure to have it done in advance of the warranty running out just in case

Thanks too to dstev2000 - I thought climatronic a was a reversible heat pump - silly me, it's obviously not that sophisticated!

Archie

I thought climatronic a was a reversible heat pump

Archie

If only it was. Instant heat on a cold morning would be a good thing