How to sort a stuck heater flap

d4v1d sm4rt

A2OC Donor
On the hottest day of the year so far having your heater stuck on hot is no joke especially when your sun roof is broken as well!
I figured that the heater control flap was stuck but everything I read said it was a dash out job which was depressing. So I took the glove box off to have a look...
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You can see the passengers foot air director In the above picture, simply undo the cross head screw and remove it and you will then be able to shine a torch and see the dreaded motors and valves. It's the butom one you want to focus on. Run the car and turn the heat up and down on the heat control and you may see the toothed quadrant start to move. Spray it with WD40. Do it a few times and work out which way it wants to move then get a screwdriver and give it some help when it looks like it wants to move. After a while it will cycle freely on its own so give it another squirt for luck and the white cog above it as well. I was really pleased to fix this in a relatively short time and hope it does not seize again. It actually took me longer to read about people's experiences than it was to just give it a tweak. Hope I can save someone from the misery and cost of a a new motor and dash removal.
If someone has the wiring diagram so we can work out which colour wires power the motor then that will be useful.
 
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Thank you for that David, i've got the same issue and will give it a go. Steve B, one for your 'how-to' sticky I think.
 
Just had a go at this and it fixed the problem. Just to add to Davids post here's a pic once the air vent has been removed. If you look where the blue arrow is pointing you can see the heater motor wheel that needs to be sprayed with Wd40 and free'd off.
 
This sounds like the problem with my car, too, and I hope it will respond to this ingenious fix.
Couple of points - I assume this applies to a car with climate control rather than the basic heater; and how much/how easy is it to 'take off the glovebox'?, please.

Mark
 
This sounds like the problem with my car, too, and I hope it will respond to this ingenious fix.
Couple of points - I assume this applies to a car with climate control rather than the basic heater; and how much/how easy is it to 'take off the glovebox'?, please.

Mark

Hi Mark, yes it's for a climate car.

Sarge very helpfully has made many how-to guides

http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?23606-General-A2-Servicing-Information/page2

Item number 20 here will show you. Not too difficult at all.
 
Another great and useful thread!

Just followed this advice on my 1.4TDi. Heater was only blowing hot air. After freeing off the quadrant and squirts of 3-in-1 the heater seems to be working fine.

Will leave the trim off for a week or two until I'm sure it remains OK.

Thanks again!
 
Here is another photo of the part that needs sorted :) it's a half moon type fitment. Although i did notice that when i turned my settings to low (-) and then pressed it a few times after it reached the minimum setting it moved slightly more. maybe there's a problem with mine but if someone can check if they have a similar problem that would be great :)

1507374088293.jpg

Hopefully that's me sorted but hard to tell because of the weather, fingers crossed :/

Cheers
 
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Hi,

I have the same problem now. Yesterday it was -15°C (5 °F) outside and my car did not stop blowing really hot air, it felt like an built-in sauna... I have checked the flap, it was a bit dirty but it was moving freely. I cleaned it up but it did not fix the problem. I have one error code:

01271 - Positioning Motor for Temperature Flap (V68)
41-00 - Blocked or No Voltage

I try to check it again, but I am afraid I need to visit the local garage...
 
I bit the bullet and got mine replaced at WOM in stoke last week...just kept on sticking but you may be luckier than I!
 
I bit the bullet and got mine replaced at WOM in stoke last week...just kept on sticking but you may be luckier than I!

How much did this cost you if you don't mind me asking? I can free mine off, but it only seems to work for a day before sticking again.
 
Yup that's what was happening for me. I managed to pick up the flap new fairly cheap ...all in I think it cost around 140 pounds. Audi price would probably be 3 times that.
 
Do you mean £140 all in, i.e. the part and the labour to fit it? I was under the impression the V68 motor was around £140 and it was a dash out job to fit it.
 
Do you have a part number. Want to check around for prices on this part. Cheers.

Regards

James
 
I did this to my heater gear as described. It was sticking, which was causing hot air at times. All seems good. So far.
 
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