OMG. one thing after another. Climate control this time. Arrrrgggghh.

AudA2Numpty

A2OC Donor
While I patiently wait for Tony to give me the diagnostic data, my wife has just told me of an issue she had with the climate control unit randomly turning itself off, which I could not replicate until today.

Econ works, air con works and gets stupidly cold, fan works, all the system works, but every so often, especially today as it was hot outside, the whole control unit turns itself off, then restarts where it left off. This is either in Econ mode or Aircon mode.

As I was never looking at it at the time I had not noticed, but heard it today and kept an eye on it while parked. Low and behold it turned itself off and back on again. Makes no Difference if the fan is on full or barely on. Also does not make a difference if the car is moving or not.
All the buttons work and light up and I can;t see any issues with it other than it randomly turning itself off.

I did read that some people have remove it and cleaned it up hoovered it out and shoved it back in. Does that sound right?

Anything else I can do?
Can I replace it with another if there is nothing I can do and does it require some sort of programming?

Cheers in advance.
 
While I patiently wait for Tony to give me the diagnostic data, my wife has just told me of an issue she had with the climate control unit randomly turning itself off, which I could not replicate until today.

Econ works, air con works and gets stupidly cold, fan works, all the system works, but every so often, especially today as it was hot outside, the whole control unit turns itself off, then restarts where it left off. This is either in Econ mode or Aircon mode.

As I was never looking at it at the time I had not noticed, but heard it today and kept an eye on it while parked. Low and behold it turned itself off and back on again. Makes no Difference if the fan is on full or barely on. Also does not make a difference if the car is moving or not.
All the buttons work and light up and I can;t see any issues with it other than it randomly turning itself off.

I did read that some people have remove it and cleaned it up hoovered it out and shoved it back in. Does that sound right?

Anything else I can do?
Can I replace it with another if there is nothing I can do and does it require some sort of programming?

Cheers in advance.

It is worth checking the connections into the back of the unit.

If you have a single DIN dash (normal sized radio) the process of removing it is relatively easy.

Firstly and most importantly open the ashtray fully (or you will break it) no need to remove it just open it.

You next need to remove the "cubby hole below the climate unit, it takes a particular knack, you but both hands into the cubby as far as they will go, clench your fists as tight as you can so that they are pressed against the interior top and bottom of the cubby hole and PULL, Unless you are very unlucky, the cubby hole will come away and pull out, you can then reach your fingers in and press the unit out by pushing against the back of the unit.

Then check the plugs to ensure they are in correctly.

If they are and you can borrow another unit, swap it (no coding necessary) and see if that stops it.

Steve B
 
Cheers mate.

Got the climate control out, nothing obviously loose. Though shed load of dust clogging the tiny little fan on top, which did not move, stupidly blew at it to clear it and the dust went everywhere. Doh.
Tiny little fan now moving, now just have to wait for a warm day and go out and test it. Fingers crossed.
 
Nope That did not sort it.
29 degrees outside, car had sat for the morning in the heat. Got in and drove off and turned on Air Con. Within 1 minute the Climate control light went out and it restarted. This went off and on for 4 miles of driving. Then stay on with no issues until I was parking up then it went again.

I have to see if I can find a spare one to test it on.

Any other possibilites?

To me it seems like it is shorting but I can't see on what?
 
I would see if you can get another unit to try you might be able to find one cheap with worn buttons even, or from a local member.

It is not a fault that I have heard of before so I think it is best to use a process of elimination like this.

Steve B
 
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I suspect a fuse in the motor assembly, can't remember the name. Though climate units *do* fail occasionally, but generally through external causes (i.e. liquid) rather than old age.

- Bret
 
So I get up early at 5:30.
I completely strip the climate control unit and take a look inside.
no water damage no corrosion it all looks fine. except for a big clump of sticky dust on the little sensor at the top of the unit.
I removed it put the whole unit back together shoved it in the car and then went out for a drive.

I put the Aircon on the straightaway I drive up the road up and down speed bumps, potholes, pigeons etc. The fan & climate control working perfectly and blowing out at it's lowest temperature and I've only got a T-shirt on so I'm freezing .
I keep driving for 10 minutes and then realize why the hell am I freezing maybe I should put the temperature up . Doh!
Long story short, temperature up I'm nice and cozy, climate control working absolutely perfectly, outside temperature is about 14°.
So unless I'm wrong it is not bump related, it is not loose wire related, it is not fuse related, it only seems to be temperature related. The hotter the outside or inside cabin temperature is, the unit resets itself.
This morning the climate control unit and fan worked all perfectly and did not cut out at all as it was cold outside.
I'll keep testing this theory.

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Dropped off daughter at school and it did it again, this time I got it on video. Which I'll post.
Outside air temp 21 degrees.
The diagnostic said that there is a continuity issue (One wire) somewhere so more investigation is needed.
Most likely then not the Climate control panel itself.
 
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It could be many things and well done on persistence - you at least now know the climate is nice and clean. It could be the sensor on the top of the dash (g36?) but I'm sure once you get the scan results that will help in tracing the fault further. Good work. Mike
 
Cheers.

Deffo temp related 15 degrees today and perfectly working Climate Control.
So have to do a bit of jiggery pokery with some temp sensors and get a borrowed CCU to see if mine might be faulty.
 
Tony read out so many errors I got lost in which one was related to the climate control.

This morning went out and the outside air temp was 14 degrees, climate control fine.
The afternoon went out and the outside air temp was 24.4 degrees and within 5 minutes the climate control unit kept cutting out.
For a 5 minute stretch it just kept turning itself off when in aircon.

I then turned it to Econ and turned off the unit. It then turned itself on, twice.
I left it on for a moment in Econ and it cut out a couple of times more before I got home.

Super weird.

Which one of the sensors could cause this?
I don't have a spare unit to test it with and am loathed to buy one from eBay if it most likely another sensor.

Have to ask Tony for a copy of the diagnostics.
Thing is a lot of stuff has been done to the car by Tony and the original data has now been reset.
 
Tony read out so many errors I got lost in which one was related to the climate control.

This morning went out and the outside air temp was 14 degrees, climate control fine.
The afternoon went out and the outside air temp was 24.4 degrees and within 5 minutes the climate control unit kept cutting out.
For a 5 minute stretch it just kept turning itself off when in aircon.

I then turned it to Econ and turned off the unit. It then turned itself on, twice.
I left it on for a moment in Econ and it cut out a couple of times more before I got home.

Super weird.

Which one of the sensors could cause this?
I don't have a spare unit to test it with and am loathed to buy one from eBay if it most likely another sensor.

Have to ask Tony for a copy of the diagnostics.
Thing is a lot of stuff has been done to the car by Tony and the original data has now been reset.

If when you say it was cutting out, if you mean that the lights were all on the climate display but the temperature changed (went hot or cold), then it could be a sensor, but if you mean it actually lost power, the same as if you switched it off? I cannot see that as likely to be a sensor. It may well be a dry joint on the PCB.

You really do need to try a replacement (loaned) Climate panel to eliminate it before attempting to replace any sensors.

As for the list of error codes that relate to the climate / air con, I have scanned lots of A2s that had what appeared to be a fully functioning climate control and yet had as many as ten individual error warnings. I have found that it is quite rare to scan the HVAC controller and NOT get any errors on an A2.

In your case there may well be lots that basically say "intermittent short or power drop" due to yours dropping out as you say.


I can send you a climate panel to try out if you PM me your address. If it resolves the issue then you will just need to swap the buttons from your unit to the replacement unit (which you can have free of charge).

Steve B
 
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Thanks so much for sending the Climate Control.

Just fitted it and it still cuts out so it can't be either climate control unit. ******.
Do you want me to send this back to you?

Maybe this is another job for Vag-Com, hopefully Tony can do a quick diagnostic which may point in the right direction?
My wife also pointed out that she can hear a buzzing/clicking noise coming from the glove box area.
Now she mentioned it, it happens when the engine is off too and also when the climate control is turned off.
A buzz, buzz, click, click, buzz noise, quiet though even harder to hear when your driving, but the wife has super hearing.

Tested the climate control in 15 degree outside temps and it works fine without any power outage for a split second.
Only when the outside temp is 18 degrees and above does it cut out, the warmer the outside temp the more frequently it cuts out.

It does not stops the fan producing either heat or cold from whichever temp is desired or fan speed.
It just switches off for a split second then back on again.

See the video of the old Climate Control doing it. I edited it as it took 5 minutes for my wife to catch it on video while I was driving.

https://vimeo.com/226938507

Weird huh?





If when you say it was cutting out, if you mean that the lights were all on the climate display but the temperature changed (went hot or cold), then it could be a sensor, but if you mean it actually lost power, the same as if you switched it off? I cannot see that as likely to be a sensor. It may well be a dry joint on the PCB.

You really do need to try a replacement (loaned) Climate panel to eliminate it before attempting to replace any sensors.

As for the list of error codes that relate to the climate / air con, I have scanned lots of A2s that had what appeared to be a fully functioning climate control and yet had as many as ten individual error warnings. I have found that it is quite rare to scan the HVAC controller and NOT get any errors on an A2.

In your case there may well be lots that basically say "intermittent short or power drop" due to yours dropping out as you say.


I can send you a climate panel to try out if you PM me your address. If it resolves the issue then you will just need to swap the buttons from your unit to the replacement unit (which you can have free of charge).

Steve B
 
Thanks so much for sending the Climate Control.

Just fitted it and it still cuts out so it can't be either climate control unit. ******.
Do you want me to send this back to you?

Weird huh?

No, you can keep it as a spare and perhaps find some buttons to replace the worn ones even.

It would be worth replacing the fuse even if it looks OK, you can't rely on a visual inspection of the fuse.

At least you are eliminating potential causes bit by bit.

Steve B
 
I had a failing fan unit do exactly the same thing a few years ago, changed it for a new one and worked perfect, it's up behind the glovebox too! Paid about £90 at the time if I remember right, bit of a pig to do but doable if you're handy, just have a swear box to hand lol
Cheers Jeff
 
Wow cheers.

Don't suppose you know which fuse it is do you, I don't have a fuse panel cover to guide me. Yet.

No, you can keep it as a spare and perhaps find some buttons to replace the worn ones even.

It would be worth replacing the fuse even if it looks OK, you can't rely on a visual inspection of the fuse.

At least you are eliminating potential causes bit by bit.

Steve B
 
I had a failing fan unit do exactly the same thing a few years ago, changed it for a new one and worked perfect, it's up behind the glovebox too! Paid about £90 at the time if I remember right, bit of a pig to do but doable if you're handy, just have a swear box to hand lol
Cheers Jeff
Ah. Cool, will check that out too. Thanks.
 
Awesome cheers.

A quick glance just now and I noticed a few fuses were upside down, making me think someone had played with them already, I'll take a proper look tomorrow morning in better light. and check each one.


This should help

Fuse box diagram

Fuse 36 seems to be relevant, but as you can see it affects other functions too.

Steve B
 
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