Information Dashboard removal

K

Kevin Bower

New Member
Hi there everybody, this is my first post on this site. This weekend I am going to remove my dashboard to change the dreaded evaporator temp switch G263. Ive looked through as many posts as I can find on here re the dash removal and they are all really helpful. I cant see a problem really, taken note of steering sensor, hazard button wire, air bag static etc. The only problem I have is that on one of the posts, it tells me that the only special tools I will need is a M20 star key to remove the steering wheel. I know that a star key is the same as a torx key just differnet name, hood bonnet etc but for the life of me, I cant find a M20 star or torx key anywhere. Ive looked on ebay, Ive even spoken to my local none Audi garage who tells me that they dont have a torx key/ socket that big.

Two question,
1. is the steering wheel held on by a torx nut or a torx bolt where the key fits inserts into the centre of the bolt?
2. If it is the latter, where do I get the tool needed to undo it.

Thanks everyone. I will take pictures of the removal as I do it.

Kevin Bower
 
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Jeff, thank you very much indeed, I went through your link and bought the spline tool, £3.50 inc post and package, brilliant, again thank you


Kevin
 
Kevin,

You're welcome. BTW....Not affiliated to the seller in any way - hopefully you'll get the socket by the weekend so you can crack on with the job in hand.

Cheers

Jeff
 
I hope you've checked that the G263 (using the wires at the back of the climate control) is actually faulty before you take the dash out, which I've done to find that my G263 was working fine! Good luck!
 
Hi Humps

Had the climate control checked at local Audi main dealer, there diagnostic machine said open circuit at G263 sensor, common problem I was also told. £800 labour cost to remove dash so thought I would have a go and tackle the job myself.

You recommend checking the G263 sensor with the wires at the bck of the climate control unit, can you let me know how, and what I need to do.

Thank you

Kevin Bower
 
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Open circuit, that's slightly different to mine which was intermittent signal or similar effect, Open circuit sounds like a typical readout from a computer diagnostic scan. I'm afraid I don't have the wiring diagrams handy but the G263 feeds directly into the Climate Control unit. With the correct pair of wire all you need is a multimeter that takes a resistance reading. The G263 is a simple thermal resistor that changes resistance depending on temperature. Open circuit would mean it either has no resistance or far too much. There is a table in the ElsaWin manual that says how many ohms it should read at what temperature. I had already took mine out and bought a new G263, then found the table buried in the workshop manual, so I decided to test it anyway. It gives the same reading as my new G263 using 3 glasses of water at different temperatures as well as matching the spec in the manual, so I knew mine wasn't faulty even though the diagnostic said so. But open circuit is easy to check, just take a reading and note the ambient temperature it should be way off the spec of the manual. I advise you to give that a try because taking the dash out and back in is a lot of work! (if I dig out my old windows machine, I'll try to find the wiring and temp/ohm table)
 
Hi everyone, removed the dash on my A2 this weekend to replace the G263 sensor. Took me about two hours to remove the dash. Once removed, I was getting ready for the mammoth job of getting to the sensor. I removed the big black plastic air duct, just two screws and sat over the dash from the passengers side, two minutes later I had the faulty sensor out and the new one fitted. I paid attention to everything everyone posted on here about the steering angle sensor, relays and not being to agressive with the wiring and conections. Dash was back in in about two hours 20 mins. The one thing I did notice is that this dash has been out before, the three big plastic lungs that locate the dash at the very front just under the windscreen, well two were snapped off, only the centre one was there. Everything had black insulation tape all over it to stop I guess dash rattlles. These are all now cured by using sticky backed draft insulation foam, all round the radio appature, cup holder appature and climate control appature, now there are no rattles. Big problem though, AIR CON STILL NOT WORKING.
Ive now had the codes reread and the G263 code has gone but has been replaced with a new one, Sunlight penetration photosensor G107, open circuit.
Does anyone on here know if this would stop the Air con from working. Everything works as it should do, control panel, flap motors move as they should, Im just not getting any freezing cold air, some times its warm, sometimes its cool but not cold.
When I first got the car and turned on the aircon, the engine revs would drop which tells me that the compressor was kicking in, now that dosnt happen. Therefore the compressor is not being told to fire up. Can it be the Sunlight Penetration Sensor G107.
Thanks again

Kevin Bower
 
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If that is the little boble on in the centre of the dash. I guess you forgot to cornect it up. I rember talking to Mike Skipton about dash removal and he said the first time he took out a dash he missed that cornection and he had to take the dash out again to cornect it up! He said he won't make that mistake again.

I think it is a important part of the climate control. It is meant to sence where the sun is coming from and make the air cooler on the hot side. Well it's something like that. I am not very good at exposing it.

Good luck

David
 
Hi David, no, I did remember to disconnect it, and also reconnected it when I put it back together, I just think it might be quite a delicate bit of kit, if ive disconnected it and thrown it into my screw collection tray when I was taking the dash apart, I might of damaged it.

riverlad said:
If that is the little boble on in the centre of the dash. I guess you forgot to cornect it up. I rember talking to Mike Skipton about dash removal and he said the first time he took out a dash he missed that cornection and he had to take the dash out again to cornect it up! He said he won't make that mistake again.

I think it is a important part of the climate control. It is meant to sence where the sun is coming from and make the air cooler on the hot side. Well it's something like that. I am not very good at exposing it.

Good luck

David
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It sounds like you have been ulucky as it's a pia to replace it.

I guess you will have to free this weekend to fix it. You will be a expert in dash removal when you have it sorted:)
 
No Dave, the sunlight sensor is on top of the dash, right in the centre at the front, you can change this sensor in about 5 mins, no need to take the dash out for this one. Ive ordered one this morning from local Audi dealer, will let you know if it sorts out my problem, if it dosnt then its the compressor next I think on my list

Cheers

Kevin.

riverlad said:
It sounds like you have been ulucky as it's a pia to replace it.

I guess you will have to free this weekend to fix it. You will be a expert in dash removal when you have it sorted:)
Click to expand...
 
I don't think the sunlight sensor will stop AC, in fact, faulty G263 doesn't totally stop AC either, it restricts the output of the compressor to a safe level, so it would be minimum cold air vs no cold air. The sunlight sensor provides reading to the climate unit to compensate, it should complain and just operate using the rest of the temperature sensors. It is a little delicate piece, you probably have a loose connection. What I did with mine was, I didn't put the dashboard back in until I've got cold air from the AC.

What you'll probably find is, your old G263 is working perfectly and you have a dead compressor. Which is exactly my case and that's why I said before, it is worth using the wires at the back of the CC panel to check the G263 before touching the dash (unless you enjoy the process, of course). If you've gone through Spike's links and the posts in there, you should know there is a difference between faulty G263 minimum A/C vs dead compressor totally no A/C. This can be checked using the ECON button and set CC to Lo.
 
Hi Humps

Ive picked the new sunlight sensor up this morning and am going to fit it this evening, I really dont think it will fire the AC into life to be honest. Ive now got the new G263 sensor fitted, the one good thing that has come out of this is that there are no rattles at all from the dash, they used to drive me mad. Will a dead compressor not show up on a diagnostic check, as yet no auto electrician or even the auto electrician at Audi has mentioned a dead compressor? they have both read the codes and said G263 and now the sunlight sensor. As I have come this far, I am going to fix this thing if it kills me. I have checked the AC by putting the CC to low and on ECON. Half the time im getting warm air, some times cool air. The engine revs dont drop when I flick the ECON switch to off. I guess all it can be now is the compressor. I will fit the new sunlight sensor and if that dosnt fix it I will find a recon compressor. Have you ever changed a compressor. Im new to all this but very willing to have a go myself.
Thanks for your help with this

Kevin.

humps said:
I don't think the sunlight sensor will stop AC, in fact, faulty G263 doesn't totally stop AC either, it restricts the output of the compressor to a safe level, so it would be minimum cold air vs no cold air. The sunlight sensor provides reading to the climate unit to compensate, it should complain and just operate using the rest of the temperature sensors. It is a little delicate piece, you probably have a loose connection. What I did with mine was, I didn't put the dashboard back in until I've got cold air from the AC.

What you'll probably find is, your old G263 is working perfectly and you have a dead compressor. Which is exactly my case and that's why I said before, it is worth using the wires at the back of the CC panel to check the G263 before touching the dash (unless you enjoy the process, of course). If you've gone through Spike's links and the posts in there, you should know there is a difference between faulty G263 minimum A/C vs dead compressor totally no A/C. This can be checked using the ECON button and set CC to Lo.
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Skipton has mentioned trying to turn the pulley on the compressor to see, but I'm not done that myself. Scan does not show a dead compressor. It doesn't know if there is lack of refrigerant (no pressure sensor) or just dead compressor. The G263 monitors the cold air output so it is the closest sensor telling you something _could_ be wrong with the compressor. And if the G263 can be proven to work, it is highly likely to be the compressor.

My suggestion to check, is either tap from behind the CC unit or at the compressor's plug using wire crimps. It is driven by a pulse voltage on the wires, you'll need an oscilloscope to see the real voltage signal. But you could just use a DC voltage reading, see it changes when you set AC to Hi or ECON. If the voltage reading reacts to switches, it means your CC is trying to get the compressor to work, and if no cold air and that there is enough refrigerant, the compressor is dead. I changed mine myself and called a mobile gas recharge man to charge it up before I started the engine - don't run it without enough refridgerant. Good luck!
 
If it's cold sometimes could it be low on gas ? i know the air con on our coaches becomes intermitant with low gas
 
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