Hi, I wonder whether anyone can recommend somewhere I can get the air con repaired, whether north or south of the Scottish border ?

I am taking Mr. P38 to Edinburgh at the end of June, and I have time to spare so I would really like to find someone, or somewhere, that could sort out the air flaps and all the other possibilities that cause the text book to appear on the display.

I just don't think that I can tackle taking all the parts of the dashboard out, or digging into the back of the centre console, and I would like to get someone who knows how to do to sort out the problem. I am prepared to leave the vehicle for a day ot two if there is somewhere close to the premises to stay.

I read that some people have fitted parts out of Audi's to fix the problem, but I don't mind how it would be done once it works !! I tried fitting new filters in the Plenum department, but it didn't make any difference. I replaced the plenum filter mesh and the pollen filters, and hoovered out all the leaves and junk, there wasn't very much to be honest, and a replacement Hevac panel has been fitted, but the text book is still showing.

I would prefer if I could find somewhere reasonably near Edinburgh but the most important thing would be someone who can do the job properly, in one go. I don't want to have more problems later because something was not refitted correctly, or something was left out 😅.

Maybe someone can help ?

Pierre3.

First of all you need someone with diagnostics who can read the faults to see why the book is showing. It could be the blend motors, in which case you won't be able to change temperature on one side or another or change where the air is blowing, it could be one of the blowers not working, it could be that you have insufficient refrigerant in the system, it could be one of the temperature sensors failed, etc. You will get the book come up if the HEVAC detects a fault when it is first powered up and does it's self check. The Audi part that people have fitted is the actual heater matrix but if you matrix had failed you wouldn't get the book symbol, you'd get a drivers footwell full of coolant.

You can do a few checks yourself. Try altering the temperature from Hi to Lo on both sides, if one doesn't change, then you have a faulty blend motor there. Try changing the airflow from feet to screen and see if it changes, if it doesn't there's another faulty blend motor. Take the pollen filter covers off and have a look down the holes to make sure both blowers are working, if not, you've either a faulty blower or your underbonnet fusebox is on it's last legs and the socket for relay 6 or 7 is burning up.

Hi Richard, thanks for the advice and fault finding suggestions. I will try getting down to it next week, after I get the car back from having the EAS fixed. At least I will have something to start with.

Pierre3.

I did the tests that you suggested, Richard, and everything seems to operate OK. The one thing that I think may be the answer is to get the air conditioning regassed. As today was a very warm day I was able to check to see if the temperature through the vents changed, and it did. But it didn't go very cold, which makes me think that it is a regass issue.

I drove the car round about, for 5 miles or so, and the text book didn't show up at all.

I will get an air conditioning guy out to the house and see what happens then.

Pierre3.

I had a mobile air conditioning guy out today, and I know why the AC isn't working - the compressor isn't compressing !!

He put some gas into the system, although there was still some there, and after running the AC and the engine he said that either the clutch is knackered or the compressor is knackered. He said that as the drive belt is still on the car the issue is with the compressor and it would make sense just to buy a replacement compressor.

I have ordered a Hella-made unit from P38Spares. Not as expensive as I thought that it might be, especially as I see that Brit-Car are looking for £970 plus VAT for an original Denso [?] compressor.

I will just have to drive it for the next two weeks with just fresh air doing the cooling [ of which there isn't much].

Pierre3.

Does the compressor clutch engage? If not, then that is why it doesn't compress. Causes can be a dodgy connection in the big white multiway connector behind the RH kick panel or at the pressure switch. If it is engaging but not compressing then it is indeed knackered.

agh, I would hace checked all the system before going for the compressor ... when I was sentenced "it is dead" I though "screw this" and after some playing with the ETM I found the fault was a pressure switch ... replaced that and never again an issue!