Climate Control

[matty 0]

On my 1995 VW VR6 the climate control works sometimes, so the system must be charged OK but shows a fault indication when the ignition is switched on.

Is there any way I can find out what causes the fault indicator on the climate control panel to flash (the compressor clutch does not come in) when there is a failure of the system to work. Sometimes however the compressor clutch does come in and then the air is cooled as normal.

Where can I get information on the climate control system please - section 87 is missing for some reason from the CD workshop manual I have - and this is the section which deals with climate control/aircon !!!!

Does anybody know where the climate control computer is situated please - not that this will probably help, but it would be nice to know.

My son has access to the equipment, pressure gagues, refrigerant etc. to check the basic system and fixes air -con on agricultural machinery quite often, but we have no infomation on the details of how the VR6 system is organised.

Can anybody help with circuits, advice etc please.

[vr6madmike 0]

Get it on Vag Com that sould tell you the problem!

[matty 0]

Thanks, but first we would like to try to understand how the climate control system works, but will now have to try to figure it out by using the circuit diagrams I have for VR6 on the CD, which only seems to give data for 1993/1994 cars. This information does not say it covers climate control, (but there are two diagrams - one for simple air-con and one possibly for climate control - it does not say !!!) I also have detailed information for a 1995 Audi A4 climate control system which could possibly work on much the same principles.

If we can hack this by a combination of the diagrams for VR6 and the Audi and tracing the car wiring we may be able to understand it, we hopefully then save £££ rather than finding some local "expert" with VAG Com, because there is also a big VW breaker within 2miles who would have some bits if we need them (he has a couple of scrap VR6s in his yard).

Will keep the string Posted if we find any cheap answers which may help others.

[Focker-out 0]

I think your looking too much into this here, firstly you need to run vag com diagnosis, then take it from there, the climate works on exactly the same principles as regular air con, except that it keeps the cabin at regular temperature,

The only variation to this is the early cars 94/95 did not have an "econ" button whichmeant the air con ran constantly whereas the later cars had the "econ" button and you were able to run with the air con pump dis engaged

All the climate does is use motors instead of cables on the heater box and has sensors inside the cabin that monitors the cabin temperature, once your chosen temperature is reached the climate keeps it there.

[matty 0]

Thanks Focker-out, do you know if the Mk3 Golf Climate control system is like the VR6 - it would be easier to get detailed data on this than VR6 ? We have the econ button by the way.

I am led to believe that counting the pattern of flashes indicating a fault on the climate control display can be interpreted to give an indication of the fault, if the codes are known. This system certainly works very simply with a LED on some cars I have worked on. Does anybody know about this feature please.

Think however we have figured out now what every switch/sensor/fan etc does and are about to regas the system with some new parts fitted and see if this improves things !!!

Only unknown functions left are in the climate control computer, so if this is the problem then we will need to get some form of software diagnosis like Vag Com if we can find someone locally who has the equipment, understands how to use it and does not charge the earth.

Your car looks great by the way

[vr6madmike 0]

If the display flashes there is a fault you have to plug it into vag com which will give you a fault code which you can look up and determin what is wrong, you cant dertermin the fault from how many flashes you are getting, its just doing that to tell you there is a fault, if you note the settings that you set after its stopped flashing are not resumed when you next switch it on, this is beacuse there is a fault,

Vag Com all the way! Most mobile people do it for 35 quid, if your in devon I can do it for you, VW is about 50 quid,

[Focker-out 0]

Thnk you, needs to go asap tho, anyway, the flashing on the control panel lasts for 15 secs, and as mike says it will in no way indicate what the fault is, just that there is a fault!!

The climate control system will show a fault such as the system being empty of gas, short in the outside temp sensor, the list goes on, and without vag com, or any other vw diagnosis equipment you will literally be looking for a needle in a haystack.

[matty 0]

Thanks all for the info. about the "flashing Indicator"- it was only a long shot that it may have contained some useful coded information.

Have found a faulty pressure switch and that the system contained much too much gas.

Will see what happens when we have a chance to put these faults right, which will probably not be until the harvest is in and there are no more combines/balers/fork-lifts/tractors to fix and I'm not at work 12 hours a day 7 days a week.

However with all this overtime it should give me more than enough cash to fix the car !!!!

[matty 0]

Changed the pressure switch for a second hand one (£20) and regassed the system - fault indications on climate control panel now gone and it all seems to work fine.

Thanks to all for the advice.

500Comet