Air Con

[Chris93]

I don't think my aircon is working properly, It has just been re gassed and i have just changed the cabin air filter but i still have to have the temperature set to 17/17.5 to keep the car reasonably cool, it is still a bit warm for my liking. In every other climate control system i have used i have left it at 20 degrees and it keeps the car nice but today it was not that warm and the car wasn't very cool even with the temp set at 17. What could be the problem?

Thanks
Chris

 

[audicruiser]

The air con will only blow really cold when the outside temp is high, or the interior temp is high. You can't ask the car to blow a cold 17 degrees in the car when the temp outside is about 10 degrees... It just doesn't work like that.

 

[Geraldy212]

Chris, suggest you turn the temperature down to a really low level. Run the engine and you should feel very very cold air being supplied to the cabin. If not, then your climate control system is not working well at all, despite the re-gas. Look in the engine bay when engine is running, while someone turns on the climate control with low temp settings. You should see and hear the compressor pulley clutch engage which makes the compressor shaft turn, and start pumping. If this does not happen, there is a problem in compressor control, compressor, clutch or drive belt. If the compressor is running, then it's just not working correctly. Take it to a specialist and let them look over it and diagnose what's wrong. Good luck mate.

 

[Chris93]

Yes, i know what you mean but it just doesn't seem to keep the inside at the temperature i ask it to, i had an a2 before with climate control and never changed the temperature from 20 degrees as it cooled the car on its own whereas the a3 doesn't seem to do this very well. If i set it to 17 degrees it should make the inside 17 degrees which is pretty cold but it doesn't

Chris

 

[audicruiser]

Yes, i know what you mean but it just doesn't seem to keep the inside at the temperature i ask it to, i had an a2 before with climate control and never changed the temperature from 20 degrees as it cooled the car on its own whereas the a3 doesn't seem to do this very well. If i set it to 17 degrees it should make the inside 17 degrees which is pretty cold but it doesn't

Chris

I must admit I don't touch mine, I leave it at 21 degrees and it seems to sort itself out and keep me comfortable. May be you do have a problem then

Are the fans running?

 

[willowsdad]

You probably already know, but make sure you press the recirc button otherwise you're constantly trying to cool fresh air rather than the air inside the cabin. If you do that and put it on auto, you shouldn't need to adjust anything.

 

[CHEZ]

i have learnt with my car, if i am turning the air con on and off all the time it plays up and gives me niggles!
just leave it on all the time (like there designed for) and you wont get any bother!
mine used to smell now and again and not get cold, after doing research on here, i stopped turning it off and on and just left it on constantly, but adjusted the temp to suit and layed off the "econ" button and it has fixed itself!
i have no probs now!
try this approach!

 

[Chris93]

I never touch the econ button and have the auto recirculated air on all the time so that doesn't solve the issue, there must be something else wrong with the system

Chris

 

[willowsdad]

Where did you get it re-gassed? If they didn't remove all of the old gas and pressure test the system before recharging it you may have underlying problems. A shortage of gas would cause issues, as would contaminated gas. Firstly check that your compressor engages, then check how cold it gets when on lo.

 

[Chris93]

I first had it done at camberley audi service department as i thought the air con was a bit weak but when my car was damaged part of the repair was an air con regas. Neither of the regasses made the air con as effective as i think it should be, i think the problem is a sensor somewhere as i know the air con works it just doesn't come on early enough and only when it gets pretty hot inside the car


Chris

 

[kgates]

I am with loudchris53, my AC ****** me off. I live in Houston, TX where the outside temp is unbarable and the AC blowes cold air when its cold outside and hot air when its hot outside. I have had Audi look at it and repitable 3rd party mechanic look at it and they all say its cold. I still think it doesnt blow as cold as it should. I got a temp gun and checked the temp coming out of the air duct, and it was reading spot on with what the temp was set at, but yet i was stilling sitting in traffic sweating. The only car i have ever owened where i found the AC to give so much greif!

loudchris53, i recommend getting a temp gun and checking the air coming out of your duct, our finding someone that has one. Let me know if you get what i get. I am dreding another Houston summer with this car. I would love to get this problem fixed.

 

[Chris93]

Well i suppose at least i don't live in the texas heat so my problem isn't that bad!! I am glad i am not the only one with this problem though it is almost as if the interior temperature sensor thinks it is a different temperature to what it actually is!! When i get some time and preferably before our "summer" i will get it checked

Chris