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Air Condition problem and what the dealership diagnosed

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caymandiver75

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
So yesterday as I left work I noticed my A/C only worked while driving at a steady speed. If I came to as top or slowed down too much it got warm again. I dropped the car off at the dealership assuming they would tell me the Fan Relay switch needed replaced. This is what they quoted me.

1. Sub fuse panel (top of battery) needs replaced
2. Both fans not working and need replaced (they said they tried running power to them individually and they still didn't work)

Total cost to fix......$1300!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any suggestions guys? What parts do I need and where would you recommend I get them?
 
#2 ·
Yea, get a fused power distribution block from autozone or any marine center and make your own fuse block... Or ind someone parting out their mk4 and get their oem one... as for the fan, get a single big Flex-A-Lite fan. They move more air than oem anyway, beter off and cheaper.
 
#4 ·
I would imagine that you can find the parts you need at a local junkyard or pick and pull. For around $300.00, you should be able to replace all 3 components (fans and fuse assy). However, that being said, I doubt both fans are shot. I would replace the fuse pack first and see if your issue goes away.

There are also posts on this board where people have cleaned up the fuse pack and their AC started working again. Search around, the posts are here.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
slagdemon said:
I would imagine that you can find the parts you need at a local junkyard or pick and pull. For around $300.00, you should be able to replace all 3 components (fans and fuse assy). However, that being said, I doubt both fans are shot. I would replace the fuse pack first and see if your issue goes away.

There are also posts on this board where people have cleaned up the fuse pack and their AC started working again. Search around, the posts are here.
Click to expand...
Yeah I thought it was kind of odd to have both fans go out at the same time along with the fuse pack. I don't know exactly how the A/C system works, but find it odd that it still works while driving, just not at idle speeds. Also if the fuse pack goes bad, why would that cause the fans to die and need replaced?

I've ordered new fans and a fuse pack from ECS and will take your advice and try the fans with the new fuse pack first to see if that works. If the fans work with the new fuse pack I'm going to call up the dealsership and tell them off because they told me they tried to power the fans individually with no luck.
 
Discussion starter · #8 · (Edited)
linchpin.666 said:
Image


Try those fuses first, might not need a new box
Click to expand...
I picked the car up today from the dealership and the first thing I tried after reading this forum was replacing those (3) 30amp fuses. Unfortunately that didn't make any difference. I did notice on the way home that indeed none of my fans were kicking on at any time so the engine was getting hotter than it's usual 190 and the a/c only kicks out cold air while moving. I also noticed that if I pull the first green fuse (S180) out, that the secondary water pump stops running so that fuse affects more than just the fans.

The dealership quote says "AC FOUND SUB-FUSE PANEL FOR FAN OPERATION SHORTED. ALSO FOUND BOTH COOLING FANS MALFUNCTIONING. RECOMMEND TO REPLACE FUSE PANEL AND BOTH FANS."

Does anyone have a link to a DIY for replacing the fans?

EDIT: Just looked again after seeing the above diagram and yeah sure enough the (S164) fuse is blown. See picture below. The fans must have died and resulted in the fuse to break.

Image
 
#9 ·
The fans are pretty easy to replace. Have had a couple go out on my car and replaced with aftermarket. Aftermarkets have lasted as long as the OE. No need to remove the radiator, just have to be a bit of a contortionist.

As far as I know, the gassers have the same fans as the TDI.

Have a look here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=286603


Just make sure you don't have a short in the fan harness(es) before R&R. You'll be in the same spot as you are now but with two more shot fans.
 
#10 ·
Oh, and try not to run your A/C until you get the fans and fuse done. You're probably lucky that the pressure fuse on the dryer/accumulator hasn't melted and released your charge of R134. If that happens you're looking at a new dryer/accumulator, evacuation and recharge.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
bigdtdi said:
The fans are pretty easy to replace. Have had a couple go out on my car and replaced with aftermarket. Aftermarkets have lasted as long as the OE. No need to remove the radiator, just have to be a bit of a contortionist.

As far as I know, the gassers have the same fans as the TDI.

Have a look here:

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=286603


Just make sure you don't have a short in the fan harness(es) before R&R. You'll be in the same spot as you are now but with two more shot fans.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the pointers! How can I tell if there is a short in the fan harness(es) and don't the new fans come with new harness(es)?
 
#12 ·
No problem, have been there.

If memory serves the new fans have a dongle w/connector, which in turn connects to the existing harness that runs to the control unit/battery/etc. Here's what the driver's side fan looks like (not endorsing this vendor but this is where I found the picture quickly):

http://www.partstrain.com/store/det...ement/Radiator_Fan/2001/TDI/4_Cyl_1-dot-9L/REPV160902.html?location=Driver_Side

You have to use your existing fan shroud. Just take out the old and put in the new.

As far as testing for short.....a good ol' multimeter between terminals and a Haynes book I imagine.
 
#13 ·
1BadTitan said:
Yea, get a fused power distribution block from autozone or any marine center and make your own fuse block... Or ind someone parting out their mk4 and get their oem one... as for the fan, get a single big Flex-A-Lite fan. They move more air than oem anyway, beter off and cheaper.
Click to expand...
do not do this
 
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