Volkswagen A/C issues can ruin your summer. Here’s everything you need to know to about VW air conditioning issues before they become a bigger problem.
Hitting the road in the middle of a heatwave is not the time you want to find out that your vehicle’s air conditioning doesn’t work. It’s especially unpleasant if you happen to find that your A/C is blowing out warm or hot air instead of the cool breeze you were desperately anticipating.
Well, you can now wipe the sweat off your brow and dive into our useful guide to exploring common VW air conditioning problems and fixes to get you back into the cool zone as quickly as possible.
The Volkswagen is great vehicle, and very popular. However, just like any other brand, the VWs don’t come without problems. That’s why it is important to spend a few minutes researching Volkswagens and VW air conditioning problems so you know what to watch out for before you find yourself heading out on your next road adventure in a car that feels like a sauna.
What are the Most Common VW Air Conditioning Problems?
- Air compressor quits working
- Insufficient air conditioning
- Air conditioning only cooling on one side
To better know what to look for and consider the best options for VW vehicle air conditioners that are not working properly, it is important to know a little about the mechanism and the VW air conditioning history. Then, we will go into more detail about the VW air conditioning problems we mentioned above.
The first VW model to come with an optional “factory-installed” air conditioner was the 1967 Beetle. These ACs were notorious for not working very well and for overheating and causing damage to the engines.
Additionally, no AC systems were installed on the VW Beetles made in Germany. All the components for the VW Beetle’s AC were manufactured in the U.S. by trained technicians.
Started in 1932, Volkswagen has earned a solid reputation for quality German engineering over the decades.
The vehicles produced by the company grew in popularity in the 1950s and 1960s, especially the VW Bus and Beetle, adding the Volkswagen Golf as time went by.
Today’s lineup of German-manufactured cars includes a focus on electric and electric-hybrid vehicles, with the automaker’s aim to have electric versions of all models by 2030.
Now, let’s move on to detailing the most common VW air conditioning problems.
Three of the Most Common VW Air Conditioning Problems
Air Compressor Quits Working
Volkswagen had quite a few problems with the air compressors, particularly in their 2015 and 2016 year models. Reportedly, there was a defective regulating valve that was causing compressor failure.
If your air compressor is failing, you might notice it making funny noises that sound like an air pressure release from inside the car. The AC might be blowing cold, then suddenly it will begin blowing hot.
A service bulletin was issued for this problem, so if you have it repaired, make sure you have it done at a VW dealership. The reason for this is that when updates and bulletins are issued, dealers remove the defective parts from their stock. Third-party retailers might not do this.
So, if you have your vehicle repaired at a third-party repair shop, you will probably end up having the same problems as you did before you had the air compressor replaced.
And that means you will have to pay to have the air compressor replaced again due to the repair shop using the same defective part to complete the repair.
Insufficient Air Conditioning
It’s been widely reported that some of the VW models, particularly the Volkswagen Atlas, have insufficient air conditioning making the interior more uncomfortable than other brand models of the same size.
There is some debate about whether setting the AC on Auto and set to sync is more effective than setting the AC on Rec. Other people have mentioned that the AC seems cold when driving; however, when stopped it feels like only the fan is running.
Unfortunately, when consumers have this problem looked at by the dealer, they are told it is working properly. However, some consumers have stated that it appeared to be the system’s thermometer sensors that were not working correctly.
This would make sense since this issue isn’t happening on all the same model vehicles. But this could not be confirmed.
Some have also been suggested that if you select the drive type (Eco, Normal, Sport, Custom) and select Custom that you can adjust the Climate Control. And if you have that setting on Eco rather than Normal that also might be causing the problem. So that could be a potential fix that’s worth trying as well.
Air Conditioning Only Cooling on One Side
There are a few people reporting this issue that only one side of the vehicle feels like it is cooling. The apparent cause of this is that only half of the evaporator is getting cold. This means there is a leak somewhere in the line causing low refrigerant levels.
When you have a low charge, there isn’t enough refrigerant to cool the evaporator evenly. Since the system flows from the driver side to the passenger side, it will cause higher temperatures on the passenger side.
Fixing VW Air Conditioning Problems
Of course, whenever we run into any problems with our vehicles, one of the first places we run to is YouTube. We’ve reviewed videos by popular influencers to find easy fixes to common VW air conditioning problems.
Many of the tutorials are very easy to follow, featuring DIY suggestions for resolving air conditioning problems in your VW vehicle.
YouTuber “The Fixerette” shows you how to fix the air conditioning on a VW Jetta that’s only blowing hot air. The host goes over what she calls a “zero dollar fix.”
“It is a bit awkward to get to,” she says about the A/C panel in her 2002 VW Jetta, “but once you know what to do, it is a fairly quick fix.”
If you’re having trouble with your VW Passat’s A/C, check out this guide by Wheels Joint.
“A dirty cabin air filter mostly only leads to reduced cooling,” says Wheels Joint‘s Clark Garcia. “If only hot air comes out of the air vents in your Passat, then the problem probably lies somewhere else.” The article offers seven solutions for resolving seven commons A/C problems.
“There are many reasons why air conditioning may not be working properly on your VW Passat,” adds Garcia. “When looking for the reason, you should always start with the most obvious cause, low refrigerant level in the system.”
If you have a VW Beetle with A/C problems, check out “How to Troubleshoot the Air Conditioning in a VW Beetle,” a six-step troubleshooting guide by It Still Works that details how to resolve air conditioning problems in a Beetle.
Now that summer is here — and hotter than the Fourth of July! — it may be worth checking out “Volkswagen Air Conditioning Tips,” a tutorial by Washington-based dealership Volkswagen of Puyallup, below.
The video goes over the basics of where to find all the A/C controls that you’re going to need, and shares tip on how to get the most out of VW’s air conditioning system.
Photos: Volkswagen; Deposit Photos
