air direction controler problems

[cardboard 0]

couldnt really think of a better way of describing it!

 

basically my heater works fine on all speeds but i cant adjust it from face, this is very annoying considering the weather and my windscreen keeps misting up! i can turn the adjust about 3/4 of the wat but nothing happens?

 

is there a cable that has come off or something else i need to do to get it back on track?

 

thanks

[Mark_Storm 0]

I currently have a similar problem and after pulling it all apart it will be one of 3 problems: the cable (unlikley but worth checking as its the simplest thing it can be), the control unit or the heater matrix. I had 2 problems; the lever on the heater matrix was worn and this in turn had broken the controls as I tried to force it round.

 

I'd start with taking the heater control unit out, this is pretty simple and doesn't take too long. Release the cable for the direction control at the back and test the controls to see if they work. Then move the cable it manually (be careful not to bend it), it should slide smoothly and if you look from the passenger side round behind the bottom of the dash you should see a lever moving. This should tell you wher the problem lies

[cardboard 0]

how do i take it out? do i take the facia off or do i take the lower parts of the dash out and go in behind?

 

thanks

[Yandards 0]

how do i take it out? do i take the facia off or do i take the lower parts of the dash out and go in behind?

 

thanks

 

Changing/inspecting the heater control panel requires the removal of the centre console and the trim surrounding the instrument cluster.

 

There are quite a few screws holding the centre console in place, one at the back of the cubby hole at the bottom, one behind the ash tray, 4 of them behind the heater control panel cover plate, 1 behind the instrument cluster trim (that one comes out when you take the instrument cluster trim off) one going up into the dash around the l/h side of the instrument cluster trim (just right of the ABS light area) 1 in one of the two vents (IIRC it's the l/h one).

 

I think that's it, you will also need to remove the stereo, unplug all the fog light, heated rear window, ABS etc from the l/h side of the instrument cluster and the knobs from the heater control panel.

 

Most of the stuff just unclips but it may well break too, the fag lighter trim is particuly bad, as are the two little covers for the instrument cluster trim.

 

You can check what is broken by unclipping the cables from the heater control panel and trying to pull them by hand, whip the passenger side lower dash shelf out and you can see the cables going into the heater control box, the cables do get stiff but ultimately the late style heater controls are just pants.

[Mark_Storm 0]

Not sure you need to take all that out just to check behind the controls. Pretty sure you just need to pull off the 3 control knobs (make sure you know which one goes where, don't know how they're different but they are), pull off the plastic surround for the knobs (fingers or thin flat headed screw driver will do it) and then unscrew the four screws you can see in the corners. You can then pull the control unit through. Bit fiddly but not difficult.

[cardboard 0]

thanks have had a look and it turns fine but struggles to move the lower wire! if i force it back into start position (top right) and then try to turn it it moves initially and then i think the cog lifts a bit as the pressure builds up and the cogs then slip if i push the wire with my hand as well as turn them it is fine. i think something has broken holding the vertical cog down

[Mark_Storm 0]

If you unplug that cable from the back of the control unit can you change the direction flow manually?

[Mike Edwards 0]

Sounds like the cable for the flap that directs air to the windscreen is bent, plus the lever on the flap may have jumped a few teeth.

[Mark_Storm 0]

If the lever on the flap has jumped any teeth then you need to replace the whole thing. That's what had happened to mine, but for the dash vents. Tried repairing it but no joy. You can pick up a spare heater matrix for around £20-30, fitting it takes the best part of a day though

[cardboard 0]

lol many thanks! right now i have got it set up so the face vents are on but if i close them with the sliders by them the air goes up the windscreen so i have complete control except for feet. that will do me for the moment as im not up for fitting the whole matrix yet!

[herisites 0]

lol many thanks! right now i have got it set up so the face vents are on but if i close them with the sliders by them the air goes up the windscreen so i have complete control except for feet. that will do me for the moment as im not up for fitting the whole matrix yet!

 

Yep fitting a new matrix isn't pretty :shock:

 

 

I had the exact same problem but with mine it wouldnt go round to the face position, but the face position was stuck open because if my vents were open air always came out, so i had to close the vents so the air went to the windscreen. I had to change my heater matrix (the actual matrix not the housing) as mine blew pissing coolant all over my carpets :mad: so whilst it was all out i checked all the cable and mine were just pretty seized up so i disconnected the cables, greased up all the cogs on the matrix housing and the heater controls as well as lubed up the cables with some engine oil (tiny amount) and then put it back together with the cables as straight as possible and mine work perfectly now and didnt need to replace anything!

 

 

But thats a long job to do just for the heater cables. If your car has done high ish miles and the heater matrix hasnt been replaced then you may as well make the job worthwhile and replace the matrix to save you from wet carpets in the future because it WILL eventually blow im sure :lol:

 

This is the actual heater matrix which is about £135 from VW (ahem rip off ahem) but £50 from GSF (genuine Valeo one!):

 

[cardboard 0]

lol done 100k so fairly low at the moment but it definately sounds like i job i will have to make time for! i hate things not working properly!

[Mark_Storm 0]

lol many thanks! right now i have got it set up so the face vents are on but if i close them with the sliders by them the air goes up the windscreen so i have complete control except for feet. that will do me for the moment as im not up for fitting the whole matrix yet!

 

Yeah i've got a similar set up, had to take the whole lot apart to find the problem tho. Its got a couple of screws fixed into it to hold one of the flaps open so its quite a bodge at the mo but atleast works now.

 

Yep fitting a new matrix isn't pretty :shock:

 

 

Blimey! All that for just the heater matrix or were you doing other stuff aswell?

[herisites 0]

Blimey! All that for just the heater matrix or were you doing other stuff aswell?

 

Nope just the heater matrix, some people reckon it can be done without removing the dash, personally i dont see how as the matrix sits right at the top at the back of the dash and you have to remove the lot to get to it. But i also decided to remove the whole dash as it gave me the opportunity to de-squeak and de-rattle it by adding felt and foam between where plastics meet and rub together, as well as like i mentioned re-routing the heater control cables so they run straight as possible making their life a bit easier and generally tidied up and cabled tied everything underneath, it looked completely different going back together! Much better now!

[Mark_Storm 0]

Fair enough. I did manage to get my heater matrix out without removing the dash but it does require sweat, foul language and a little 'persuasion'!

[latestarter2 0]

mine has air constantly coming out the feet vents and the windscreen so it gets pretty warm in the cockpit!!..still its a good excuse to have the sunroof open while it still works lol. :lol:

[dokko 0]

Was having similar problem with the air direction permanently of face. Using the info here and in the Knowledge base, I knew that the bowden cables were fine and not the cause of the problem. Air direction control dial turned fine with no grinding or heavy resistance.

 

After taking the panel off inside the drivers footwell for a closer inspection behind the centre console, I noticed a black plastic cog (which was about the diameter of a 2 pound coin) lying just behind the panel.

 

Didn't take long for me to work out where it had come from - there are 3 cogs situated just behind the ashtray mounting point and to the left of the drivers footwell vent housing.

 

This cog was the middle one and had teeth around it's entire diameter. The other 2 cogs which were still in place were semi toothed. Have no idea how it fell off in the first place as it snapped back in firmly.

 

Result - my windscreen vents now work, but...

 

Now can't get the direction control dial to move past the feet setting. Will try and remove the cog and refit it.

 

PS - new to the forum having been lurking about for the past few months. Just bought a gleaming Alpine White VR6 a couple of weeks ago and look forward to getting more involved here.

[Riley 0]

This is what i did, and its worked like new ever since.

 

A tip for everyone...

If you have the blower motor going, don't change the direction...You will feel a difference in resistance. Turn the blower off and then change the direction, you will notice that the direction can be changed much easier.