Golf MKVI Air Conditioning

[nikamichi]

Well it is the last choice to drive on those really hot days !

[hooba]

Well it is the last choice to drive on those really hot days !

Out of interest what colour is your Golf?

[Maverick]

Guys,

you make valid points.

What I would say is that a system which can only put out 5.8 degrees at a 32 degree ambient is going to struggle on the hottest of days. And that was my experience last year where with a 47.5 degree ambient, the system could only produce 10 degrees at the vent, and even after 3 hours of solid 80 km/h driving could only maintain a cabin temp of 29 degrees. I even had to take the car through a car wash to reduce the heat soak to achieve that temp. That same day, the Liberty within 30 minutes was cranking out 1.8 degree air, and held a cabin temp of 18 degrees. The air cond performance in the most adverse of conditions is chalk and cheese.

Personally I would prefer to pay a penalty of 0.5 l/per 100km to have a system which will actually hold the temperature dialled up on those 3 really hot days per year.

98% of time the system is adequate, and the heater is fabulous, producing 82 degrees at the vent within 15 minutes.

But ask anyone who works in the air cond industry ( automotive and industrial), 95% of complaints happen on those 3 hot days of the year, and any deficiency in a system will be revealed.

Just my experience, opinion and 2 cents worth !

Without using Vagcom/VCDS and measuring the status of the compressor, the temperature sensors throughout the vents, the status of the flaps and so forth your comparisons to the primitive system installed in the Subaru are meaningless. Lowest fan speeds "can" achieve the lowest vent temperatures but air moving over skin is important with cooling on hot days and you may not be getting the most out of the unit as you'll find the compressor will switch off more frequently to prevent the coil from freezing up.

The compressor in the Golf is a variable displacement compressor that has seven cylinders and allows more or less gas to be compressed at any one time depending on the cars requirements (minimum 2% to keep the system lubricated). Compare this to the type used in many cars like the Subaru which is either off or on. The Golf system is more like the inverter AC systems you install at home whereas the Subaru and others is the older style on and off with fluctuations in temperature.

Other benefits of the variable system include no annoying cutting in and out and the resulting power loss or increase in idle. Not to forget reduced fuel usage. I have some info I'll post on my website later today.

[G-rig]

Out of interest what colour is your Golf?

Wouldn't be surprised if it was black, LOL.

[nikamichi]

The A3 is red .... the liberty was Black.

Guys, you think the air cond in Golf is fine, and that is your opinion ( and I respect it).

My experience is that it isn't ( maybe I just got a bad car .... I probably have with all the things that went wrong with) . Wheels magazine don't think it is good enough and said so when they announced Golf as COTY( sometimes I respect their opinions ). Do I think the air cond is bad enough to not purchase the car ? No. I signed for a GTI with all this experience ( but as I did with the A3 ticked the extended warranty option, and will be getting the best tint I can).

I'm glad to hear the compressor technology is fabulously advanced. Maybe that accounts for the documented issue of compressor failure. When quizzing my dealer, as I have done with the 2 other major failures in my car ( steering rack, and gearbox),they confirmed it is a documented issue.

Major car manufacturers including VW have training and drive days ( hard to believe I know). And they give pros and cons of their competition, as well as the opportunity to drive all their competitors. The Subaru salesman was simply repeating what was in the training materials.

In terms of my crude comparisons, I was only using the temperature probe, and diagnostic process that was used and left behind by my local authorised dealer.

[Maverick]

The A3 is red .... the liberty was Black.

Guys, you think the air cond in Golf is fine, and that is your opinion ( and I respect it).

My experience is that it isn't ( maybe I just got a bad car .... I probably have with all the things that went wrong with) . Wheels magazine don't think it is good enough and said so when they announced Golf as COTY( sometimes I respect their opinions ). Do I think the air cond is bad enough to not purchase the car ? No. I signed for a GTI with all this experience ( but as I did with the A3 ticked the extended warranty option, and will be getting the best tint I can).

Wheels would have staff getting in and out of cars on hot tracks and would be wanting a blast of cold air when they jump in like they get with cars with low tech compressors. Few people who use them day in and day out have problems.

I'm glad to hear the compressor technology is fabulously advanced. Maybe that accounts for the documented issue of compressor failure. When quizzing my dealer, as I have done with the 2 other major failures in my car ( steering rack, and gearbox),they confirmed it is a documented issue.

The compressor failure is caused mainly confined to Zelex and Valeo compressors, Sanden compressors have been fitted since sometime in 2007 and whilst they can still fail like any moving part the incidences are much lower.

Volkswagen Golf, GTI, Passat, Jetta and Eos Air Conditioner Compressor Failure

Major car manufacturers including VW have training and drive days ( hard to believe I know). And they give pros and cons of their competition, as well as the opportunity to drive all their competitors. The Subaru salesman was simply repeating what was in the training materials.

Right so because Subaru says so and tells it's salesdroids it must make it so? Maybe the Subaru salesman should sell the Subaru on it's few merits rather than trying to pick holes in the Golf which is a far superior car all round and doesn't look like a pig with lipstick.

In terms of my crude comparisons, I was only using the temperature probe, and diagnostic process that was used and left behind by my local authorised dealer.

I'm just pointing out that there are better ways to measure the temperatures and performance.

[Brendan_A]

I've had my new MK6 for 2 days now and i think the climate control is not working properly. Its been pretty cold in Toowoomba last few days and i've had it set to 23 degrees, outside temp 15 and all i get is cold air out the vents.(engine is warm) Set it to Hi and its way too hot! doesn't seem to be any in between temp. Our Jetta is nothing like this. Set it to 23 and it maintains a comfortable warm temp in the car. Anyone else experiencing this now that winter is coming?

[118TSI]

I've had my new MK6 for 2 days now and i think the climate control is not working properly. Its been pretty cold in Toowoomba last few days and i've had it set to 23 degrees, outside temp 15 and all i get is cold air out the vents.(engine is warm) Set it to Hi and its way too hot! doesn't seem to be any in between temp. Our Jetta is nothing like this. Set it to 23 and it maintains a comfortable warm temp in the car. Anyone else experiencing this now that winter is coming?

Yep, Mine is exactly the same, 24 and 25 is like warm, 26 hot, hi - I wont go there.

My other half BMW 330ci, 23, set the vent in the middle to 3 bar warm, and it toasty

Cheers S....

[cameronp]

Have to say I am NOT overly impressed with the climate control in my tsi118. I just consider it average. No issues with the AC. It cools fine. What I dislike is:
1) the lack of fidelity and inability to get the temp just right.
2) inability to set and forget over long periods.

I've found that I only really adjust the temperature according to what I'm wearing - typically 22C if I'm in a long-sleeved shirt or have a jumper on, 24-25C otherwise, 21C or even less if I want cold air to keep me awake. That's after only owning it for two weeks, though, so maybe it has other quirks that I'll notice over time.

If I am a tad cold I increase the temp 1 degree only to be met with a rush of warm air. In my mind a request for a 1deg increase should be met with a subtle, barely perceptible change.

I'm guessing the rush of warm air is from the PID controller being fairly enthusiastic in trying to warm the cabin temperature at its sensors to what you request. Hard to say whether whether that behaviour is necessarily good or bad - I can see myself increasing the temperature knob in an attempt to tell the car "warm me up, you useless sod", but also understand your reasoning. The Golf is the first car I've owned with climate control (rather than ordinary air-con / heater controls) so it's all a bit of a novelty to me.

[G-rig]

Yep, Mine is exactly the same, 24 and 25 is like warm, 26 hot, hi - I wont go there.

you guys have it cranked up too high, mine is always on 20 or 21..