Recycled air jammed

[hokenmk3]

The fins in my vent broke and one of the fins fell down the vent and is jamming the recycled air switch. It is stuck on fresh air and when I push the recycled air button I can hear it struggling and it doesn't seal off the outside.

I have tried removing the instruments to get at it but I can't get the dash all the way off.

Does anybody know an easy way to get to the mechanism that actuates the recycled air function?

Any help on this problem would be much appreciated!

[peedman]

U can pull off the top stereo part of the dash itself so u can get to the vent hole. It requires u to undo the screws holding the cluster shield, removing said shield, removing the screws under the button blanks and also at the top behind the vents themselves. Hard to describe without pictures but u should get the broader picture.

Takes only a few minutes to take it apart and it should mean that u can get better access.

[The_Hawk]

The recycled air flap is actually an electronically activated pneumatic switch that pulls a flap closed in the air blower box (under the glove box). (At least it is in the VR6 and unless you have a level or turning knob instead of the on/off button yours is the same).

If you look behind the washer bottle you will find the electronic valve that open/closes to activate the flap. There is a couple of air pipes here, one runs down and into the fron passenger side guard where there is a tank that holds reserve pressure, the other runs through the heater core (literally between the two pipes you will see a little air line) and into the cabin.

This is where mine broke, the little joint in the heater core was busted, the joint is impossible to get at without removing everything forward of the handbrake (it's the same job as the heater core). I ran a seperate line through the firewall and now it works again...

BUT, when I say works, yes the recycle works and yes the car gets colder with the recirculate on since it's re-cooling cool air, but the seal in the flap is deteriorated so you still get outside air (read exhaust smell and other outside stuff). You know all that grey spongy stuff that has been blowing out your vents... yeah that was the seals for the system, so AFAIK short of pulling it all apart and replacing all that stuff your never going to get a 100% clean air feed.

[hokenmk3]

I have had everything in front of the handbrake off except the dashboard itself. I don't know if I am using the term dashboard correctly but I mean the big vinyl thing that spans the width of the car. I have even had the pipe that directs the air out the vents out but I still can't reach low enough to get to the obstruction even elbow deep in the vents.

I spoke to some car mad mates and they said it is a common problem and usually due to people hooking pens on the vents. It is a fin from the vent that has fallen down mine though. None of my car mad mates have VWs.

The fresh air comes into my car via the fresh air filter next to the ecu, behind the coolant overflow bottle, under the leaf guard below the windscreen. I have had the filter out of it but my arm doesn't fit down the pipe to feel around.

Is there any way to get to the pneumatic lever through where the glovebox would be (if the car had a glove box)? Is it accessable by removing the compartment under the ashtray without removing the entire dashboard?

Thanks for showing an interest Peedman and The Hawk. I'm not too familiar with car repair beyond installing stereos or changing fluids, filters and spark plugs.

[peedman]

Apologises for the bad quality but u should get the idea.

If uve tried getting ur hand thru there and u cant, theres no other way to get at it besides taking the dash off.


Dash off looks like this, ull be interested in the black part behind the white scoop.


Closeup of the flap:




I dont see really any way around it, i suppose u could try blowing compressed air down there and see if it pushes it thru. Annoying bugger isnt it lol. If u want a rough guide how to take it all apart i could prob type sumthing up, its not a fun job tho and for sumthing that small i dont think i'd bother. But then again its ur car...

[peedman]

Actually i had a second look and i could be wrong, it might be the white scoop thingy but i didnt think it was it first time around coz it looks quite deep. Anyway gl with it!

[hokenmk3]

Thanks for your help mate. You are very resourceful. Nice pics!

I think the black thing directs the air to defrost the windscreen. I have had the piping on top of the white scoop off and had my arm down the white scoop with the dashboard still intact. Operating the recycled air button makes a noise down deep in the white bit just out of reach of my arm.

When I was taking the piping on top of the white scoop off, I bumped the passenger airbag wire and when I turned the ignition on to listen for the pheumatic switch going, it registered an airbag fault with the computer and I had to borrow my mates diagnostic handset to reset the airbag fault. It was funny as. I'll check airbag wires before turning the ignition on from now on. he he.

Is it possible to remove the fan without taking the dash off? Maybe I could get at it from the other side...

[h100vw]

The fan should twist out on a bayonet. Might have a screw to stop it moving, I can't remember for sure?

Gavin

[The_Hawk]

OK, the blower for the fan is in the passenger side foot well, the flap is above your feet, its NOT in the centre of the car. The flap in the centre of the car is for hot air like this:


Here is the system (reversed for aussie cars of course):


Note item 6 is the valve that turn fresh air on/off, right near the blower.


Again the parts in the centre:




Poke your fingers into the plastic mesh grill over the passengers feet on the far passenger side and you will feel the flap right there...

[Golf Loon]

If you take the fan out by going under the dash behind the passenger airbag its possible you might be able to reach in or poke somthing through from that direction.

There is a couple of screws and then it slides out.