For a few weeks now I've noticed that my aircon doesn't seem to be as cold as it should be. So I thought I would just take it into Kwik-Fit or wherever for an aircon service.

Yesterday, however, when I got back into the car and it had been sitting in the sun all day, I noticed something really odd. The temperature coming out the vents on the passenger side were ice-cold, but the ones for the drivers side (ie right-hand of the two in the centre, and the one between the door and the steering wheel) were not cold at all. It was just as if the 'dual' button had been pressed and differing temps set for each side of the car!!

So now I'm thinking that there's probably nothing wrong with the compressor/refrigerant system at all, and it's simply that I've never noticed that the air is only properly cold coming out the passenger's vents. No wonder the missus couldn't understand it - "feels cold to me, what are you on about!!!"

Anyone come across this before - is it likely to be something really simple or something horribly expensive? I'm not sure where the two temp sensors are, obviously there must be one for each side I guess?

Not wishing to specify the bl***ing obvious but are you sure it's not in dual mode? You don't have to hit the dual button, someone operating the temp control on the passenger side forces it into dual mode.


Malc

Nope, not that daft... From some forums in the US, where these cars are a lot more common, it looks as though it might be a servo motor at fault. Which is a big problem, as it needs the dash to come out to deal with the drivers side one! Though that might be a slight red-herring, since obviously the cars those guys are talking about have the steering wheel on the other side, and I'm not sure they

I think I will have it regassed anyway, it might be that the temperature difference has always been there, it's just that now the gas is low, you really notice that it's not as cold as it should be. For £50ish, it's worth a try. I've been testing and testing it this afternoon, and there is a noticeable difference no matter which point in the temperature scale you set things. Eg if you set both sides at 30C, the air coming out the left is cooler than the right, and remains slightly cooler no matter what temp you set, all the way down to 16C (lowest possible) when the left feels properly chilled and the right 'a bit cooler than ambient'.

Something I did find out though - there is a diagnostic and check mode on the aircon system (hold the Auto and fresh/recirc buttons down, while you switch on the ignition. The first thing that comes up shows you any error codes, then if you press the Auto button again, it runs repeatedly through a testing cycle which switches the fan speed up and down and cycles through all the vents. That cycles all the servos around their travel.)

Right, just got back from having it re-gassed at Kwik-Fit.

And what a difference... is now cold from all vents, am well pleased. Looks like they did a good job of it, and certainly can't moan at the price!