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Audi A3 8P Faulty Compressor

fishta on Tue June 09, 2009 5:28 AM User is offline

Year: 2006
Make: Audi
Model: A3
Engine Size: 2.0TDI
Country of Origin: United Kingdom

My Audi A3 2.0TDI 8P Air Con has recently suddenly stopped working, there has been no noises out of the ordinary or any performance change apart from it just blowing out warm air when on Lo. Last year the car had a new condenser fitted as somebody had reversed into my car cracking it so at first i thought it could of been a repeat of this. However this morning it was taken into WImbledon Audi in London and they have informed me that it sounds as if something has broken off inside the compressor because they can hear a rattle in it. They have told me a new compressor will cost £964 which I am aware is well over priced and that this could then break again if there are faulty parts inside the pumps, valves, tubes etc so to have the whole system flushed and valves replaced etc will cost a further £1080 so a total of £2044. This car is only 3 years old and so I just wondered if anybody knew whether this was a common fault or not on this car and whether this diagnosis sounds right. They have put the car back together for me and I have told them that I willo not be doing it with them as they are too expensive so I just need to find a local air con specialist now!

robs on Tue June 09, 2009 12:09 PM User is offlineView users profile

Do you know exactly what was changed in the vehicle when they changed the condenser?

Karl Hofmann on Tue June 09, 2009 3:11 PM User is offlineView users profile

Your A3 is equipped with a Sanden clutchless compressor and it sounds like the shear clutch has failed for some reason. The compressor runs all of the time and refrigerant flow is controlled by the solenoid valve built in to the side.. The purpose of the shear clutch is to ensure that you are not left stranded at the side of the road as a seized compressor could wreck your auxiliary drive belt... It is very common for the problem that you have and the few that I have replaced show no real reason for the clutch failing..

The good news is that the compressors are so common now that they can be bought for around £250 and with drier, flush and new lubricant should cost you less than Audi have quoted for the part..

I'm afraid that I'm Ooop North but UK Tech may be able to recommend someone in the London area as that used to be his area

Anyone seen UK Tech about recently or is he languishing in a Swedish prison... ?

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Never knock on deaths door... Ring the doorbell and run away, death really hates that!

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