Author Topic: Air con stopped working.  (Read 1211 times)

Offline ianmb

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Air con stopped working.
« on: 05 July 2026, 08:51 »
Car is a year old ,air con has suddenly stopped working.The first thing the dealership said was I bet a stone has gone through a pipe.
Looking at the front of the car I can not see how a stone could get through.
Wondering if anyone had a similar fault.

Offline SRGTD

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #1 on: 05 July 2026, 10:38 »
Ian; I’m assuming your car’s a mk8.5 GTI?

I can remember commenting on the forum when I first saw pictures of the mk8.5 GTI of how the lower grille design leaves the air con condenser (located immediately behind the lower grille) quite susceptible to damage from stones and other projectile road debris because of the large size of the honeycomb shaped holes in the grille. Associated pipe work attached to the condenser would be equally susceptible to damage. I dare say the a/c condenser and pipe work would be even more susceptible to damage on the mk8.5 Golf R as the lower grille holes are larger than they are on the GTI.

2020 Polo GTI Plus; Pure White, DSG (because they all are)
Gone but not forgotten;
2016 Polo GTI; Blue Silk
2011 mk6 Golf GTD; Carbon Grey
2007 mk5 Golf GT (2.0 170bhp TDI version); Deep Black Pearl
2002  mk4 Golf GTI (the 150 bhp diesel version); Deep Black Pearl

Offline Adam T7

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #2 on: 05 July 2026, 10:50 »
If the failure was total and sudden, I’d agree with condenser damage. Good luck for a quick fix given the current weather🤞
MY2019 GTI Mk 7.5 Performance. DSG, 5 Door, Rear Camera, Climate Windscreen and Rear Window Factory Tints, Indium Grey.

Offline DrG_GTi

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #3 on: 06 July 2026, 09:56 »
oddly i had the a couple of years ago with my mk8, but a soft reset of the infotainments sorted it out, i blamed buggy software
2021 Mk8 GTI Clubsport - Reflex Silver

Offline ianmb

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #4 on: 11 July 2026, 17:50 »
Thank you for the reply’s turned out a stone had gone through the condenser,£850 worse off ,poor design for the front of car being so open.

Offline Al1040

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #5 on: 16 July 2026, 13:21 »
Had the same on my 7.5 and the holes are much larger on the 8 / 8.5.... stealer money making scheme.

Ended up putting a black mesh cover over the condenser, not that pretty but very practicable and can see where a number of stones would have hit the rad!!

In the Mk 6 days there was an option to have a mesh screen fitted inside the bumper for countries with poor roads... Uk defo qualifies now but of course option no longer available.  :cry:
67 Plate Mk 7.5 GTD DSG

Offline candywhite12

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Re: Air con stopped working.
« Reply #6 on: 16 July 2026, 16:32 »
oddly i had the a couple of years ago with my mk8, but a soft reset of the infotainments sorted it out, i blamed buggy software

happens all the time with the wife's mk8, air con suddenly stops working, you need to restart the car and/or the infotainment to kick start the air con again, sometimes that fails and you just have to be patient until it feels like turning on again  :undecided:
Current: GTI 8.5, Moonstone Gray, 5dr, Black Estorils 19''. pan, DCC
Wife's: mk8 TSI 1.5 RL, 5dr atlantic blue, DSG, Norfolk 17", pan s/r, leds
Son's: mk7.5 TSI 1.4 RL, 5dr tornado red, DSG, Singapore 17", pan s/r, leds
Before: mk6 GTI 5dr candy white, DSG, Monza Shadow 18", s/r, bi-Xenons, DCC
Even before that: mk5 GT 5dr tornado red, manual, s/r