Temp Blend Door

Hi!

I've been lurking here for quite awhile and have read almost all of the postings about the temperature blend door. I have a 2002 New Beetle TDI with about 104K. Here's my problem:

First, I'm a girl. I took my car into the shop about a month ago because the ventilation was either stuck in cold a/c or super hot heat. There was no in between and it couldn't be adjusted with the temp control. I didn't want to take it to the dealer, so I took it to the local import shop that did the timing belt a couple years ago. I told them I thought it was the temp blend door cable. The mechanic asked me if I wanted them to fix what was wrong or what I thought was wrong. Of course, I was annoyed but I complained to the manager and let them work on it.

I was in luck! The problem was the bushings that only cost about $165 to fix. When I picked it up, the a/c was tepid. It was about 76 degrees and the a/c couldn't make the car comfortable. Plus, you still couldn't adjust the temp.

I took it in to the same shop a couple weeks later. I was in luck! It only needed more freon. I was assured that the a/c was now "ice cold." And it only cost $65! I picked it up and the car and the a/c was still tepid. And you still couldn't adjust the temp.

I was going to break down and take it to the dealership but noticed that I was charged $50 to "analyze" the problem. Annoyed, I took it to the same shop and requested that they check the temp blend door like I suggested a month ago. He just called me back. Now, the whole temp blend door assembly needs to be replaced ($400 for the parts, plus about 11 hours labor. $1500 total. Cha-ching!!) How do you know it's not just the cable? Uh....I don't know. You'll need to talk to my mechanic. The same guy that insulted me when I brought the car in? I don't think so.

I'm going to get the car later this afternoon. Here are my questions:

1. Can you tell that the temperature blend door assembly needs to be replaced just by looking at it? Wouldn't you need to take something apart to see? Also, if you can tell by looking at it, why wasn't it noticed in the first place?

2. I live in southeastern Colorado and don't have a great deal of options. Can I risk driving the car 40-45 miles with the "check engine" light on?

3. Does anyone know of an honest VW repair shop in the Colorado Springs area?

Thanks!

#1 piece of advice, don't ever ever go back to that mechanic. They are trying to rob you blind and, no offense meant, it looks like they are doing a good job seeing as how they've already gotten $230 for fixing nothing.

Secondly, you have to understnad that all check engine lights are not equal. I've been driving with a check engine light on for the past 20,000 miles with no ill consequences. Fortunately for me I've had the codes scanned and I know that the check engine light is simply caused by a faulty glow plug and does not affect the operation of the vehicle.

I think the first thing you do (after you get your car away from that shop) is either find someone with a VAG-COM scanning tool or go to your local auto parts chain store (someplace like Autozone or whatever you have around you) and ask if they will do an OBD code scan for free. Most places will. Write down the error code numbers that they give you and post them on the forum here so people can help you diagnose why you have a Check engine light showing.

Good Luck!

I know of several posts where they were able to repair the temperature blend door cable connections without tearing out the whole dash.

You need to play contortionist, get a flashlight and inspection mirror, follow the cable to the door, and see if you can see what is wrong, and on which end. Then you can fix it.

There is nothing wrong with your reading for content and analytical skills. There is also nothing magical about this cable control. From your description it has come loose on one end or the other.

It sounds as if they were pricing the removal of the entire dash and HVAC system to get to it to repair. It might take that, but it might not.

On my A4 and on my wife's Suburban I can hear air flow changes when adjusting the temperature door full stroke.

These are from the TDI 101 trusted mechanics list. You might give them a call before driving.

Steve Carroll - username SCarroll
Aurora, CO

Frey's Foreign Car Service
2550 49th St
Boulder, CO 80301
(303) 440-0725

European Performance Specialist
406 S. Sierra Madre St
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719) 475-1046, Loren

aNut
Denver
http://www.dieselland.net/

Hardey's Motorwerks
10315 South Progress Way Unit 2
Parker CO, 80134-4020
Phone: 303.840.7664
http://www.hardeysmotorwerks.com

Cattle Creek V Dubs
5405 County Road 154, Unit L
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601-8626
Phone: (866) 434-6625
www.cattlecreek-vdubs.com
http://forums.tdiclub.com/member.php?u=77903

Yea, I don't know what shop you brought your car to, but it would appear they are taking advantage of you. It is not always easy to find a good shop. The list Dan provided is a good place to start.

Dealers are usually OK, but they tend to be more expensive and not all of them are good. Quick oil change places are almost 100% a bad bad idea.

Being a girl has little or nothing to do with it. You are as capable as anyone. You may not be as interested, in the nuts and bolts, and that's OK.

You can check if the blend door assembly is off at the end from the passenger side. From the floor where the carpet meets the centre dash, slide your hand under there. you should be able to feel where the cable meets the blend door, or more likely, you'll feel the cable flopping around. You can push the cable back into the blend door by pushing it together while turning the temp dial.

It WILL eventually come loose again, but it is a good fix for now since its summer time!

ditto to skatanic. See here.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=180593

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=222830

Mine seems to stay put for 6 months or so before I need to reseat it.