My TDI has been dead in my driveway for 15 months...time to bring it back to life

mrfrankmrfrank

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2011
Location
Illinois
TDI
Black 2001 MKIV
As the title says, starting December 2017 I encountered an issue with my hvac system. I kept hearing a "thud" or a "flap" accompanied with a change in air pressure and a suction noise. I can't remember the exact behavior as it has been some time. I wasn't too worried as from what I remember the controls were blowing hot air onto the windshield as is what i run most of the winter. It wasn't until it started getting warmer out in spring 2018 that i noticed i could not control AC. From what I remember if i put the fan speed on 1-2 i could get cold air coming out.... and occasionally i would hear the "suction flap noise" and then i'd lose cold air and it would be hot air only coming out. It seems like I could only push ac at a 1 or 2 for so long before i'd get the "flip" and air was being diverted a certain way. From my investigations back when this first happened it seems like it is likely the blender door issue... Perhaps all of my foam is gone... but now reviewing i see there is also a blender door support pin...


I guess my question is if I am hearing the door "flip or flop" either direction as if its loose... would it likely be the support pin over loss of foam on the blender door?


I love my ac so in march and april of 2018 driving the jetta was already getting difficult.. black leather doesn't help. Then one day I went to do the last block to my driveway and couldn't get the car into 3rd. or 4th, or 5th. The stick simply wouldn't move into anything other than 1st and 2nd. So there it sat... I started driving a borrowed car and eventually ended up buying a family car which turned into my daily driver.



Now it is beneficial for me to sell a car or two and end up daily driving my jetta again. I am going to have it towed to my mechanic, but I was curious if I should have him eyeball the blender door pin first or if its likely he's going through the radio trying to tape up the door itself. I'm hoping the shifting issue is just something to do with linkage.


2001 jetta mk4 tdi
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I would look into the blend door fix. Sounds like a big piece of it partially came loose and is just flapping in your heater box.
 

csstevej

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Location
north nj
TDI
2001 golf tdi 4 door auto now a manual, mine, 2000 golf 2 door M/T son's,daughters 98 NB non-TDI 2.0, 2003 TDI NB for next daughter, head repaired and on road,gluten for punishment got another tdi 2001NB,another yellow tdi NB
The pin may have dropped put from the bottom of the HVAC box, common problem.
If your lucky it popped loose. You would need to center it and push the pin back up.
If unlucky one or both tabs broke and needs replacement.
There is a member that makes an improved version of this as VW doesn’t make that part anymore.
 
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