A/C randomly shuts off

[The1nutwonder]

so my a/c will randomly just shut off i think its just the fan thats shutting off but either way it just stops blowing. Pauses for 2 sec and then starts again. There doesnt seem to be any kind of trigger that will make it do this. It just does it at random. The owners manual says that the fan will shut off during wot to give u a bit more power for acceleration. But it will do it while at idle or cruising speed. I dont have a need for wot so i havent tested that theory yet.

[bora_1_8t]

Mine does the same thing

[ReniA4]

same here, once in a while though

[jonnybravo]

My buddy's does the same too...Any fix for it?

[EErie B6]

You are low on freon. The ac detects it's low and shuts off the compressor to avoid damage to the system.

Correct solution:
Have the system vacuumed out, checked for leaks, fixed if need be, and refilled.

Cheap solution:
Go to your local autoparts, get one of those freon cans with the hose and gauge, and top off the system. Read the instructions on the can very carefully and do not overfill it. ...this is a bandaid solution usually, eventually you will probably need to do the first option.

[A4orce84]

Wouldn't it do it a lot more often if that was the case? This happens to me like maybe once every couple of months....and I live in Texas.

[evo_ski]

Hmmm, that is very interesting I have been having the same issue. Eerie, what exactly do you mean by vacuuming out the system? Just a complete flush of the fluid?

[Pothole]

mine does it also... although im sure ive seen it happen with the A/C off also, but I cant be sure

its not vary often though, maybe 8 times in the 3 years ive owned the car, it happened once while I had two of my buddies in the car who are both Audi techs and they were both confused as well, I dont think its low freon as mine still blows cold, but ill check into it

[EErie B6]

If by "turns off" you mean the compressor shuts off and the "ECON" light comes on it's a low freon situation.

My HVAC unit actually blips off then comes back on (t even retains its settings) every so often... And I don't know WTF that is. I'm guessing the unit itself is just going bad. I don't drive my B6 often and I kinda forgot it does that. It happens at random and probably once every 2 hrs of driving.

Hmmm, that is very interesting I have been having the same issue. Eerie, what exactly do you mean by vacuuming out the system? Just a complete flush of the fluid?

Basically.

A shop that does A/C work has a machine that pulls the old freon out and puts the system under a vacuum to see if your system leaks. If it holds the specified vacuum then they just refill it with fresh freon and send you on your way. (with a bill) If it shows signs of leaking they have to find and fix it. A/C systems should not consume freon. If they do it's from a leak somewhere.

[evo_ski]

If by "turns off" you mean the compressor shuts off and the "ECON" light comes on it's a low freon situation.

My HVAC unit actually blips off then comes back on (t even retains its settings) every so often... And I don't know WTF that is. I'm guessing the unit itself is just going bad. I don't drive my B6 often and I kinda forgot it does that. It happens at random and probably once every 2 hrs of driving.


Basically.

A shop that does A/C work has a machine that pulls the old freon out and puts the system under a vacuum to see if your system leaks. If it holds the specified vacuum then they just refill it with fresh freon and send you on your way. (with a bill) If it shows signs of leaking they have to find and fix it. A/C systems should not consume freon. If they do it's from a leak somewhere.

Awesome, thanks for the info, thats what I thought. My situation is the same as yours. It is almost like it shorts out and just flips back on within a second of turning off. It never goes to ECON it just shuts of and instantly turns back on with the same settings every once in a while.

[ReniA4]

mine does it 4-5 times a year. i dont think it has to do anything with the frion since last time that it did was after i filled it up with frion. Like evo-ski said mine also it never goes to ECON it just shuts of and instantly turns back on with the same settings every once in a while. it only shuts of for 2 seconds. i thought was some type of safe mode or smth like that since i keep it on all day here in fla.

[swirls]

Check this! Had AC then ECON light then this



**-
- Sent from my iPad bitches! Winning!

[Pothole]

hmmm mine sounds a little different than yours

mine will be blowing a 5 bars (or level 5, what ever you call the fan speed) for example, then go down to 0 bars one bar at a time, stay off for a second, then start climbing back up to what ever it was set at before

I usually have my climate control set to 60, so chances are the A/C pump is on most of the time

[The1nutwonder]

Well im lucky my father inlaw has all the equipment for the ac unit so ill try the solution on sat and let you guys know how it goes. but mine does like most r saying. No econ light just fan shuts off 2 second pause then starts back up.

[maurizio]

hey mine does this too, can someone confirm if the fix worked for them ?

[jai5]

Did anyone ever find a fix for this?

[waldo1324]

i just refilled my freon the autozone way and it hasnt done it, i think. im sure its that stupid auto adjust thing. i wish that crap would not mess with my frickin settings

[travrach]

This thread is very confusing, are people talking about your HVAC fan shutting off (as in no air at all blowing out of vents) or Vents stop blowing cold air (AC issue)?
jai5, what is your issue?

[evo_ski]

Basically you are cruising along and then the whole thing stops and no air is coming out at all. The lights even blink off for a quarter second and then turn back on. The fan speed indicator reads 0 and then it will one by one add bars to the fan speed window until it is back at what it was before it shut off. The whole thing happens in about 2 seconds.

[jai5]

I definitely don't have that issue.

Everything on the on the climate control stays on. But the A/C stops blowing cold air for a few seconds and then comes back on.

My major issue that I'm trying to solve is that my car randomly turns off (whole car) with A/C on while in traffic on really hot days.

[The1nutwonder]

I ended up replacing most of the system so i dont know which part in particular actualy fixed it but i know i did not replace any mechanical parts only the electronics and it worked great until i traded up for my a6 avant. Which go figure has an a/c compressor issue. By the time im done i will have redone an entire a/c system on a 3.0 just on seperate cars lol. Worst part is here in sc its gettin close to being 9 thousand degrees outside on a daily basis. Or atleast thats what it feels like with no ac and 4/65 a/c lol.

[travrach]

Basically you are cruising along and then the whole thing stops and no air is coming out at all. The lights even blink off for a quarter second and then turn back on. The fan speed indicator reads 0 and then it will one by one add bars to the fan speed window until it is back at what it was before it shut off. The whole thing happens in about 2 seconds.

Have you been able to check for codes after that happened? Have heard about some blower modules overheating and turning off..

I definitely don't have that issue.

Everything on the on the climate control stays on. But the A/C stops blowing cold air for a few seconds and then comes back on.

My major issue that I'm trying to solve is that my car randomly turns off (whole car) with A/C on while in traffic on really hot days.

Have you had the AC pressures checked?
The major issue is another story....crank sensor maybe.

[A4Dit]

Replace your high pressure switch. Bad switch will cause the system to randomly shut off.