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MK7 Climatronic upgrade with instructions and pictures.

gdrop

New member
Location
Maryland
Car(s)
2019 GTI SE 6M
This is more for the people who have done this retrofit with the capacitive climatronic unit from the Chinese market. Has anybody noticed issues with their A/C not working, despite the car saying it's on? My A/C button will light up, and if I go into the menu on the infotainment, it says the A/C is on. But since it has been cold, I didn't notice that the condenser wasn't actually kicking on, and the air wasn't actually being chilled until the other day. I took the unit out, put it in my buddy's Autobahn, did the compressor run in, etc... and it works fine in his car. A\C turns on and blows ice cold. Put it back in my car, and nothing. The interesting thing is, if I put his knob-based climatronic unit in my car, A\C works fine.

When I initially got the capacitive unit, I messed a bunch of stuff up with it trying to fix an issue that couldn't be fixed, but thought I had corrected everything. So I don't know if it was something I did, or just the way it is. But it's strange it'll turn on the A\C in his car, but not in mine .
I actually have this same problem with the OEM knob climatronic unit. I did the retrofit over the winter and noticed when it was cold out that my windows would fog up and the defogger didn't really do anything (because the A/C wasn't running).

I tested in my driveway putting max A/C on, and looked in the engine bay and confirmed the compressor wasn't running. In OBDeleven, in the climate module, it said (I don't remember the exact wording) the A/C compressor status was function limited due to low temperature. Apparently there is some outdoor temperature limit where the climate unit will not kick on the compressor. I have not found out a solution to this problem yet, and in the meantime have swapped back to the manual control unit as the fog on my windows was a hazard driving in the colder winter months.
 

George Ab

Drag Racing Champion
Location
Pacific NW
I actually have this same problem with the OEM knob climatronic unit. I did the retrofit over the winter and noticed when it was cold out that my windows would fog up and the defogger didn't really do anything (because the A/C wasn't running).

I tested in my driveway putting max A/C on, and looked in the engine bay and confirmed the compressor wasn't running. In OBDeleven, in the climate module, it said (I don't remember the exact wording) the A/C compressor status was function limited due to low temperature. Apparently there is some outdoor temperature limit where the climate unit will not kick on the compressor. I have not found out a solution to this problem yet, and in the meantime have swapped back to the manual control unit as the fog on my windows was a hazard driving in the colder winter months.

This does not pertain to capacitive climatronic, but OEM knob climatronic unit. "I was unable to perform AC 'Run-in' (sync) by hitting the AC and "Max Demist" buttons simultaneously. However, Rollback50K's post https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/inde...ions-and-pictures.379148/page-10#post-7546622 that has instruction of pressing AC button and rear window defrost (lower button on left knob) did work. After performing, AC then lit up and AC started working."
 

lordnikon228

Go Kart Champion
Location
CA
Car(s)
Golf GTI Rabbit
I have the climatronic unit however it does not have an air quality sensor (No Air Care). Has anyone done the retrofit of the sensor?
 

vagamr

New member
Location
Lyon, France
Car(s)
Golf MK7.5
Hi everyone i just upgraded my AC Manual to AC climatronic but i have a bunch of error (10) on module 08. You can see on the file attach. Any solution to this ? need to be coded with odis ?
 
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IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
Hi everyone i just upgraded my AC Manual to AC climatronic but i have a bunch of error (10) on module 08. You can see on the file attach. Any solution to this ? need to be coded with odis ?
They're never going to go away. This is a hack. You're missing a bunch of sensors and actuators.
 

FrankieThissen

New member
Location
New Jersey
Car(s)
'20 GTI S 6spd
I actually have this same problem with the OEM knob climatronic unit. I did the retrofit over the winter and noticed when it was cold out that my windows would fog up and the defogger didn't really do anything (because the A/C wasn't running).

I tested in my driveway putting max A/C on, and looked in the engine bay and confirmed the compressor wasn't running. In OBDeleven, in the climate module, it said (I don't remember the exact wording) the A/C compressor status was function limited due to low temperature. Apparently there is some outdoor temperature limit where the climate unit will not kick on the compressor. I have not found out a solution to this problem yet, and in the meantime have swapped back to the manual control unit as the fog on my windows was a hazard driving in the colder winter months.
Not sure if you figured this out.

But for me my A/C wasn't kicking on at all. I ran thru OBDEleven and found something like "Magnetic Clutch" in the Air Conditioning tab, set it to installed and After that my A/C started switching on and off.
 

traan.man48

New member
Location
HI
Car(s)
2020 GTI SE
Would a Mk7 (2017) climatronic panel work in a Mk7.5 (2020)? I would imagine there are no physical differences, but not sure about software/internal revisions.
Apologies if this has already been answered--I looked through this thread but didn't see a definite answer.
 

Nitelfy

New member
Location
Swedeb
Car(s)
Golf mk7 SC
Hello all.
Just want to thank this Community, I bought the kit from Aliexpress and with help of pictures/instructions here, I fitted that kit succesfully. I am very happy with everything.
Really can recommend if you want to have automatic AC but have manual AC from the beginning.

One thing I noticed, but this is the same on my friends mk7.5 with automatic AC from factory the AC running in AUTO only blows cold air out directly in front of you, noting on your feets. Sure I can get both, but than I have to run it kind of manually through those to buttons…
 

IWMTom

Autocross Newbie
Hello all.
Just want to thank this Community, I bought the kit from Aliexpress and with help of pictures/instructions here, I fitted that kit succesfully. I am very happy with everything.
Really can recommend if you want to have automatic AC but have manual AC from the beginning.

One thing I noticed, but this is the same on my friends mk7.5 with automatic AC from factory the AC running in AUTO only blows cold air out directly in front of you, noting on your feets. Sure I can get both, but than I have to run it kind of manually through those to buttons…
You can't. This is just a hack don't forget. There's lots of downsides to this.
 

Nitelfy

New member
Location
Swedeb
Car(s)
Golf mk7 SC
You can't. This is just a hack don't forget. There's lots of downsides to this.
I know, but thats the same feature on the factory stock ones with automatic AC.
yeah just wanted to share that.

But again, great instructions here, everything works perfect now :)
 

traan.man48

New member
Location
HI
Car(s)
2020 GTI SE
I recently did this retrofit in my 2020 Mk7.5 GTI. I installed a used OEM climatronic panel from a 2017 Golf Alltrack. Installation went well but I'm having some issues with the adaptions & AC run in. I was able to perform the flaps adaption by pressing buttons 3 and 8. (Lights blink and I can hear the air move as the flaps set themselves. However, I am unable to perform the AC run in.

I've tried holding down buttons 8 and 16 (AC and rear defrost) for 2 minutes, and nothing happens in that time--compressor doesn't kick on, AC light does not go on.
I've also tried holding down buttons 8 and 17 (AC and Max Defrost) for 2 minutes - the AC button blinks once after about 30-45 seconds, but the compressor still doesn't kick on.

I've tried checking in OBDEleven and one of the faults still says (AC Compressor run-in not performed).

Any guesses as to whats happening?
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
I recently did this retrofit in my 2020 Mk7.5 GTI. I installed a used OEM climatronic panel from a 2017 Golf Alltrack. Installation went well but I'm having some issues with the adaptions & AC run in. I was able to perform the flaps adaption by pressing buttons 3 and 8. (Lights blink and I can hear the air move as the flaps set themselves. However, I am unable to perform the AC run in.

I've tried holding down buttons 8 and 16 (AC and rear defrost) for 2 minutes, and nothing happens in that time--compressor doesn't kick on, AC light does not go on.
I've also tried holding down buttons 8 and 17 (AC and Max Defrost) for 2 minutes - the AC button blinks once after about 30-45 seconds, but the compressor still doesn't kick on.

I've tried checking in OBDEleven and one of the faults still says (AC Compressor run-in not performed).

Any guesses as to whats happening?

Have you tried doing the A/C run in adaption in OBD11?
 
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