A/C almost gave me a heart attack.

[parapraxis24]

My own semi-related story.

Replaced the timing belt, pcv system, and throw in an oil change on my B5 Passat, in one day. About 8 hours worth of work. I’m excited to be done, everything is buttoned up and there aren’t any noises on startup.

I did the work at my parents friends house, he had a garage and I didn’t. I get everything packed up, start the car and I realize that the ac compressor didn’t kick on (for the b5 there was a maybe 2 second delay before it engaged). I’m freaking out because within the week I was moving about 2 hours away.

So I get home and start lamenting about it, wtf did I do?!?!

Do you see that tiny green plug in the lower left? Yeah, that’s the ac compressor plug. The ONLY thing I didn’t do correctly was to remember to plug that back in.

My point is, yeah man we’ve all been there.

 

[Vesta Turan]

Just started doing my own maintenance this year, in part because I like working with my hands and in part because I underestimated how much maintenance would cost on my GTI compared to my last car.

Anyways, yesterday I did my differential service, and I replaced my transmission fluid. Got the car off the stands, started it up, made sure no warning lights came on. Everything seems to be working.
Just in case, I got out and peaked underneath the car to make sure nothing was leaking. And holy shit, a massive leak, almost a stream rather than drips, is coming from right around the VAQ fill plug. I stop the engine, jack it back up, start inspecting all the bolts. There's no leaking from the transmission - great. The VAQ drain plug is dry - awesome. Fill plug - also dry? Top of the subframe - still dry, nothing has been leaking onto that.

Then a drop of something hits my shoulder. It's water. The "leak" was just my AC pulling water out of the humid, 100 degree air.

Never been so happy to be stupid.

Same thing happened to us when we did the coolant drain, flush, and fill! We were running the heat to cycle the coolant and a big ol' stream of WTF runs out from under the car! Freaks you the hell out! We even got the "mystery leak" on video for diagnostic purposes! Fun times!

 

[brokeitagain]

My own semi-related story.

Replaced the timing belt, pcv system, and throw in an oil change on my B5 Passat, in one day. About 8 hours worth of work. I’m excited to be done, everything is buttoned up and there aren’t any noises on startup.

I did the work at my parents friends house, he had a garage and I didn’t. I get everything packed up, start the car and I realize that the ac compressor didn’t kick on (for the b5 there was a maybe 2 second delay before it engaged). I’m freaking out because within the week I was moving about 2 hours away.

So I get home and start lamenting about it, wtf did I do?!?!

View attachment 217051

Do you see that tiny green plug in the lower left? Yeah, that’s the ac compressor plug. The ONLY thing I didn’t do correctly was to remember to plug that back in.

My point is, yeah man we’ve all been there.

Same thing happened to us when we did the coolant drain, flush, and fill! We were running the heat to cycle the coolant and a big ol' stream of WTF runs out from under the car! Freaks you the hell out! We even got the "mystery leak" on video for diagnostic purposes! Fun times!

Great minds think alike, and so do ours