Heater nonsense

[dcdick]

Has anybody else noticed a "quirk" with the golf heating system that has become apparent on my golf since the cold weather arrived ?

I've found that when turning corners with the heater blower working I can feel cold air coming in the cabin that vanishes when the car is facing more or straight ahead.

It appears to be getting in around the gear-stick area

Perhaps there is a gasket/flap/seal missing ?

If cold air can get in so can road noise :(

Is it just me ?

****

[TDI_Tim]

Yes I've noticed this. My MK4 & MK5 also both did the same thing.

[Keithuk]

No I haven't noticed anything ****.

It shouldn't happen when the blower is on as there are no vents near the gear stick or centre console. So it doesn't happen with the blower off?

Is the leatherette cover split?

[Berisford]

I think this 'phenomena' occurs in all vehicles, well it seems to for me, it works the other way around too, in summer when you need the cold blast from the air-con you get, every now and again, especially when turning, a nice icy moment or two.

[Eshrules]

I get it in the polo, I never had it with the A4 though.

It's one of those quirks that probably ought to be fixed but in the grand scheme of things, doesn't matter all that much

[dcdick]

Certainly a bit strange, not a big issue but intriguing enough to make me wonder a bit

I think I do remember it on my mk4 as well

Think I will have the gear-stick gaiter off one day & see what is between it & the road, can't see the connection between position of front wheels & draughts inside cabin though :confused:

I suppose without the blower on Keith there's less air being moved around but I'm pretty sure it's still happening without the blower fan working

****.

[johnloaderuk]

Without wanting to sound stupid, are you sure when you go around a corner you don't 'lean' slightly into the stream of air from the vents, therefore making it feel a bit colder until you straighten up ?.

[paul.mgrath]

Does it in nearly every car i have had or had recently over the last 10 years. Thought it was me!!

[dcdick]

Without wanting to sound stupid, are you sure when you go around a corner you don't 'lean' slightly into the stream of air from the vents, therefore making it feel a bit colder until you straighten up ?.

Interesting thought ............, don't think I lean while going around corners.....

Anything is possible I suppose, but where is the cold air coming from when the heater vents are blowing warm, or do they mysteriously blow cool at times ?

I presume there's VW's usual overkill with electronic control stuff, ie the heater defaulting to "air con" when first switching to "screen" position that may have some effect

Not getting out in the car much with all the this white stuff around (NE England) should really get out more ;)

****.

[hartry]

Passat B6 did it too, never noticed it in any other marque.

[PhilDon]

Does it in nearly every car i have had or had recently over the last 10 years. Thought it was me!!

me too - never did work out why -but it definitely happens

[percymon]

I've got it too, had the same on the Mk3 Golf, and i think on a lot of other non VAG cars.

Our Fiat Panda doesn't do it, nor the Boxster

[p3asa]

I can feel it more when the blowers are off. Its as if when you are turning it makes an optimum angle for air to get in some small gap. Its only a very small rush of air but disappears as soon as the car straightens.

I've just got used to it as I had it in my Mazda before and Renault before that. My wife's last car a Punto was terrible for it, to the point I actually looked for missing grommets in the engine compartment!!

There is probably some Physics explanation.

[Keithuk]

I've just read 2002 VW Passat 1.9 TDI with cold air draught around gearstick (http://www.ilexa.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,2696.0.html) about a Passat with the same problem. Its an old post that no one has answered. ;)

[hesperanca]

I have noticed this on my GTD MK6. I though it was just me.In the winter my hand gets freezing cold if I hold the gear stick in a bend.

[DW58]

Well keep both hands on the wheel, surely that's the safest place for them when not changing gear!

[dcdick]

I've been trying to find the "source" of this cold draught on my Golf & it seems to come from an area of the console behind the stereo/heating controls.

It really has to be coming in from either under the bonnet-engine bay through poorly sealed/missing grommets (hopefully not !)
Or, the favourite is poor design of heater/ventilation ducting that is allowing "fresh air" to come through via poor joints/fresh air inlets.
But......... the connection between body roll/lean and the cold air coming through is still a mystery:confused:

These cars are really infuriating as some parts of the design & execution are great & others like this cold air nonsense is just bad/sloppy design.

Unlike the other posters I find this Golf the worst for cold air ingress by a fair margin of the cars I have owned ( possibly 35, 10 of which have been VW) together with another 60 or so cars & vans that I have driven for extended periods through work

I will do some dismantling when the weather gets warmer to see if there is a simple reason for this ( & then if I find one sell the secret to VW for an enormous royalty fee :aargh4:)

****

ps......................... I suppose this could be one of the times that if I took it to the dealers with this problem, they would be able to say "they're all like that sir" and there would be an element of truth in it :p