No heat Climatronic code is 4FA and 538

Tiny
COTYG
  • MEMBER
  • 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT
  • 2.8L
  • V6
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
My heater worked last year fine we let the car sit for about three months and during the summer. The AC did not blow out cold air. The compressor is bad but the heater was still working, but now all I get coming out of all the vents is cool air. It feels like the air from the outside temperature really so I did the climatronic system test and got codes 4FA and 538. I also did the "reset" test where it cycles through the whole climatronic system to test everything to make sure the code was right and sure enough it popped up again 4FA. I can hear the motor clicking to open/close the flap when I switch the temperature from cold to heat but still only get cold air coming through vents. I know it is really hard to replace the motor that controls these flaps so is there anything else I can do? I have a three year old and this is our only car he already had to deal with no AC all summer (cannot afford $400.00 for parts and $300.00 in labor) with the windows always down. But, I cannot let my little guy freeze all winter. Please help I need to fix ASAP! Thank you in advance!
Thursday, September 28th, 2017 AT 7:20 AM

6 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Yes, it is going to be cold winter we better get this fixed up. I does sound like you have a blend door actuator that is out which would be the ticking you are hearing which is failing to move the internal door for the temperature control.

Here is a guide to give you an idea of what I am talking about:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-blend-door-motor

Below are some diagrams of what it will take on your car.

See if this is where the ticking is coming from. Also, if you can take a video with your phone of the noise and upload it here it would help us figure the problem out.

Please let us know what you find.

Cheers, Ken
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Friday, September 29th, 2017 AT 9:37 AM
Tiny
COTYG
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
OK my fiance has the car all today so I can't post a video tell later tonight or first thing in the morning thank you for the reply o I also wanted to ask if I take off the glove department would I be able to manually close the flap so we could get heat or is that not possible I read u can see the flap with the glove box off so that's why I ask again thank you
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Tuesday, October 3rd, 2017 AT 2:27 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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  • 48,363 POSTS
Yes you can move the air door by hand and then rig it so it doesn't move I can help with that just send pics of the situation.
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Wednesday, October 4th, 2017 AT 11:05 AM
Tiny
COTYG
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I posted the video it's the best I can get let me know if it's good enough
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Wednesday, October 4th, 2017 AT 11:33 AM
Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 48,363 POSTS
Yep that helps, it does look like the actuator is out becasue the controller is working correctly. Go ahead and remove the actuator and move the pivot by hand to see if it moves freely. Then we can rig or fix it.
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Wednesday, October 4th, 2017 AT 12:42 PM
Tiny
COTYG
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
K will do that first thing in the morning tell u what happens and take pics as well
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Thursday, October 5th, 2017 AT 4:11 PM

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