VW Caddy AC Dead: DIY Diagnosis Before Repair Shop

Having experienced similar AC issues on my 2014 VW Golf GTI, a complete AC system shutdown often points to a failed pressure switch or defective control valve. During AC diagnostics at the workshop, they found the expansion valve was completely blocked, preventing proper refrigerant flow through the cooling system. The pressure switch failure is actually a safety feature, it shuts down the system to prevent compressor damage when refrigerant pressure is too high or low. In my case, the blocked expansion valve was causing abnormal pressure, triggering this shutdown. This turned out to be a serious issue requiring complete valve replacement and system recharge. The repair involved: Full AC diagnostics to confirm valve failure, Recovering remaining refrigerant, Replacing expansion valve assembly, Installing new pressure switch, Vacuum testing the system, Recharging with fresh refrigerant While checking the system, they also found minor leaks at several connection points. The complete AC maintenance process took about 5 hours. After repair, the cooling performance improved significantly compared to even before the failure. For your Caddy, these symptoms strongly suggest either a pressure switch or valve issue rather than a simple AC relay problem. Getting proper AC diagnostics will help avoid multiple repair attempts.

Thanks for sharing your GTI experience, very helpful. Your repairs sound similar to what might be happening with my Caddy. The temperature control is completely dead too, which matches what you described with the pressure switch. Did you happen to remember roughly what the total cost came out to? And has your AC efficiency remained good since the repair? Wondering if I should budget for potential follow-up work in case other issues surface while they are checking the system for refrigerant leaks.

After spending 1000€ at the workshop to fix the defective valves in my GTI's air conditioning system, everything has worked flawlessly. The temperature control is now perfect and the AC efficiency is actually better than before. The repair was quite comprehensive, including fresh seals and a proper vacuum test to prevent any future refrigerant leaks. The cooling system has maintained consistent performance for several months now without any AC noise or issues. While the cost seemed high initially, having a properly diagnosed and fixed AC was worth it rather than risking compressor damage from running a faulty system. Based on my experience, once they properly fix the underlying valve problems and thoroughly test the system, you likely wont need follow-up repairs. A good shop will check all AC components while the system is open, which helps prevent future issues.

Had my Caddy checked at the shop today based on your advice. The symptoms matched exactly what you described, faulty pressure switch causing the full system shutdown. The AC diagnostics confirmed your suggestion about the expansion valve issues. Total repair came to 850€ which included: New expansion valve, Pressure switch replacement, Full refrigerant recharge, System testing The cooling system is working perfectly now, even better than before. The mechanic did a thorough AC efficiency test after the repair and showed me the improved performance readings. They also checked for any potential refrigerant leaks while the system was open. Really appreciate your detailed explanation from your GTI experience. It helped me understand what to expect and likely saved me from getting overquoted. The repair cost was actually lower than what I initially feared after reading about compressor failures online. Will keep monitoring the AC performance over the next few months but so far the repair seems solid. The temperature control is very responsive and the cold air output is strong and consistent.