VW Sharan Heater Malfunction: Flap Motor Issue Alert

Having dealt with a similar HVAC unit issue on my 2015 VW Touran diesel, I can share some relevant experience. The symptoms you describe match exactly what I encountered, minimal heat output despite the blower working, and the ventilation system not responding to temperature adjustments. After some diagnostics, it turned out the cable connection to the air distribution motor had partially detached, causing the heater core flap to malfunction. The fix involved accessing the dashboard panel area and reconnecting the loose cable properly. Total repair cost was 95€, which included diagnostic time and the actual repair work. The workshop completed it in about an hour. To provide more specific guidance about your case, could you share: Does the issue happen right after starting the car or after driving for a while? Are you experiencing any windshield fogging issues? Have you noticed any clicking sounds from behind the dashboard when adjusting temperature? What exact error message appears on your display?

Last serviced at 69549km. The climate control is definitely behaving differently from when I first noticed the symptoms. The clicking noise behind the dashboard panel happens continuously now, even without touching the temperature controls. The error shows up immediately after starting the car, and the windshield starts fogging within minutes. The air circulation seems completely unusual regardless of settings. The workshop initially suggested it might be a heater core issue, but based on your experience with the cable connection, I will have them check the HVAC unit wiring first. Hopefully this can be resolved without replacing major components of the ventilation system.

Thanks for those additional details, they actually reinforce my initial suspicion about the connection issue. The continuous clicking behind the dashboard panel is a telltale sign that the temperature regulation system is trying but failing to adjust the air distribution flaps. In my case, the unusual air circulation patterns and constant clicking were exactly what led the technician to check the wiring harness first. The blower motor would run, but the system had lost proper control over the flaps. One thing I forgot to mention from my repair, they also found some debris around the flap mechanism that was contributing to the erratic behavior. The full fix included cleaning the area around the actuator in addition to securing the loose connection. Good call on having them check the HVAC unit wiring before jumping to more expensive repairs. Based on the similarity of symptoms, especially that persistent clicking and immediate error display, I expect you will find a similar wiring or connection issue. The repair should be relatively straightforward once they locate the specific connection point that is causing the problem.

Thanks for the detailed feedback about the clicking noise issue. Your repair experience definitely helps narrow down what I should focus on. I will have the workshop inspect the HVAC unit wiring and check for debris around the flap mechanism first, before considering more extensive repairs. The climate control problems have gotten quite annoying, especially with the constant windshield fogging and temperature regulation issues. But hearing that your similar symptoms were fixed with a relatively simple cable repair gives me hope this won't require replacing the entire ventilation system. I will schedule the diagnostic check this week and make sure they thoroughly inspect the wiring harness and air distribution flap connections. Will update once they identify and fix the actual issue. Thanks again for sharing your repair experience, it saved me from potentially unnecessary heater core replacement costs.