Get Climate control -> Heating and air conditioning Guide for Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

Always make sure all windows are clear of ice,

snow and condensation for good visibility to the

front, sides, and rear.

Climate control

Heating and air conditioning

Introduction

Always make sure you know how to properly

use the climate control system as well as the

rear window defroster that you will need for

good visibility.

Your vehicle may have the following equipment:

— Manual air conditioning

Wait until you have good visibility before driving

off.

Never use air recirculation for long periods of

time. When the air conditioner is off and recir-

culation mode is on, condensation can quickly

form on the windows and greatly reduce visibil-

ity.

— Climatronic

The manual air conditioning and the Climatronic cli-

mate control system help to cool and dehumidify

the air. The systems are most effective when the

windows and sunroof are closed.

Always switch off recirculation mode when it is

not needed.

On vehicles with Climatronic climate control, Clima-

tronic information appears in the Climatronic display

and/or on the screen of the factory-installed Info-

tainment system. If the box in the function key is

checked , the function is switched on.

WARNING

Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces driver

alertness, which can cause accidents, collisions

and serious personal injury.

Air vents

Never switch off the fan for a long period of

To help ensure sufficient heating, cooling, and venti-

lation in the passenger compartment, never close

the air vents completely → page 9, Driver side over-

view.

time and never use air recirculation for a long

period of time because no fresh air will enter

the passenger compartment.

— To open and close the air vents, turn the respec-

tive thumbwheel in the desired direction. When

the thumbwheel is turned all the way toward po-

sition , the air vent is closed.

NOTICE

If you think the air conditioner is not working

properly or may be damaged, switch it off to help

prevent more damage. Have the air conditioner

checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

— Use the lever on the vent grille to adjust the air-

flow direction.

Additional air vents are in the instrument panel, in

the footwells, as well as in the rear area of the pas-

senger compartment.

Air conditioner repair requires specialized knowl-

edge and special tools. Volkswagen recommends

that you see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

Some models also have an adjustable air vent inside

the glove compartment → page 197, Glove compart-

ment.

Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched

on. Smoke drawn into the ventilation system can

leave residue on the evaporator and on the dust

and pollen filter, resulting in permanent odors

whenever the air conditioner is switched on.

Dust and pollen filter

The dust and pollen filter reduces the entry of pollu-

tants into the passenger compartment.

The heating elements for the rear defroster are on

the inside of the rear window. Do not put stickers

over the heating elements on the inside of the

rear window and never clean the inside of the

windows with corrosive, acidic, or abrasive clean-

ing agents, materials, or chemicals that could

damage the heating elements.

The dust and pollen filter must be replaced at the in-

tervals recommended in → Warranty and Mainte-

nance so that the air conditioner can work properly.

If the effectiveness of the filter decreases prema-

turely due to operating the vehicle where the out-

side air is heavily polluted, the dust and pollen filter

should be replaced more frequently than indicated.

NOTICE

WARNING

Do not place food, medications, or other tempera-

ture-sensitive things in front of the air vents. Food,

medications, and other things that are sensitive to

Poor visibility increases the risk of collisions and

other accidents that cause serious personal inju-

ries.

126

Climate control

heat or cold can be damaged or made unusable by

the air flow from the vents.

maintain proper functioning of the heating and ven-

tilation systems.

Maximum heating output and defrosting per-

formance are not possible until the engine has

reached operating temperature.

The air coming out of the vents flows through

the passenger compartment and through the

air vents in the luggage compartment. Do not cover

these slots with clothing or other things.

Emergency starting and starting the engine

with a very weak vehicle battery or after the

vehicle battery has been replaced may change or de-

lete system settings (including time, date, driver

personalization, and programming). Check the set-

tings and correct as necessary once the vehicle bat-

tery has built up a sufficient charge.

If the air conditioner is switched off, the fresh

outside air will not be dehumidified. To help

keep the windows from fogging over, Volkswagen

recommends leaving the air conditioner (compres-

sor) switched on. Press the

button. The indicator

light in the button must light up.

Certain settings are automatically saved by

the driver personalization feature → page 30,

Driver personalization.

When it is very hot and humid outside, water

condensation can drip from the air conditioner

evaporator and form a puddle under the vehicle. This

is normal and does not indicate a leak.

Keep the air intake slots in front of the wind-

shield free of ice, snow, and leaves in order to

Overview of the climate controls

Please read the introductory information and heed the Warnings and Notice

and on page 126.

Fig. 88 In the center console: Manual controls.

Heating and air conditioning

127

Fig. 89 In the center console: Climatronic controls.

If a function is switched on, an indicator light in or

under the button lights up.

— Climatronic: Turn the fan knob as far left as it will

go → fig. 89

— OR: Press the

button on the Climatronic con-

– Settings in the Infotainment system (Clima-

tronic only)

trols → fig. 89 2 to open the Climatronic menu

in the Infotainment system and switch the system

off.

Press the

button in the Climatronic controls to

open the air conditioning settings in the Infotain-

ment system. Tap the corresponding function key to

switch a function on or off, or to select a submenu.

If the system is switched off, the indicator light in or

under the

button lights up.

The current air conditioning settings are displayed in

the upper section of the screen, for example, the

temperatures that are currently set for the driver

and passenger sides. Blue arrows indicate that cool

air is flowing from the vents, while red arrows indi-

cate that warm air is flowing from the vents.

– Synchronizing the temperature settings (Cli-

matronic only)

— Press the

button on the Climatronic controls

to apply the temperature settings for the driver

side to the passenger side.

— OR: Press the

trols and tap the

button on the Climatronic con-

function key on the screen.

The following menu items may be available, depend-

ing on vehicle equipment.

If the indicator light in the

temperature settings for the driver side also apply to

the passenger side. Pressing the button or turn-

ing the temperature knob on the passenger side

switches the feature off. The indicator light in the

button goes out.

button lights up, the

General settings submenu:

— Tap the

function key to set the air recircula-

tion mode, depending on equipment.

Climate control settings submenu:

— Tap the function key to access options for ad-

justing the fan speed ( ), switching the air condi-

tioner on and off ( ), adjusting the air distribu-

tion ( ), and switching air recirculation

Automatic climate control and allergen filter (if

equipped)

mode on or off ( ).

On appropriately equipped vehicles, the automatic

climate control and allergen filter can help reduce

the entry of pollutants and allergens into the pas-

senger compartment with an additional filter.

Presets submenu:

— Tap the function key in the upper left corner to

access the Presets submenu, which includes options

When the feature is active, the climate control sys-

tem's air recirculation mode switches on to the

highest level possible without the windows fogging

up, depending on the interior humidity and outside

temperature. The air recirculation mode is automati-

cally regulated and features continuous adjustment

to help prevent driver and passenger fatigue

→ page 130, Air recirculation.

for automatic temperature control (

mum air conditioner cooling ( ), or for maxi-

), maxi-

mum defog/defrost (

Switching the system off

— Press the

button.

— Manual air conditioning: Turn the fan knob to

→ fig. 88 2 .

128

Climate control

— Press the

button on the Climatronic controls.

function key on the Infotainment

— OR Climatronic: Press the

matronic controls, open the climate control set-

tings submenu , and tap the function keys

button in the Cli-

Air Care

— Tap the

system screen.

on the Infotainment system screen.

— Switch the feature on and off by tapping

Climatronic: LEDs in the knob light up to indicate the

Active

the

function key.

current fan speed. When automatic regulation (

is switched on, the fan speed is not indicated in the

knob.

)

– Automatic regulation (Climatronic only)

— Press the

button to switch on automatic reg-

ulation. The indicator light in the button lights up.

– Air recirculation mode

Automatic regulation controls temperature, fan

speed, and air distribution. If you change the fan

speed or air distribution manually, the automatic

regulation switches off.

— Press the

→ page 130, Air recirculation.

button to switch on air recirculation

— OR Climatronic: Press the

matronic controls, open the climate control set-

button in the Cli-

tings submenu , and tap the

on the Infotainment system screen.

function key

– Air conditioner

— Press the

controls to switch the air conditioner on or off.

— OR Climatronic: Press the button in the Cli-

matronic controls, open the climate control set-

button on the manual or Climatronic

Air distribution

— Manual air conditioning: Turn the knob

→ fig. 88 3 to direct air flow in the desired direc-

tion.

tings submenu , and tap the

on the Infotainment system screen.

function key

—

Climatronic: Press the buttons → fig. 89 3 to di-

rect air flow in the desired direction. When auto-

The air is dehumidified when the air conditioner is

switched on.

matic regulation (

) is switched on, air flow is

automatically adjusted to a comfortable level. Op-

tions vary, depending on equipment:

– Maximum cooling

— Manual air conditioning: Turn the temperature

knob → fig. 88 1 all the way to the left (

sition).

po-

: Air distribution to the upper instrument panel

outlets.

— Climatronic: Press the

button for maximum

air conditioner cooling. The air recirculation and

cooling system are switched on automatically,

and the air distribution is automatically set to po-

: Air distribution to the footwells.

: Manual air conditioning: Air distribution to the

upper instrument panel outlets and footwells.

sition

– Temperature

: Manual air conditioning: Air distribution to the

windshield and footwells.

— Manual air conditioning: Turn the temperature

knob → fig. 88 1 to set the temperature.

—

Climatronic: Turn the outside knobs → fig. 89

: Air distribution to the windshield.

to set different temperatures for the driver and

passenger sides. The displays above the knobs

show the set temperature.

– Defog/defrost

— Manual air conditioning: Turn the right knob to

position → fig. 88 3 to defrost the windshield

as quickly as possible. The cooling system

switches on automatically to dehumidify the air.

When the defrost function is switched on, the air

recirculation mode cannot be switched on.

– Seat heating (if equipped)

— Press the

buttons to switch the seat

heating on or off → page 131, Seat heating.

— Press the button repeatedly until the desired

heating level is set.

—

Climatronic: Press the

button → fig. 89 1

to defrost the windshield as quickly as possible.

The incoming outside air is directed to the wind-

shield, and air recirculation automatically

switches off. Humidity is removed from the air at

temperatures above about +35 °F (+1.5 °C), and

the blower is set to a high speed.

... – Fan speed

—

Turn the middle knob → fig. 88 2 or → fig. 89

to adjust the fan speed.

Heating and air conditioning

129

– Rear window defroster

— Set the temperature to +72 °F (+22 °C).

— Open and adjust all air vents in the instrument

panel → page 126, Climate control.

— Press the

button to defrost the rear window.

The rear window defroster works only when the

engine is running and switches off automatically

after 10 minutes or less.

WARNING

Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces alert-

ness, which can cause accidents, collisions, and se-

rious personal injury.

Recommended settings for manual air conditioning

— Switch off the air recirculation.

— Set the fan to or .

Never switch off the fan for a long time because

no fresh air will enter the passenger compart-

ment.

— Turn the temperature knob to the center position.

— Open and adjust all air vents in the instrument

panel.

NOTICE

— Turn the air distribution knob to the desired set-

ting.

To help prevent damage to the rear window defrost-

er, do not place stickers over the heating lines inside

the vehicle.

— Press the

button to turn on the air condition-

er. The indicator light in the button lights up.

Recommended settings for Climatronic

— Press the

button.

range, air recirculation is switched off. Unpleasant

odors cannot be detected by the system.

Air recirculation

— Press the

button on the Climatronic controls.

function key.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

126.

and on page

— Tap the general settings

— Switch automatic recirculation mode on or off by

Automatic air recirculation

tapping the

function key.

Air recirculation mode helps prevent outside air from

entering the vehicle interior.

If the box in the function key is checked , the au-

tomatic recirculation mode is switched on.

In very hot outside temperatures, temporarily switch

to manual air recirculation in order to cool the vehi-

cle interior faster.

When does air recirculation mode switch off?

For safety reasons, air recirculation is switched off in

the following situations →

Switching manual air recirculation on and off

— Manually: If the air distribution knob is turned

— Press the

switch manual air recirculation on and off.

— OR: Press the button in the Climatronic con-

trols, open the climate control settings submenu

button in the climate controls to

to (manual air conditioning) or the

but-

ton in the Climatronic controls or on the Infotain-

ment system is pressed (Climatronic).

— Automatically: If a sensor detects conditions that

could cause the windows to fog up.

, and tap the

function key on the Infotain-

ment system screen.

The indicator light under the button comes on when

air recirculation mode is switched on.

WARNING

Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces driver

alertness, which can cause accidents, collisions

and serious personal injury.

Switching the automatic air recirculation mode on

and off (if equipped)

In automatic air recirculation mode, fresh air enters

the passenger compartment. If the system detects

an increased concentration of pollutants in the out-

side air, it automatically switches to air recirculation.

As soon as the pollutant level is back in the normal

Never use air recirculation mode over an ex-

tended period of time, since no fresh air will en-

ter the passenger compartment.

130

Climate control

When the air conditioner is off and recirculation

mode is on, condensation can quickly form on

the windows and greatly reduce visibility.

— If the outside temperature or the temperature in-

side the passenger compartment is +77 °F

(+25 °C) or higher.

Always switch off recirculation mode when it is

not needed.

WARNING

Certain medical conditions, such as paralysis and

diabetes, and certain medications can increase the

risk of serious burns when the seat heating feature

is switched on.

NOTICE

Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched on.

Smoke drawn into the ventilation system can leave

residue on the evaporator and on the dust and pol-

len filter, resulting in permanent odors whenever the

air conditioner is switched on.

Vehicle occupants who have a low level of per-

ceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain are

at risk of serious burns to the back, buttocks,

and legs that take a long time to heal or may

never heal completely.

Climatronic: When backing up and while the

automatic wiper/washer is operating, air recir-

culation is briefly activated to help keep exhaust

fumes from getting into the passenger compart-

ment.

Never use the seat heating feature if you or

your passengers are at risk of being burned be-

cause of a medical condition. Take regular

breaks and get out of the vehicle, particularly on

long trips. Consult your doctor for advice re-

garding your specific condition.

Seat heating

Never let exposed skin remain in contact with

the seat upholstery when the seat heating is be-

ing used.

Please read the introductory information and

heed the Warnings and Notice

126.

and on page

WARNING

A wet seat can cause the seat heating to malfunc-

tion and increase the risk of serious burns.

Your vehicle may be equipped with a seat heating

feature for the front seats.

Always make sure the seats are dry before using

the seat heating.

The seat heating switches off every time the ignition

is switched off. If the ignition is switched back on,

the seat heating on the driver and passenger seat

may switch back on automatically to the previous

setting.

Never sit on the seat with wet clothes.

Never put damp or wet things including clothes

on the seat.

Never spill liquids on the seats.

Using seat heating

— Switching on: Press the

heating is switched on to maximum.

— Adjusting: Press the or button repeatedly

until the desired heating level is set.

— Switching off: Press the or button repeated-

ly until all indicator lights are off.

button. Seat

NOTICE

To help prevent damage to electrical and other

parts in the seat, do not kneel on the front seats

or apply concentrated pressure to a small area of

the seat or backrest.

Liquids, sharp objects and things that do not let

the heat in the seat escape into the air, including,

for example, a child restraint, a blanket, or seat

covers on the seat can damage seat heating.

When should seat heating not be used?

Do not use the seat heating if any of the following

conditions apply:

If you smell an odor, immediately shut off seat

— If you or a passenger suffers from a low level of

perceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain as

from medication, paralysis, or chronic illness (e.g.,

heating and have it checked by an authorized

Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen

Service Facility.

diabetes) →

Never install leather upholstery on a vehicle with

— If the seat is not being used.

seat heating that originally had cloth upholstery.

The seat heating elements for seats with cloth

seats will overheat if the cloth upholstery is re-

placed with leather upholstery.

— If there is a child restraint installed on the seat.

— If these is a blanket or seat cover on the seat.

— If the seat is damp or wet.

Heating and air conditioning

131

Switch off seat heating when it is not needed

to help reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.

If the wrong temperature units are set

The inside and outside temperatures can be dis-

played in either Fahrenheit (F) or Celsius (C).

— Change the temperature units in the Vehicle settings

menu in the Infotainment system → page 26, In-

fotainment system operation and displays.

Tips and troubleshooting

Please read the introductory information and

If there is water under the vehicle

heed the Warnings and Notice

126.

and on page

When it is very hot and humid outside, water con-

densation can drip from the air conditioner evapora-

tor and form a puddle under the vehicle. This is nor-

mal and does not indicate a leak.

If the cooling system switches off automatically or

will not switch on

The air conditioner only works when the engine is

running and the outside temperature is above about

+38 °F (+3 °C).

The air conditioner compressor switches off auto-

matically when the engine is very warm.

— Switch on the fan.

— Check the fuse for the air conditioning system

→ page 231, Replacing fuses.

— If there is still cause for concern, have the air con-

ditioner checked by an authorized Volkswagen

dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

If the heating system does not switch on or does

not work as expected

The heating and defrost features are most effective

when the engine is warm.

— If there is a cause for concern, have the system

checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or

authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

If the windows fog up

The windows can fog up if they are colder than the

outside temperature and the air is very humid. Cold

air absorbs less moisture than warm air, which is

why windows fog up frequently in cold weather.

— Keep the air intake slots in front of the windshield

free of ice, snow, and leaves so that the heating

and ventilation systems can work properly and to

help prevent the windshield from fogging up.

— Do not cover the air vents in the rear of the lug-

gage compartment so that air can flow through

the passenger compartment from front to rear.

— Press the

button to switch on the defog/

defrost feature → page 127, Overview of the cli-

mate controls.

Maximum heating output and defrosting perform-

ance are not possible until the engine has reached

operating temperature.

132

Climate control

Climate control -> Heating and air conditioning for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

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