AC & Lighting: Solutions for Your Comfort

Can the lighting in the air conditioning system be repaired? (Audi A6, year 1995, automatic climate control).
At Audi/VW, they told me I would have to replace the entire control panel with the control unit (for 650 euros), just because of the lighting.

'It's certainly possible to repair them. You can fix almost anything. Unfortunately, the people at VW want to make money, so they only sell new complete modules. Take that part to a trusted radio and television technician; if it's just one lamp that's broken, it will cost very little to fix.'

Hi,

The epitome of this is truly Audi.
When my car was at the 100,000 km mark, the lighting for the outside temperature display was defective, and they were very eager to sell me a completely new display unit for approximately €110 plus VAT and installation costs!
Ultimately, I bought a miniature light bulb for 30 cents and soldered it in.

Perhaps something similar could also be possible with climate control systems.
Otherwise, I would like to try visiting...
http://www.meckisforum.de
'Let's see what else we can try. There's nothing left that hasn't already been attempted...'

In the climate control system of the A6, there are small lights installed, similar to those in the instrument cluster. If you remove the control panel, you will see either green or orange lamp sockets. You can unscrew these sockets with a flat-head screwdriver. Then, simply insert new bulbs into the sockets.

Regards,
Boss.

Thank you for the tips!

Hi TDI-Seppl,

Hi Andi,

andi wrote:

... unfortunately, the people at VW want to make money, and that's why they only sell new complete modules.

Always go slow with young horses!
The reason for the complete modules is completely different!
- As a master technician in radio and television technology (a profession that no longer exists; it's now called "information device electronics"), I always feel frustrated when I can't simply replace a defective lamp because only complete modules are available.
- As a service delegate responsible for determining which parts are available as exchange units (ETs) and which are not, I repeatedly encounter the problem that I cannot obtain individual components from suppliers for supplied parts.
VW has a supplier manufacture and deliver the climate control module as a complete unit. However, from a logistical perspective, this presents a problem (thanks to SAP), because the supplier delivers individual components (such as light bulbs) to VW. Therefore, the colleague at VW can only register the complete module as a spare part. Often, the supplier doesn't even provide proper documentation or parts lists for these components.
I would say that you can make more money with the individual components than with a complete module. The calculation factors for small parts are significantly higher than those for modules.

VW has a supplier build and completely deliver the climate control module.
I know, I work for a supplier company.

Logistically, however, it's a problem (thanks to SAP) that the supplier delivers individual parts (such as light bulbs) to VW. Therefore, the colleague at VW can only register the complete module as a spare part. Often, the supplier doesn't even provide proper documentation or spare parts lists for these parts.
Okay, you're right again. I've also experienced firsthand that SAP isn't always great. How can something like that be a market leader? But that's another topic.
Sure, there are logistical problems when you want to offer 'all' spare parts, but on the other hand, why should Volkswagen bother? If a customer needs lighting, they will eventually buy the module. ( = More profit)

I would say that, in terms of pure profit, you can make more money with the individual components than with a complete module. The calculation factors for small parts are significantly higher than those for modules.

I'm not familiar with the business side of things. All I know is: the control unit costs €650, and the lamp costs 20 cents. How can you make more money with a light bulb than with a control unit? Well, I build and maintain production lines for these kinds of parts. Not including labor costs, the components in a control unit cost between €20 and €50. I don't know how much an automotive manufacturer would pay for something like that, but it might be interesting to find out. To make more money on the lamp, you'd probably have to sell it at an outrageously high price...

I didn't intend to attack anyone or suggest that your statements are incorrect; I simply wrote down what I observed, and what other impression should a customer have? I've also repaired car electronics for just a few cents that would otherwise have been completely replaced.

Hi Andi,

andi wrote:

... In order to make more money from the lamp, one would probably have to sell it at a ridiculously high price...

No! The production cost of the control unit (STG) is approximately €200, so a factor of 3 plus VAT. A light bulb costs about 3-7 cents and is sold for €1-2, which is a factor of 20 or more. So you're asking which product generates more profit?

Quote:

... I only wrote down what I see, and what other impression should a customer get?

Unfortunately, the manufacturer is not interested in this.

By "logistical effort," I actually meant not the quantity, but rather the specific problems that arise when using SAP in manufacturing. SAP is not designed to allow diverting materials intended for service cases from the production material flow. Therefore, it's difficult for the supplier to deliver the light bulbs to the customer as spare parts (ET - Ersatzteil).

Hi Bertil,

Okay, now I understand what you meant about the profit margin on the lamp. I was thinking of a single case, where one customer needs it. So: Lamp - €2 profit, Storage Unit - €400 profit.

Topic: SAP - If it weren't so widely used, this would be THE market gap to offer something worthwhile in that area.

It's nice that there are people with whom one can have a normal discussion .

Hi Andi,

andi wrote:

... Okay, now I understand what you meant about the profit margin on the lamp. I was thinking of a single case, where one customer needs it. So: Lamp - €2 profit, Storage Unit - €400 profit.

That's correct, but the profit is also dependent on the material used. Therefore, it's calculated in relation to the amount of material consumed. In that case, using a complete module puts you at a significant disadvantage.
You've already mentioned the further problem: I might be able to sell more light bulbs than STGs, because customers might hesitate about the price.

Quote:

Topic: SAP - If it weren't so widely used, this would be THE market gap to offer something worthwhile in that area.

"That's what people at SAP said years ago, and now they dominate the global market with their incredibly successful..."

Quote:

It's nice that there are people with whom one can have a normal discussion.

Sure.

Back to the original post .

Sometimes, the online catalog shows that a particular part is not available (i.e., not in stock). This was also the case with my climate control lamp. The 'expert' from the spare parts service simply said: You have to replace the entire control unit, which costs 500 DM. I immediately told him that I didn't believe him, and he ridiculed me for it.

I asked at the next dealer, and lo and behold: they had it! They simply changed the model year (from 96 to 97), and suddenly the lamp was also available as a spare part for a 'reasonable' price of 6 DM.

Sometimes, just try a different model year.

I'm experiencing the same problem with my manual air conditioning system. My parts specialist identified the lamp based on its wattage and shape. However, it actually belongs to a police vehicle equipment set.