Technical Service Bulletin
87 Air conditioning does not cool and / or compressor is noisy
87 14 56 2038023/1 September 12, 2014.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

A3 Sedan

2015

All

Not Applicable

Condition
• One or more of the following conditions are exhibited:
• The air conditioning does not cool, or the cooling performance is very weak.
• The air conditioning system cools, but the compressor is noisy. The noise is characterized as a grinding or
groaning noise.
• Either symptom may be intermittent.
• No DTCs are stored.

Technical Background
The condition may be caused by a faulty N280 valve. The internal components of the valve can be obstructed and
incapable of full function. This loss of refrigerant regulation from N280 can cause noise from the air conditioning
compressor and/or affect the HVAC cooling.

Production Solution
Not applicable. The root cause of the N280 valve failure is under investigation.

Service
Since either symptom may be intermittent, the diagnostic process can affect the reproducibility of the
condition. Begin the diagnosis by isolating the cause before performing the basic checks.
Cases of noise:
When diagnosing cases of noise, use chassis ears or a technician’s stethoscope to make sure that the root cause
of the noise is from the air conditioning compressor. The noise can change or may be absent depending on the
setting on the HVAC control unit. In many cases, the noise is more pronounced with the system switched off.
Cases of low or no cooling performance:
Perform the following diagnostic steps:
1. Connect a manifold gauge set to monitor the refrigerant circuit pressures.
2. With the engine at idle, switch the climate control unit to full cold and full fan.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
3. Using the diagnostic tester, monitor the measuring value for the air conditioner compressor regulating valve
N280 signal. The actual and specified values will be plausible and will show a normal regulating range of
current for cooling request (0.600 A – 0.680 A). However, there will be equalized pressure readings on the high
and low sides of the circuit (no pressure generation from the compressor).
4. Evacuate the refrigerant circuit to determine the refrigerant volume. The refrigerant volume will likely be in
specification. Should the refrigerant volume be too low, investigate a potential refrigerant leak in the circuit. It is
not likely that the refrigerant level will be too great since this should store a DTC.
5. If the air conditioning compressor is found to be the root cause of either of these conditions, it will be necessary
to replace it because the N280 regulating valve is not available as a replacement part apart from the
compressor assembly.
Air conditioning compressor replacement:
The originally installed compressor on the
MY 2015 A3 is manufactured by Sanden
(Figure 1). The replacement compressor is
manufactured by Denso (Figure 2).

Figure 1: Sanden compressor identification tag.

Figure 2: Denso compressor identification tag.
When replacing the original Sanden compressor with a Denso compressor, be aware that while the refrigerant
volume is the same regardless of the compressor installed, the PAG oil type and volume is not. Sanden and
Denso compressors have specific PAG oils that must be used. The original PAG oil that will be in the refrigerant
circuit must be flushed out completely with the air conditioning service station with flushing equipment, as
specified in the repair manual.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
• The flushing procedure can be found in Elsa at: Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning>>Refrigerant R134a
Servicing>>87 Air Conditioning>>Refrigerant Circuit>>Refrigerant Circuit, Cleaning (Flushing), with
Refrigerant R134a. The procedure is also described in TSB 2018162.
• The correct adapters for the 2015 A3 can be found in Elsa at: Heating, Ventilation & Air
Conditioning>>Refrigerant R134a Servicing>>87 Air Conditioning>>Refrigerant Circuit>> Refrigerant Circuit,
Cleaning (Flushing), with Refrigerant R134a>>Adapter for Assembling Flushing Circuit.
The replacement compressor will come with
the specified type of PAG oil for the
compressor (Figure 3). The amount of PAG
oil supplied with the replacement
compressor may not be the exact amount
required to replenish the refrigerant circuit.
Drain and measure the PAG oil in the
replacement compressor to determine the
required amount. If the amount needs to be
adjusted, do so using the correct type of
PAG oil specified in ETKA. Refer to Elsa for
the correct oil capacity for the compressor
being installed.

Figure 3: Compressor manufacturer specific PAG oils.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Warranty
Claim Type:

Use applicable claim type. If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service Bulletin
is informational only.

Service Number:

8734

Damage Code:

0010

Labor Operations:

Refrigerant drain and fill

8703 1700

50 TU

A/C compressor remove and reinstall

8734 1915

110 TU

Front bumper cover remove and reinstall

6329 1900

90 TU

Receiver drier replace

8755 5565

70 TU

Expansion valve remove and reinstall

8770 1900

40 TU

Air conditioner clean

8701 2950

110 TU

GFF

0150 0000

Time stated on
diagnostic
protocol
(Max 20 TU)

Road test prior to service procedure

0121 0002

10 TU

Road test after service procedure

0121 0004

10 TU

Diagnostic Time:

Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:

As per TSB #2038023/1

All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
Required Parts and Tools
Part Number

Part Description

Quantity

ROB134APF

1

Robinair A/C Service Unit
VAS 6337/1A

1

Air Conditioning Flush Tool
VAS 6338/3

1

Refrigerant Circuit Adapter 3

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
VAS 6338/12

1

Refrigerant Circuit Adapter 12
VAS 6338/38

1

Refrigerant Circuit Adapter 38
G 052300A2

0.2

Oil for refrigerant compressor - Denso

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.

Technical Service Bulletin
G 052154A2

0.2

Oil for refrigerant compressor - Sanden
5Q0820803

Air conditioner compressor

1

4D0260749B

Seal ring

1

4E0260749A

Seal ring

1

8E0260749C

Seal ring

1

4E0260749B

Seal ring

1

5Q0298403

Drier insert with mounting parts

1

-or- (depending on condenser version)
5Q0298403A

Drier insert with mounting parts

1

-or- (depending on condenser version)
5Q0298403B

Drier insert with mounting parts

1

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2038023) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.

© 2014 Audi of America, Inc.

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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.