Climatic adjustments are poor or is it me?

[radiohead1075]

The climate controls in my '08 GTI seem to be limited to either hot or cold. Is this normal or is something wrong? There is little variation, it's one extreme or the other.

For example, setting the temp dial in the coldest setting is the same as having it half way between cold and hot (or so it seems). The air temp won't start to get warm until it is just about all the way to the hottest setting. What gives?

 

[The Fed]

Do you have the manually operated cable type or the electronic climate control?

 

[radiohead1075]

Do you have the manually operated cable type or the electronic climate control?

Manual.

 

[The Fed]

No, that's not normal. You should have warm air before that, as long as the motor is hot. We're talking heater, right? Without running the AC compressor? It's possible the cable isn't closing the blend door completely.

What does your water temp gauge read? Is it in the middle? If not, your thermostat may be sticking.

Otherwise, it's probably the blend door or the cable.