Rooster2 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Had my 98 OBW motor swapped out from 2.5 to 2.2. Now the climate control buttons don't work. No matter which button is pushed, air flows only out the dash board vents. The slider lever controlling temperature works fine. I am thinking something wasn't reattached during the motor replacement. Where should I look to see if something was not reconnected? Thanks for any advise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted October 22, 2011 Share Posted October 22, 2011 Had my 98 OBW motor swapped out from 2.5 to 2.2. Now the climate control buttons don't work. No matter which button is pushed, air flows only out the dash board vents. The slider lever controlling temperature works fine. I am thinking something wasn't reattached during the motor replacement. Where should I look to see if something was not reconnected? Thanks for any advise! There's nothing that should have touched that relates to climate control, electrically, it's a plug and play swap. Did you do it, or have some shop do it? They might have changed out the computer, or something silly like that. I'd check fuses first, easiest thing.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 THe vent doors may be controlled by vacuum air from the engine, so check the air line going to the dash from the engine, if that is so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 HVAC controls are all electric. Check fuses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Got the HVAC controls to work. The buttons won't stay "punched in," but if I press & hold the button in for two to three seconds, the, function of that button will work. The buttons have been a source of hassle. Wife & kids like to use the cup holder, but that leads to spilling soft drinks into the HVAC climate control buttons. I don't know how many times, I have sprayed Windex, and wiped away dried sticky soft drink residue from around the buttons to get them to work again. I guess from now on it is the press & hold approach to button control. Thanks to everyone for advise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 i brought one back from cola death using windex. and i completely killed another one doing the same thing. next time i think i'll try a silicone spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 i should have one if you need it, 20$ shipped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 Climate control out of any 2nd gen legacy will work. Some have a different colour AC button, and the red/blue lines are a bit different. But they're still interchangable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted October 23, 2011 Author Share Posted October 23, 2011 Unit still works, just have to hold an individual button in, until it starts functioning. I have a spare unit, but won't go that route until needed. Thanks all !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 They aren't that hard to take apart and clean the buttons out. A bit time consuming, but you can re-grease the mechanism with fresh Cola-free silicone grease, and have it working as it should for the next 100 colas in the cupholder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted October 24, 2011 Author Share Posted October 24, 2011 They aren't that hard to take apart and clean the buttons out. A bit time consuming, but you can re-grease the mechanism with fresh Cola-free silicone grease, and have it working as it should for the next 100 colas in the cupholder. Good thought, I have some silicone grease. I will remember to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted October 25, 2011 Share Posted October 25, 2011 They aren't that hard to take apart and clean the buttons out. A bit time consuming, but you can re-grease the mechanism with fresh Cola-free silicone grease, and have it working as it should for the next 100 colas in the cupholder. Hilarious. Honestly just take the thing apart, wash in the sink, blow dry and wait 24 hours to reinstall so its known to be dried out completely. Then ban the drinking of soda from your lives but especially in the car. Bad for you and the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 I am back again with the climate control unit not working right. Buttons won't stay "pushed in." It is time for control unit replacement. So.............. I got a Subie replacement unit from a wrecking yard. How difficult is it to reattach the cable to the temp slide unit at the back of the controller? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I think it's actually easier to detach/reattach it from the vent flap under the passenger side dash than to get it hooked back to the climate control panel, just because there is more room under the dash. It's been a while since I have removed one of these, but I know it can be done one way or the other. :-p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 A lot of people say it's easier to disconnect from under the dash. Personally, I hate doing anything under the dash. Also, unless you pull a replacement yourself, it probably won't come with the cable. So you'll have to do it on the top end anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 A lot of people say it's easier to disconnect from under the dash. Personally, I hate doing anything under the dash. Also, unless you pull a replacement yourself, it probably won't come with the cable. So you'll have to do it on the top end anyway. Yea, read in the archives that disconnect under the dash was easier. Prolly, because of more space to work, vs reaching in the slot where the climate controller resides. Anyone have any special advise on how best to swap the cable across at the back of the controller? Someone said to don't loose, or drop the attachment clip, as it is hard to find another one the same size. Thanks for any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 I'm pretty sure it's just an E clip. Pry it loose with a small pick then grab it with needle nose pliers and put it somewhere that it won't get lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 I'm pretty sure it's just an E clip. Pry it loose with a small pick then grab it with needle nose pliers and put it somewhere that it won't get lost. So, is it easy to hook up the cable and reinstall the E clip? My concern.......is there enough room to get your hands and tools inside the dash slot for an easy assembly? Or.............is it one of those jobs, where you learn to cuss because it is so hard to get at?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 It's not that hard. Disconnect the electrical connectors, flip the assembly upside down (cable still attached). Then just take some good pliers and pull the e-clip out that holds the cable tube, and the one that holds the ring end onto the adjuster. When you drop the e-clip into the dash, take the hvac control unit to your hardware store and find the standard size metric e-clip that fits properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 (edited) It's not that hard. Disconnect the electrical connectors, flip the assembly upside down (cable still attached). Then just take some good pliers and pull the e-clip out that holds the cable tube, and the one that holds the ring end onto the adjuster. When you drop the e-clip into the dash, take the hvac control unit to your hardware store and find the standard size metric e-clip that fits properly. I got 99% of the way swapping it out, only to be stopped on how to get the e-clip removed that holds the cable tubing from the plastic housing. This is the clip that holds the cable with insulation at the housing. I dug at the e-clip with a very small screw driver, but it refused to pull up and out of the slot in the plastic housing. It started to get dark, and hard to see what I was doing, so I called it quits for the night, and reassembled the old climate control unit back into the dash. Is there something special to do to get the clip out? I stuck a small piece of cardboard under the e-clip to catch it, should I have gotten it out and dropped it. LOL................. LOL on your dropping your e-clip down into the dash. I already dropped one of the screws that mounts the climate control unit into the dash. Just so easy to do. Thanks for any help...............Larry (Rooster2) Edited June 21, 2012 by Rooster2 changed some wording Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I don't remember having much trouble getting the clip out. Putting it back was the hard part, which was when I disconnected the cable at the bottom so I could pull the assembly further out of the dash. Needle nose pliers with good sharp teeth should be able to grab it. I use a small pick tool (like a dental pick) to get it pried up that first little bit, but that may not be necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
987687 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Getting it back in is easy, just use pliers to shove it straight in. Sometimes they can get twisted in there, so it's hard to get them out. Because they're trying to pull the cable with them. Sometimes I've ended up twisting it all up getting it out, but again, replacements are easy to find at a hardware store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Getting it back in is easy, just use pliers to shove it straight in. Sometimes they can get twisted in there, so it's hard to get them out. Because they're trying to pull the cable with them. Sometimes I've ended up twisting it all up getting it out, but again, replacements are easy to find at a hardware store. Thanks guys, I appreciate the advise. I can see how easy it is to drop the e-clip upon removal. To do so means it would be lost forever. Then the plot thickens, in having to buy a replacement e-clip. I will take my time, and pray I don't drop the clip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Epilogue...............just finished swapping in a new climate control unit. The e-clips are a pain in the neck. Recommendations for anyone doing this job in the future. 1. Purchase 3 each e-clips for where the cable housing is friction fastened to the climate control unit plastic housing. The old e-clip will be so bent up upon removable, that it will be unusable. Also, it is just too easy to drop a new e-clip down into the dash unit, where it will be lost forever. I helped prevent dropping the e-clip, by inserting a folded church bulletin in the dash opening, placing it under the cable. If dropped, the e-clip is somewhat easier to retrieve. It helped a lot, God saved me from dropping the e-clip. I had trouble sliding the cable back into the slot opening upon reassembly. After a while, I realized the hard plastic cable covering was bent/distorted, so didn't want to slide into the slot opening. I rounded the hard plastic by flattening the pinching it down with needle nose pliers. Upon reassembly, I also added a few drops of glue around the e-clip to add strength to the e-clip friction hold. 2. I looked hard at disconnecting the cable near the floor, but found little room to work. I did remove the e-clip from there, but gave up that approach, and re-inserted the e-clip. Using needle nose vice grips to hold the e-clip for insertion is the best tool to use. I hope this advise helps someone in the future to make this project just a little bit easier. ...................Regards..........Rooster2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olnick Posted June 28, 2012 Share Posted June 28, 2012 . . . by inserting a folded church bulletin in the dash opening . . . Good thinking . . . that little bit of extra insurance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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