Rep Power: 0

Hello all,

I just changed the head unit in my wife's 2002. Afterwards, I noticed that the vent mode selector no longer worked. The air just comes through the front vents; I cannot switch to floor or defrost. Everything else seems to work. I am also not positive that this broke immediately after me working on her head unit...but I think that's the case. I double-checked and I have reconnected all of the connectors.

I read through the forums and people said that the motor or switch might be bad. I don't know if I did something during the head unit replacement to screw it up. Also, IS THERE A FUSE that protects the motor? I looked through a Haynes manual and our manuals (I have a 2003 model) and there was no mention of a fuse that protected this motor. Some guy said that he fixed this problem on his 1995 by replacing a fuse, but I don't see a fuse for the vent motor control on the 7th gen.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

 
Rep Power: 812

there is no way you could have done anything to hurt the heater dials or buttons aside from not plugging them back in. there is the hazard switch connector, two green connectors for the dials, and one green connector for the buttons. so three green connectors total and one grey for hazards. if they are all plugged in securely, then the problem was already there before you started.

 
Rep Power: 285

Do the other two selectors work?

There is one main circuit board in the climate control housing, feed by a smaller circuit board attached to each individual control. Those individual controls are hardwired to the main control, so it would be difficult if not impossible to replace them individually and unusual for one to fail on it's own. There are no fuses protecting them individually.

 
Rep Power: 0

So I guess I have to trouble-shoot whether it's the selector switch or the motor itself? That sounds like a big undertaking...I read that the motor is behind the dash, and that sounds like a major PITFA to get to.

I guess I can take the switch out of my car and see if it works on hers...but something tells me that the switch is not the culprit.

I was hoping that it would be a fuse of some sort because when I change selections on the dial/switch I hear absolutely nothing (in terms of a motor moving)...but I've gone through the electrical diagrams and there does not appear to be a fuse attached to the "mode control motor" or "air mix control motor."

Me wears! I might just say ***** it and let her ride without it. Hey, at least she has heat, right?!?!

 
Rep Power: 812

i have never heard of the vent selector motor failing before. i have heard of switch fails. so try yours first before you go tearing up the dash lol. and air mix is different from vent position. air mix is just a door in the back that lets more or less heat in when you adjust the temp dial.

 
Rep Power: 0

One more thing...I do not think that the switch/dial/selector is broken because when you switch to the front defogger mode, the A/C light comes on (it's the 2002 model). If the switch was broken, I doubt that this would still happen. What say you kind sirs?

 
Rep Power: 0

All,

I swapped my 3 switches into my wife's car and the vent mode selection worked. I was going to just leave the working one in her car, BUT I could tell that the AC was coming on in defogger mode and I could NOT turn it off (green light would not come on). She has a 2002 (AC comes on automatically with defogger) and I have a 2003. So, I re-swapped them and all hell broke loose. I lost two screws in the open center console (I'm not going in there and digging around - ***** that); one of the green connector's tabs broke off and got stuck in the 3-switch unit (I had to open up and expose the circuit board to pop a tab and get the connector out); and the AC light would not come on anymore even with her unit installed! Miraculously, the AC light eventually started working again.

So, in short, I need to get another vent mode switch for her car...but it looks like you have to replace all three switches (they are all connected on one circuit board). Do you guys think that this is the case? I'll look it up on an online store and see what I can find.

I tell you, I love cars...and I want to buy both my wife and I a tight V6 japanese car of some sort next...but this shyte reminds me that ALL cars break down and that they are a PITFA to deal with. Imagine the kind of shyte ferrari owners have to deal with!!!

 
Rep Power: 812

go on ebay, those climate modules are cheap. and there is a code to allow a/c to be turned off in defrost mode. just search the site.

 
Rep Power: 204

I don't know how different the 6th gen is to the 7th gen but from what your describing they sound pretty similar.

check my thread in 6th gen. I just fixed my blower fan switch by just spraying some pb blaster into the dash pot.

 
Rep Power: 0

Guys,

There is a difference between the 2002 and 2003 switches, as evidenced by the weird behavior when I swapped my '03 into my wifes '02 (the AC came on WITHOUT the light and the AC would NOT turn off when I pressed the AC button). The '02 is part # 79500-S5D-A01 and the '03 is part # 79500-S5D-A02.

I found a switch on Ebay that said that it fits years '01 - '04, but how can that be considering that the switches behave differently between '02 and '03?

Anyway, my wife said that she can live without this switch. As long as the heater works and blows hot air at her, she is fine.

This switch seems to be a relatively common problem. One would think that the motor would die before the switch!

Cars are like women - no matter how attractive they are, you know some dude is putting up with some bullshit from them.

 
Rep Power: 812

they are the same switch for 01-05 civics. only difference is between coupe and sedan for the lighting (sedan green, coupe orange). if you want to turn the a/c off in defrost, here is the code. alot of climate controls have this programmed in by users or the dealer, some dont. its really not a big deal.

 
Rep Power: 234

They don't. They can afford to pay someone to put up with it. And boy do they pay- 43 flag hours on a transmission R&R, ouch.

 
Rep Power: 285

Labour rate at Ferrari Maserati of Vancouver- $250 p/h, but like Lazlong said, if you can afford one you don't mind. Repairing a door ding on my friends Maserati through the dealership was $8000.

 
Rep Power: 0

Well, I guess I was spooked by the fact that when I put my '03 switch into her '02 car, the AC stayed on BUT the AC light did NOT light up (as it normally does). However, when I re-installed her faulty switch, the AC light did NOT light up as normal when I pressed it. But after freaking out and re-inserting connectors/re-inserting the switch/scratching my head/cursing, the AC light miraculously started to work again.

So, maybe this AC light mix-up was just another manifestation of the switch board beginning to screw up, eh?

Many thanks to you all for the help and information. I'll keep trolling on Ebay for a used switch. But, like I said, this part is not an integral component for her ride. She's due a new car in a year anyway.

 
Rep Power: 234

Check local CL. Nationwide salvage listings: http://www.car-part.com/

 
Rep Power: 285

My only suggestion would be to try to get the vent control set to window defrost. That will still put heat into the car, but if the window starts to fog she'll be able to eliminate it and maintain good vision.