Hello,
I started having problems with my battery a couple of weeks ago (actually had to be jump started once). I eventually got Advance Auto to agree that the battery was defective and got it replaced.
Now my auto climate control is not functioning properly. Regardless of the temperature setting, other than the Off, Floor, and Panel settings, the A/C compressor is always engaged and the system is outputting cold air. Can't get heat in any setting. Even in Floor or Panel modes the temperature controls don't have any effect on the output temperature.
I tried to utilize the diagnostic steps at the http://www.sccoa.com/articles/climatecontrol.php link, however, my 94 has a rotary switch to change between Floor, Panel, Defrost, A/C, etc. modes as opposed to buttons. It also has a rotary switch for blower speed instead of a slider as the previously mentioned Automatic Climate Control self-test referernces. I did try setting the mode to Floor and the blower speed to high and pressing the "warm" and "cool" buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, but I was never able to get it to enter diagnostic mode. I tried various other combinations of settings without success.
Here is how the system behaves in each mode:
Please note that in automatic blower mode, between 70*F - 76*F, the blower always operates at the lowest speed, regardless of the actual interior temperature relative to the preset setting. As the preset is increased from 76 toward 90*F, the blower speed gradually increases and reaches its maximum blower speed at 85*F and maintains it at 90*F. As the preset is decreased from 70*F toward 60*F, the blower speed gradually increases and reaches its maximum at 60*F. Again, the blower speed continuously increases regardless of the actual interior temperature relative to the changes in the preset value.
I am suspicious that a surge of some sort may have damaged caused a component to fail at some point after being jump started and/or when the battery was acting up and all gauges were acting strange on the day it died.
If anyone has any ideas on how I might be able to run a diagnostic or as to what the problem might be I would greatly appreciate any input.
It almost acts like the interior temperature sensor is being ignored. If it was always supplying a reading indicating that the interior was extremely hot, that would explain why most modes always put out cold air with A/C compressor engaged even if it is already cold inside, however, it wouldn't explain the dip in blower speed as the temperature preset is dropped from 90*F into the 70*F - 76*F range and then increase in blower speed again as the preset is dropped further below 70*F.
I started having problems with my battery a couple of weeks ago (actually had to be jump started once). I eventually got Advance Auto to agree that the battery was defective and got it replaced.
Now my auto climate control is not functioning properly. Regardless of the temperature setting, other than the Off, Floor, and Panel settings, the A/C compressor is always engaged and the system is outputting cold air. Can't get heat in any setting. Even in Floor or Panel modes the temperature controls don't have any effect on the output temperature.
I tried to utilize the diagnostic steps at the http://www.sccoa.com/articles/climatecontrol.php link, however, my 94 has a rotary switch to change between Floor, Panel, Defrost, A/C, etc. modes as opposed to buttons. It also has a rotary switch for blower speed instead of a slider as the previously mentioned Automatic Climate Control self-test referernces. I did try setting the mode to Floor and the blower speed to high and pressing the "warm" and "cool" buttons simultaneously for 3 seconds, but I was never able to get it to enter diagnostic mode. I tried various other combinations of settings without success.
Here is how the system behaves in each mode:
- Floor: A/C Compressor not engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
- Panel: A/C Compressor not engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
- Panel/Floor: A/C Compressor always engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
- Floor/Defrost: A/C Compressor always engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
- Defrost: A/C Compressor always engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
- A/C and Max A/C: A/C Compressor always engaged - Temperature settings don't change output temperature only blower speed if in auto blower position
Please note that in automatic blower mode, between 70*F - 76*F, the blower always operates at the lowest speed, regardless of the actual interior temperature relative to the preset setting. As the preset is increased from 76 toward 90*F, the blower speed gradually increases and reaches its maximum blower speed at 85*F and maintains it at 90*F. As the preset is decreased from 70*F toward 60*F, the blower speed gradually increases and reaches its maximum at 60*F. Again, the blower speed continuously increases regardless of the actual interior temperature relative to the changes in the preset value.
I am suspicious that a surge of some sort may have damaged caused a component to fail at some point after being jump started and/or when the battery was acting up and all gauges were acting strange on the day it died.
If anyone has any ideas on how I might be able to run a diagnostic or as to what the problem might be I would greatly appreciate any input.
It almost acts like the interior temperature sensor is being ignored. If it was always supplying a reading indicating that the interior was extremely hot, that would explain why most modes always put out cold air with A/C compressor engaged even if it is already cold inside, however, it wouldn't explain the dip in blower speed as the temperature preset is dropped from 90*F into the 70*F - 76*F range and then increase in blower speed again as the preset is dropped further below 70*F.