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1997 LeSabre Climate Control shows incorrect temps


Hemo
01-14-2004, 11:55 AM
I have the climate control and just recently it started reporting temperatures waaaay off from what they should be.

I'm in the North country, and yesterday it was about 19 degress F. I get in the car after it was parked outside overnight, start it, and the climate control reports the outside temperature at 101 degrees F. After driveng for a bit, it brings this to about 95-98 degress F. Man, I know it isn't that warm outside.

The flip side of this problem- the sensors for the interior temperature must also be whacked, because I'll set the temp to 90 - as high as I can, and the fan goes into high gear blowing icy cold air at me, thinking it is probably something like 105 inside and needs to cool it down.

I can only imagine what this will be like when it actually gets 85 degrees outside.

Anyone have any ideas? I do have an OBD-II scanner, but have it borrowed to a friend at the moment so can't get anymore info that above. I'm wondering if a diagnostic through the OBD-II would find/fix it.

Hemo
01-19-2004, 09:56 AM
replace the exterior ambient temperature probe. About $15-$20.
It is mounted in front, on the brace just in front of the tranny cooler/radiator. You can't miss it.

Seems 'Climate Control' relies on exterior temperature to determine what the interior temperature should be.

Wonder if there are any 'techs' out there that _know_ the answer to this question:

When setting desired interior temp, does the system actually 'know' what interior temps is at or does it 'sense' something between inside and outside temp?

I still think it is silly, even if my exterior temp probe dies and reports 102 degrees outside when it is 28, that I set my interior temp to desired 90, and it is currently 40, that the system will blow cold air instead of warm.

Flatrater
01-19-2004, 07:08 PM
Look at it this way if the computer thinks it is 100 degrees outside and you set the temp to 80 degrees it will turn the AC. The system depends on the outside temp to work right.

The outside temp is the input that determines if AC or heat is needed and turns on what it needs to achieve the desired temp.

If you set the temp at 80 and its 30 outside it will turn on the heat and the opposite if it is 100 outside!

Crang
01-20-2004, 08:36 PM
The answer is yes. The computer does know the inside temp. It can be seen by pulling up the diagnostic info on the climate control panel. The computer also knows the coolant temp.

The outside sensor is part of the air mix. The computer knows how much air to bring in from outside to give you the desired temperature. The temp you select will determine this.

For example... Let's say it's 18c outside and 25c inside and you ask for 23c. The computer will bring in the air from outside and once 23c is reached it will stabilize the temp depending on conditions. It is at that time that the computer decides how much outside air, A/C and/or heat to combine for how long and at what intensity.

The Inside sensor is located to the right of the steering column and has several holes in the imitation wood grain to allow air to get to the actual sensor.

Hope that explains the technical side!

Hemo
01-21-2004, 10:01 PM
The answer is yes. The computer does know the inside temp. It can be seen by pulling up the diagnostic info on the climate control panel. The computer also knows the coolant temp.

The outside sensor is part of the air mix. The computer knows how much air to bring in from outside to give you the desired temperature. The temp you select will determine this.

For example... Let's say it's 18c outside and 25c inside and you ask for 23c. The computer will bring in the air from outside and once 23c is reached it will stabilize the temp depending on conditions. It is at that time that the computer decides how much outside air, A/C and/or heat to combine for how long and at what intensity.

The Inside sensor is located to the right of the steering column and has several holes in the imitation wood grain to allow air to get to the actual sensor.

Hope that explains the technical side!


MMm.. I'm getting closer. My system now knows the outside temperature and reports it correctly. The interior sensor must be shot, since I've got the temp inside set to 90 and as soon as I start the car, the climate control kicks into high gear blowing cold air at me. It was 31 outside today.

The system _used_ to sit idle until the coolant temp got warm, and then it would slowly kick in the fan and blow the warm air at you.

Can I pull up that diagnostic info on the climate control without special equip? I didn't see anything on the menus of my OBD-II scanner for that...

Crang
01-22-2004, 07:20 AM
Yes you can pull up the info by the climate control panel.

With the car in run or started; press OFF and WARM at the same time and hold for a few seconds. You will see the display light up all of its features and it will then take you to the diagnostic trouble codes first. The codes will flash as they are (2 digits). You can then navigate to 3 (01, 02 and 03) levels of the system by pressing the HI button and LO to go through the items. Going to level 03 and pressing LO will reset all stored codes. Pressing LO continuously will lead you out of the system. If you have any codes, tell me and I can look them up in the manual. That will probably lead you to the problem.

Note: I may be mixed up on the HI LO routine, but you should be able to figure it out:p

1989Buickguy
01-22-2004, 08:48 AM
Can I check the temperatures and stuff the same way on my 89 LeSabre automatic cc as the 97?

Also, any clues on my misfires? (See Misfire thread)

Thanks-Andy

Crang
01-22-2004, 08:53 AM
I'll see if my Mitchell manual tells me how. I will post if it does.

Hemo
01-22-2004, 11:18 PM
Yes you can pull up the info by the climate control panel.

With the car in run or started; press OFF and WARM at the same time and hold for a few seconds. You will see the display light up all of its features and it will then take you to the diagnostic trouble codes first. The codes will flash as they are (2 digits). You can then navigate to 3 (01, 02 and 03) levels of the system by pressing the HI button and LO to go through the items. Going to level 03 and pressing LO will reset all stored codes. Pressing LO continuously will lead you out of the system. If you have any codes, tell me and I can look them up in the manual. That will probably lead you to the problem.

Note: I may be mixed up on the HI LO routine, but you should be able to figure it out:p


Well, this was a lesson in frustration. My 1997 Buick LeSabre Limited climate control console apparently doesn'y look or react like the one in your Mitchell manual.

I have no controls labeled WARM, LO, HI. I assumed those tags represented the buttons on my unit for TEMP, a red arrow pointing up (WARM?), a blue arrow pointing down (COLD?). Buttons labled FAN with an up arrow (HI?) and a down arrow (LO?).

Could not get the system into the mode you describe, tryed many combinations, held buttons in for as long as 30 seconds and nothing happens.

My unit looks similar to this:

+--------+-----+-----+-----+-------------------------+-----+-----+
| | ^ | ^ | ^ | | | |
| AUTO | | | | | | | |VENT |FRNT |
| | | |DASH | -2 | | DEF |
+--------+TEMP-+-FAN-+-----| F |-----+-----+
| | | |FLOOR| | | |
| OFF | | | | | | | | RE |REAR |
| | V | V | V | |CIRC | DEF |
+--------+-----+-----+-----+-------------------------+-----+-----+


I can't remember the exact labels for the air directions (dash/floor) but this changes which vents the airs comes out of-overrides 'Auto' settings.

The '-2' and the 'F' in the middle is what my unit reported as exterior temperature when I was trying this. Not too bad, considering the windchill of -32F we just had. Anyway, the center areas does the normal dispays showing which vents air is directed to, fan speed, and interior temp setting.

I also have the temp controls on the steering wheel.

Another note.. all this stuff was working OK a few weeks ago. I find it odd that everything went wacky around the same time, but then I know if someone is gonna go bad, extreme cold will make it happen now.

Any other thoughts or ideas appreciated. :)

Crang
01-23-2004, 06:26 AM
Ah, you have the newer climate control version, Mine is the one with the green LED display on the left and all the buttons on the right. Let me take another look at the manual. I may have been looking at the wrong year. I know now that 92 - 96 should be the same.

I will post results tonight, sorry about that!

Hemo
01-23-2004, 09:35 PM
Thanks. I certainly appreciate your efforts.

Looks like I'm seeing other problems with my Buick now, but I'll start a different thread on those...

Hemo
01-27-2004, 04:31 PM
Just noting that after a coolant change/flush things seem to be back to normal with my climate control.

Go figger.

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