1995 PA -A/C Programmer Questions.

[JESSICAR]

I just was informed that I need a new A/C Programmer for my PA. It is not the push button deal in the dash, but as far as I am aware, a box located in the glovebox below the acctuator.

It sounds like the dealer wants $700 for this part. I am wondering what your thoughts are an pulling this out of a use car, at a salvage yard?

1. Is it hard to pull out?
2. What are the chances that the ones in the salvage cars are bad?
3. Is this a common part to go bad?

Any help you can provide is appreicated. It is already costing me a real good chunk for diagnostics, labor and the acctuator, so I am hoping to cut corners with the programmer.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

[imidazol97]

Originally Posted by JESSICAR

I just was informed that I need a new A/C Programmer for my PA. It is not the push button deal in the dash, but as far as I am aware, a box located in the glovebox below the acctuator.

It sounds like the dealer wants $700 for this part. I am wondering what your thoughts are an pulling this out of a use car, at a salvage yard?

1. Is it hard to pull out?
2. What are the chances that the ones in the salvage cars are bad?
3. Is this a common part to go bad?

Any help you can provide is appreicated. It is already costing me a real good chunk for diagnostics, labor and the acctuator, so I am hoping to cut corners with the programmer.

PLEASE HELP!!!!!

What is the car showing as symptoms? Why do you need a replacement? There is a problem with the plastic connector in the corner of the programmer where the vacuum is carried to various doors that control the air flow in the heater box. Many people have had trouble with those sucking shut at the connector. Usually the AC doors to make air come out the dash vents instead of going on to the defroster vents don't get enough vacuum to close off so no AC blast out the dash vents.

The connector can be cut out and rubber gas line 1/8 inch internal diameter can reconnect the inside pieces and outside or you can use aquarium air hose line called "mini" I've read people using.

I replaced my programmer with a $100 item from the junkyard locally. I accidentally damaged it while troubleshooting. I used the replacement connectors to bypass the failed vacuum connector--it has little black nipples that are thin plastic which suck shut.

[JESSICAR]

I wanted to leave a response as to what I found out regarding what was wrong with my heater.

Mechanic got a code 41 on the HVAC. Turns out it was the Acctuator. (Which I should have figured, since I could move it by hand, the new one you can not move)
The mechanic was getting power spikes and thought the programmer could also be faulty, but after replacing the Acctuator the power spikes went away. It is interesting to note that when we first bought this car, the passanger control located in the passanger door, was dead, no power, it could be possible that the acctuator killed that too.

When I first got in the car back however it seemed that the driver side was much cooler than the passenger, so the mechanic came out, unscrewed part of the bottom dash, and moved what I assume was a door that positions how much heat comes out. Problem solved!

The acctuator only costed us $60 (because my husband is affliated with CarQuest). However labor and diagnostics <hard swallow> came to $250. We also bought a keypad because my husband has some misunderstanding at what a "programmer" was. The keypad was used from Auto Salvage for $120.00 (non returnable). But hey, better than the programmer which is only available at the dealer for $700.00 (or you could take out of salvage car and hope that it works)

I did find out something very interesting during all of our research. You can have the keypad that is in the dash re-built here in Minnesota. There is a place called TransAuto located in Brooklyn Park, MN that told us they send them to Southern Minnesota and the rebuild cost is $100.00. I hope that can somehow save someone money if your keypad goes caput! Check around, or maybe you can even call TransAuto.

I really hope that this helps you out.