2000 gs regal climate control light

[silveralpha]

The actual numbers(degrees etc) in the climate control are so dim you cant read them. I just bought this car and it is one of many minor problems that need to addressed. The lights in behind the buttons all work fine,and dim and brighten with the control knob on the dash. it has both auto and manual adjustment, with dual zones for driver and passenger. I have seen resistor replacement examples for similar problems in the gauge cluster. Is this what is applicable here? Suggestions?


First time poster, this forum is very helpful and am very glad I found it! Thanks in advance for any advice!

[BNaylor]

Welcome to AF.

The issue with the IP Cluster is probably easier to DIY repair. Different with the climate control head unit. The head unit will have to be removed for troubleshooting and repair. I have not seen any tech procedure where you could DIY repair it or what components to replace or resolder. Another option is to get a used (pull) replacement and replace the complete head unit. I've seen them advertised on EBay.

[brcidd]

I fixed a 97 W car display (Century) awhile back using the following procedure found by searching the forums:

Written by Brad Moore with original instructions from fugedaboudit.
Pictures by Zach Walker.

1. Pry up the panel that goes around the shifter and pull it off, set aside (you don't have to disconnect the TCS wire - just lay that panel on the seat. The wire will extend far enough). After removing that, you'll see two bolts in the middle that go into the floor. Remove those.

2. Open the center console and take out the rubber bottom. It just sits on the bottom - no need to remove any screws. Under that rubber bottom will be two bolts which look the same as the ones in Step 1. Remove them.

3. Now look at where the center console piece and the dash meet. On the backside of this (down by the gas pedal) you will see a bolt on both the driver and passenger sides. Remove those two bolts. The entire center console should now be free to move.

4. Remove the ash tray to help gain a little bit of clearance. Pull the console unit back (start by pulling from the area where the dash and console meet), possibly pulling up and pushing down on the black part of the shifter unit (where it says PRNDL...etc). Just work it a little - enough to get the entire console moved back a few inches to get clearance for the climate control unit. (See Picture Below)


5. There are two phillips head screws holding the climate control unit in place. Unscrew those and remove the unit (disconnect the wiring also).

6. There are a few tiny bolts holding the plastic cover on the climate control unit. Take those out and pull the cover apart to reveal the circuit boards.

7. There are two circuit boards - one is the power supply and one is the display board. The display board is the one with the digital display built in - you do NOT need to mess with this board. I recommend not disturbing it much, as I dropped the plastic things that are behind the buttons and spent a long time trying to find them! Just unplug the connector that runs between the two boards and focus on the power supply board. The PS board is also held on by four bolts similar to the ones holding the climate control casing together.

8. Flip the power supply board over so that you are looking at the side that would be facing the rear of the climate control unit (I think. My memory is a little fuzzy on this one, but you'll find what you're looking for eventually). Look around the board for some small resistors (we think they are resistors anyways - they are flat and black) that have the number 241 on them. There are about 7 or 8 of them overall and bunched together. A few of them are a couple of inches away, but they are all in the general vicinity. These are the problem pieces. (See Picture Below)


9. Using a small soldering iron, touch the iron on one side of the resistor to melt the existing solder. Then add a little bit of fresh solder. Only add a little bit - that's all it takes! I generally added too much, so I had to mess around with picking that stuff up. A more experienced solderer would probably not have a problem with it. Also, if any of the resistors slides away when you do this, push it out of the way (keep it facing the same way that it was), apply a little bit of fresh solder on the contact points of the board, and then put the resistor back into its spot. Then, holding the resistor with a blunt object (toothpick, etc), melt each end into the fresh solder. Try not to keep the iron on the board too long - you could damage something.

Note: if you have to replace the resistors, you can use 150 ohm 1/2 watt resistors found at Radio Shack.

10. Once done soldering, put the board back in the climate control casing and connect the two boards together. Go out to the car and connect the wiring harness to the unit, turn the car on, and see if it works. It should work now! I had problems at first because I didn't have the wiring harness from the car hooked up tight enough, so I was getting some strange results - so be sure that you have it plugged in tightly.

11. Once you are convinced it's working properly, put everything back together and you're all set!

[silveralpha]

Awesome thank you, I am going to try this and let you how it works out. Great detail,so happy i found this forum. I have a couple other things to post but im going to start a new thread, thanks again.