Mazurfer

Chad................I assuming you checked the 7.5a fuse in location number 4 in the fuse box located by the drivers side door?
Also check #2 in engine bay fuse box, and give #18 a look too.
One could assume so since you went so far as to resolder these connections you'd know about these, but you never know.

Only other thing I have to offer is play with the connectors.

I assume you also had all connectors off at the time of soldering, and the heater control out of the car?

RotorMax

Thank you!!! I was about to freeze my butt off all winter driving to work!!! Funny how 3 drops of solder saves you $300 bucks!!!

bryanv

Thanks for posting this fix.
My heater control started acting up about a year ago, and it was driving me nuts. The heater would come on randomly while driving (or shut off).
I did the fix about 3-months ago, and it's been great since.

BTW - while I had the heater control out, I also fixed my in-dash oem CD changer, that I somehow managed to jam ( I think I didn't wait long enough when inserting CD's). There was a CD wedged inside. It was also holding 4 other CD hostage.

I now have a WORKING heater and a CD changer!

RotorMax

Well I fixed my heater problem but now the radio is posessed! I haven't pulled it out to see if anything is loose yet. For now when I turn my AC on to 1, the radio Mutes, and unmutes when I turn the AC back to 0. And once I put my car into Drive, it starts jumping back and forth between mute and audio speeding up as I speed up. It's CRAZY!!! what did I do? I'll pull it back out n check all the connections.

Invincible

My car was built 06/03. It doesnt display the 0-16 perameter on the dash like the later ones do. Is there an alternative test for my early model before I remove the assy?
Also, how can I run the self test and recalibration? The steps outlined in this thread don't work on mine.

I have no heat ever. The dash vent for the passenger is slightly warmer so I may just have a plugged heater core, but I would like to check this as well if possible.

supabooma

hey guys,

I have this same problem, and sure enough the temperature gauge number would only skip from 0 to 7 randomly.

I took apart the HU, found the circuit board and located the 3 solder pins. They aren't nearly as bad looking as some of the other pics, but wanted to get your guys' opinion.

I can clearly see a ring around the base of the pins. Question is, is this what is causing the gauge to not work properly? And the soldering procedure is to seal up any breakage in connection?

Thanks-

elirentz

Yep the solder will reconnect the pins to the circuit board. Quite often the ring means the joint is bad. Sometimes you can just reheat the solder but looking at the pics of the boards in this thread they all look like they could use some more fresh solder.

Time for me to try this tomorrow.

supabooma

Thanks Elirentz, that's what i thought as well.

However, upon further investigating the solder pins, I used a continuity tester to see if I could get a signal from the outer ring, to the tip of the solder pin. Each pin tested positive for a signal, and I've tested multiple times with same results. I probably will end resoldering just to make sure, but I wonder if there's a break in the signal somewhere else.. Maybe in the rotating piece itself. Anyone know if this is even possible?

supabooma

In case anyone is interested, or having a similar problem...

The solder pins (for me) don't seem to the problem, so I think I've isolated the issue to a dirty potentiometer. I'm going to try to use a bit of Deoxit tomorrow and see if I can get it cleaned out. I'll post my results.

Wingnut

Supabooma, those solder joints are shot. They may be in contact just from pressure while you are testing, I know that mine would work intermittently, then only when I pushed the **** in a certain way, then not much at all. I'm not saying that you don't have any other problem, i.e. dirty pot, but what ever else you do, contact cleaner, etc., make sure you solder those joints before putting the whole mess back together. IMHO. Good luck. 2 + years of flawless heat and counting.

supabooma

Thanks Wingnut. I definitely will re-solder just in case. I'll probably do that before trying to clean the pot just to see if that really was the problem.

Your guide was extremely helpful, and thanks for chiming in!

wberkshire

yet another happy 8 owner. to bad i didnt stumble upon this at the beggining of winter instead the end...thanks though!

supabooma

Wingnut, you were right! I guess the continuity test doesn't tell the whole story. I soldered the joints (skipped cleaning the pot), and everything worked perfectly.

Thanks again!

Cheers

JDM

Thanks for the DIY!!!

Just did this today, thanks to the tips it went super smooth and was easy as pie!

now I finally dont have to tap my heater **** to change between full cold/ full hot

phey_05

Done mine just now...
works perfectly...

the hidden bolt was pain in the a*& to find... and guess what, i lost it... anyone has an idea where can i find it? i tried to took out the carpet but its seems its not there...

eyangx

my temperature gauge meter reads perfectly fine. jumping evenly from 0-16 but i have got no heater. (it's slightly warmer on the passenger side) Im too dumb to solder the electrical chips or maybe i dare not to lay my fingers on them as i would just break them =(
is there any other way to fix this issue?

mbentley

iTrader: (1)

well if you are seeing all of the numbers 0-16 when when turn the ****, this isn't the solution to your problem as the soldering hasn't gone bad (yet).

eyangx

but why is there no heat coming out? i lives in minnesota and the nights here are still kinda cold without heater.

mbentley

iTrader: (1)

no clue but you might want to start your own thread since this is a DIY on how to fix the bad soldering on the temperature control ****. you might get better response there.

RotorMax

This is strange. After I soldered my AC/Heat control back to the board and put everything back in, I realized that the radio was going crazy. Whenever I start to accelerate, the mute mode will toggle back and forth and speeds up as I speed up and the beeps eventually become one solid tone. That only happens if I have the AC turned on. If I turn it to 0, the radio works normal. Once I turn it to 1 or more, it mutes. Then if I push the rear defrost button it un-mutes, and back and forth. Same thing when I push the AC button. It's like I have to turn one button on and another one off to get it to stop muting. I even took it apart thinking maybe one of the face plate connectors was misguided on the last assembly job. Eh I don't know wth to think! Did my circuit board get zapped? I'm reconnecting it now so once I drive off I'll know if it worked. I can only test it when I'm driving. Pretty annoying.

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

^Take it apart and put it back together again. See if that corrects the problem.

zeddy

Anyone can help? I followed this DYI and now I get this when I start the car? Can't really test if it worked or not because I can't see anything...

Figs

Finally did this, it's been a year I've had the car and I've finally decided to bust out the solder gun. Now everything heat related works. Now I just have to fix my cd changer, don't know how but it's jammed up.

mbentley

iTrader: (1)

i'd take everything apart and make sure the connections are good and snug, especially the display cable.

azzuro

Saved me about $500 from the dealer. This DIY is awesome. :D