Write-Up: Fixing HVAC Climate Control Lighting

OKAY, I have checked all the fuses relayed to to the HVAC, all are good, The A/C condenser is cold along with all lines having condensation on them. Looks like the dash might have to come off to check the connections.

[/img]

These climate control heads are notorious for having internal connections go bad. Some cheesy soldering on the circuit board does NOT hold up over time. There was a big thread about it on RegalGS.org a while ago, don't remember the exact link, but they show how to resolder the thing. I need to that to my HVAC, it's getting confused about the dual climate control setup, heating the pass side when it should be cooling, vice versa... it's pretty amusing as long as you aren't my passenger!

[b]DEREK, Thanks, either way the dash is gone have to come out for a better and closer inspection

I had this happen to both my Regal and Riv. I sent it to a vendor on ebay. Not only did this fix the problem but I sent it out US Mail on Monday it was returned on Friday.

sburch23 wrote:

I had this happen to both my Regal and Riv. I sent it to a vendor on ebay. Not only did this fix the problem but I sent it out US Mail on Monday it was returned on Friday.

Do you remember the vendor or cost?

Thanks
-Derek

hey i just repaired mine it took me 5min to fix it once i got it out of the dash. there is a write up on this in electronics. here's the link: https://rivperformance.editboard.com/audio-electronics-f7/write-up-fixing-hvac-dimming-problem-in-a-g-body-riviera-t126.htm
if you follow those directions it shows you set by step how fix it. to get the dash off you will need an 8mm socket, extensin, and rachet. there should also be a write up on removing the dash in either electronics or interior. you will also need a 6mm socket to take the 2 bolts on the side of the climate control off. you will also need a sodering iron and sum soder.[/url]

Thanks for the writeup! I replaced mine w/ a used one last year, so I already have the old one out for resoldering. Maybe I'll swap mine out, then fix the one I'm taking out now, then start selling them to rivperformance members for a bargain!!

I'm next in line. Mine has been acting up since winter...

The discount will be deeeeeeep. No guarantees on the work though

speakin of which i have an extra one myself. i bought a new used one from ebay. the guy said it worked but it was worst shape than mine. the damn thing didnt work at all. i had to resolder a couple of things to get it to work. nonetheless, it works now! and so does my orginal one. i'll sell the one from ebay for $30 bucks, you pay for shipping. now the only thing i noticed with the one i bought from ebay is that the outside temp goes a lil crazy. it went from 90 to 107 in 17seconds like it was counting up, but other than that the controls work and it lights up so you know exactly where the air is flowing. although it just could be my ambient temp sensor going out.

I have a similar problem with the same lights. But with mine, the lights aren't out, if I tap on the plastic display it will light up. Any ideas?

Just pull the dash panel off to get at the temp control unit. Once you remove the unit and take it apart you will see that the bulbs for the lighting are like the ones I descibe earlier in this thread and the orange lights are indeed LED. Unsoldering the stock ones are a breeze with some solder wick. Just go for it. The bulbs in the radio can be replaced with the same radio shack bulbs. The only part that sucks about this job is trying to get the HVAC connector plugged back into the unit.

lamps that light up the letters are bulbs.

indicators for AUTO, VENT, OFF, and DEF are LEDs.

If you are going to change color of your LEDs please mind the polarity.

Albertj

Did you have to replace those resisters or just resolder the same ones back to the board?

I posted in for sale section... I will do repair and test... see my post there...

Sorry Bill, but that was directed towards Paul. Just to clarify his write up a bit.

captshiner wrote:

Did you have to replace those resisters or just resolder the same ones back to the board?

I'm pretty sure it's just resoldering them. When you look at the board it's obvious what's wrong with it.

I'm also trying to figure out the button bulbs - it seems like they need to be replaced.

I'm working on my old unit tonight.

I just did my button bulbs. In a way they were easy, in a way they were a P I T A.

The only changes I have to the directions are as follows:

1) go to a craft store and buy some turquoise glass paint. I bought Vitrea 160 glossy marker, in turquoise. Stock number 116084. At Michael's. It is the PERFECT color for the dash lights.

2) get replacement bulbs. You will need six 12v 'grain of wheat' (Radio Shack 272-1092) and one 12v bi-pin (Radio Shack 272-1154). The grain of wheats are a substitution, the bi-pin turns out to be an EXACT replacement. T1-1/4 packaged 14V bi-pins are what's in the control OEM, but I only found them on EBay and so many of my bulbs were out I decided not to wait. What you really want are either #2182 or #7382 lamps. If you live in a major city (I don't) you may have an electrical supply house nearby like Newark that stocks them. They will be cheaper on EBay.

3) you will also need some dry gas (read the label - get the CHEAP stuff, it's just isopropyl alcohol) or health-and-beauty-section 91% isopropyl alcohol - try WalMart, CVS or RiteAid. And some q-tips if you don't already have them.

4) you need to know how to solder; you need normal electronic shop supplies (a 1/8" and a 3/8" hexhead socket drive; a pencil-type soldering iron; rosin-core solder; also maybe a solder sucker or desoldering wick and a static strap for your wrist so you don't accidentally kill the control IC)

Anyway... to replace the bulbs:

a. open the climate control as described in this thread BUT if your climate control has not been serviced already you will find two (probably black) 3/16 self-tapping screws, they are black, on the outside corners of the case opposite those tabs. The self-tappers on the board inside are 1/8" by the way.

b. What you need to do now is desolder and remove the bulbs on the board and replace them with the new bulbs. To do this have to open the face of the control by taking out two (probably silver) self-tapping screws with 1/8" hex heads. Be careful that the button faces don't spill out of the frame when you do this. And before you do that, please read the following details:

- If your board has not been serviced before the bulbs are little blue things, they look like LEDs but they are not, they are 14V #7382's with little blue covers (like mini-condoms) on them.

- you probably want to do this replacement one bulb a a time. When you solder the new bulbs in place, if you use grain of wheats instead of the #7382s, be sure to solder them in such that the filament is about the same level as that of the filaments of the bulbs you removed. basically this means the grain of wheat bulbs get installed with leads extending something like 3mm from the circuit board. If your unit has not been serviced before you will find one bulb with a little red sleeve (like a hose) around it. Replace that one with the Radio Shack 272-1154 (the t1 bi-pin, it is an EXACT replacement!) and transfer the little red sleeve to it. If your unit has been serviced before you can try painting all but the tip of the 272-1154. Leave the tip clear so it projects a dot of white light onto the back of the red arrow on the control panel. You guessed it - this is the bulb that makes the arrow in the climate control light up red.

Yay. You are done with the bulb replacement - almost. Turn the soldering iron off - unplug it or whatever.

Now here's where it gets interesting.

c. clean off the new bulbs, in place, with a q-tip dipped in alcohol, wipe off with a paper napkin or facial tissue. Then wipe them again with the alcohol q-tip and allow to air dry (takes only a moment, the 91% alcohol evaporates real fast).

d. using the vitrea paint pen, evenly coat the now-dry bulbs (EXCEPT the one with the red hose on it) with the paint, and allow to air-dry (takes around 1/2 hour). Do not double-coat the bulbs, they are not that bright to begin with. Do not color the bulbs before installation, because your fingers will take the color back off unless you cure it (350 deg. F for 1/2 hour) first. Color them after installation and let the heat of the bulb bake the paint.

e. when dry, put the switch membrane back on the circuit board and reasemble the board into the case.

f. reinstalll the control head in the dash.

Helpful hint: when you do this replace all the bulbs, because the jostling back and forth will probably bust the filaments that are not already burnt out.

The paint bakes onto the bulbs and be comes hardened (and resistant to most household chemicals) after about 1/2 hour to 1 hour of use.

If you need further details please post here or send me a PM.

Albertj

Awesome, I'm going to do this too. Thanks so much Albert! Just what I needed!!!!!

thanks ive been looking everywhere for this

you're both welcome.

It just occurred to me that this turquoise markerpen would work for the little lights in the door handles too, if you could run the lights for an hour ro so at 12v when you replaced them but before installing.

Albertj

I bought one off ebay because my old one didn't work very well. The seller promised me that everything functioned perfectly (including lights) so I wanted to ask about this on here first before I ream him a new one. I installed it today. The display lit up bright so I figured it was fine. The unit works fine (ie: fans work, rear defogger,etc). but none of the lettering lights up on the buttons-found that out tonight. Oddly enough, the amber lights for auto, off and such do come on. I made sure this is the correct part # so that shouldn't be an issue.

Anyone know what the problem is here? This one will need to go back to the ebay seller. Hopefully he's not a jerkoff about it.

Those bulbs are probably out. It's very very common.

That's what I figured but every single one of them?

Are those Borbets on your car?

Yeah, 8" wide borbet type Es with 255/45/17s. I love them!