Write-Up: Fixing HVAC Climate Control Lighting

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/Other-Stuff-c3/Audio-Electronics-f7/Write-Up-Fixing-HVAC-dimming-problem-in-a-G-Body-Riviera-t126.htm

Read through this write-up for bulb replacement

I've read it. Never soldered something before and not about to learn now.

mine where out tho...but its weard...where the original bulbs LEDs?
or had that last owner (that russian guy who messed up everything in the car) replaced them whit leds?
well anyways none of them work.

I'm not sure what the deal is with the bulbs. I think they are grain of wheat (very small). They need to be soldiered into the button and you also have to use a marker to color the bulb the green color of the stock bulbs.

I just heard back from the ebay vendor. He is refunding me the total cost of the unit (including shipping) and doesn't want the old one back. He apologized profusely for the screwup so I don't mind. That was actually good business practice on his end.

So now I'll have two that work okay but the buttons don't really light up. I'll just pick up a good one on ebay from one of the people who reconditions them. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll be able to strike a deal with him if I send him both of my units for a good one.

Ed Morad found my last one for me, only one of the button lights is out now. The display broke on my old one.

I just got one from a guy in Dayville, CT. He refurbishes them so they last for a long time. I'm giving him both of my old ones and he's giving me a good deal on the referb.

i bought 3 control units used and they all did the same thing, the buttons lite up but the main screen had nothing and the controls didnt function at all is this common and if it is what can i do to be able to kick back in the ac in my riv

Send it to the guy in CT. He fixes whatever is wrong and and the service is incredible. I MAILED mine on Friday and received it back via MAIL on Friday. Incredible for the service and the U S MAIL.

thats great and all but i bought 3 refurbished panels and all did the same thing is this common or is my riv having some mid life crises, any advice is very helpful at this point

hook me up with that address or number so i can try him too

Check all your fuses.

thread jack:
Are these ever known to fail such that they don't operate the blend doors or other funtions anymore? My buttons quit illuminating about when I got the car. Then at the end of last summer, my system seems to be stuck on heat and only works on the defrost and low vents, not the middle. Additionally, my actual display worked intermittently and then totally died in the middle of this past winter.

So now I have zero illumination or display and I can only get heat in the lower and defrosting regions.

turtleman wrote:

thread jack:
Are these ever known to fail such that they don't operate the blend doors or other funtions anymore? My buttons quit illuminating about when I got the car. Then at the end of last summer, my system seems to be stuck on heat and only works on the defrost and low vents, not the middle. Additionally, my actual display worked intermittently and then totally died in the middle of this past winter.

So now I have zero illumination or display and I can only get heat in the lower and defrosting regions.

I wonder if one of your connectors came loose. Not likely but if so it's a cheap fix, probably worth a look.

Albertj

I CHECKED ALL MY FUSES UNDER THE HOOD, DRIVER SIDE PANEL, AND BACK SEAT, MY RELAYS AND MAXI FUSES ARE GOOD. I HAVE NO A/C OR HEAT NO L.E.D DISPLAY OR BACK LIGHTING ON MY BUTTONS COULD I HAVE A BAD A/C PROGRAMMER I HEARD THOSE GO BAD OVER TIME

turtleman wrote:

thread jack:
Are these ever known to fail such that they don't operate the blend doors or other funtions anymore? My buttons quit illuminating about when I got the car. Then at the end of last summer, my system seems to be stuck on heat and only works on the defrost and low vents, not the middle. Additionally, my actual display worked intermittently and then totally died in the middle of this past winter.

So now I have zero illumination or display and I can only get heat in the lower and defrosting regions.

turtleman,
What did you find for the solution to your problem to be?

superivicharg wrote:

I CHECKED ALL MY FUSES UNDER THE HOOD, DRIVER SIDE PANEL, AND BACK SEAT, MY RELAYS AND MAXI FUSES ARE GOOD. I HAVE NO A/C OR HEAT NO L.E.D DISPLAY OR BACK LIGHTING ON MY BUTTONS COULD I HAVE A BAD A/C PROGRAMMER I HEARD THOSE GO BAD OVER TIME

what year is your car? It sounds like the A/C head unit, but I think you posted earlier about having replaced it 3 times already, is that right?

inside the climate controll are 8wires as i remember

seems to me that when the car is getting old and as had some vibration in its life...the wires shake inside and cos they are so tiny they brake in the place where they are connected there.
even tho when you open it and everythign seems to be fine...they may actualy be broken.
found it out when bended them a bit and had it pluged to car. the screen flached.
i replaces the wires whit a wire line what i got from a old pc lol....used a HDD wire and cuted so i got a 7 + 1 wire line...connected it and voila! it worked.

its better if you let a expert do it...liek a radio/tv repearer..it ws relly dificult for me.

ohh and..there is a other thing tho cos of what it may not work.
on the picture...are 2 big....chips or how ever they are called. the connections on them may have got loos tho...so reconnect them.


well good luck...

Silly question: Does anyone know if it's possible to swap the front screen with the from another CC unit? I have the opp to get a really cheap one off of a LeSabre but the part interchange is wrong so I won't be able to use the whole unit. Was hoping to take that screen off and put it in my existing one. *On top of the dimming issues I have from my "reman Riv CC" is also has a hairline crack in the plastic front screen.* Any info is greatly appreciated.

DEMonte1997 wrote:

Silly question: Does anyone know if it's possible to swap the front screen with the from another CC unit? I have the opp to get a really cheap one off of a LeSabre but the part interchange is wrong so I won't be able to use the whole unit. Was hoping to take that screen off and put it in my existing one. *On top of the dimming issues I have from my "reman Riv CC" is also has a hairline crack in the plastic front screen.* Any info is greatly appreciated.

I would say 'yes'... I made one good unit out of two from different model cars, and the mounting bezel for the front display/button board was the only difference, for mounting in a different dashboard. The guts were the same and the rear/main case was the same.

Remember, though, that the dimming problem is those overheating resistors in the 'main' board. Don't forget to re-solder those... I couldn't believe it, but 2 of the resistors were actually loose enough to roll back and forth with my fingertip when I opened the cases - in both of them!

One last tip: Be careful that you don't overheat the connections, as the traces will come off the circuit board... Use a "fat core" solder or separate flux to get the weathered metal to cling to the solder.


(Aaron, any chance you could re-write the header of this thread so it includes the words "Climate Control"? I had a hard time finding it, as is.)

Mark-Thanks for the info. I screwed up by not posting about this last week. I went up to Billboost's place last weekend and he did a number on my CC unit. I got it out for him and then he went to work with the fun stuff... Took him maybe a few minutes to re-soldier everything back into place and put a mint condition lens back on. No more dimming and perfect lens... I'm so happy now!!!

He also fixed the heated seat (thermosistor wires all were detached?... ugh) and also helped replace the bitch idler pulley along with belts. We noticed that my seat had a service pack put in for the heated seat so a previous owner no doubt had issues with the seat burning out. Weird thing was that we couldn't see a burnt wire in the original wiring AND the original wiring was still there? Should have been yanked with the service pack install.... whatever.

The Riviera PURRRRRRS now. And Bill fucking rules... I've never seen someone work as quickly as he did with taking a lot of care to make sure everything went back into place exactly as it was before. I'm lucky to have him nearby.

You are very lucky to have him close by you.
He's very experienced with these cars and very good from what I'm told.
He's the Go To guy in your neck of the woods

So you guys removed the leather from the seat to diagnose and fix the heater./
How did all that go.?

Did you all do some PCM tuning while you were there.?

DEMonte1997 wrote:

Mark-Thanks for the info. I screwed up by not posting about this last week. I went up to Billboost's place last weekend and he did a number on my CC unit. I got it out for him and then he went to work with the fun stuff... Took him maybe a few minutes to re-soldier everything back into place and put a mint condition lens back on. No more dimming and perfect lens... I'm so happy now!!!

He also fixed the heated seat (thermosistor wires all were detached?... ugh) and also helped replace the bitch idler pulley along with belts. We noticed that my seat had a service pack put in for the heated seat so a previous owner no doubt had issues with the seat burning out. Weird thing was that we couldn't see a burnt wire in the original wiring AND the original wiring was still there? Should have been yanked with the service pack install.... whatever.

The Riviera PURRRRRRS now. And Bill fucking rules... I've never seen someone work as quickly as he did with taking a lot of care to make sure everything went back into place exactly as it was before. I'm lucky to have him nearby.

Bill is very good. Meticulous about detail and great with electronics too.

Rickw wrote:

You are very lucky to have him close by you.
He's very experienced with these cars and very good from what I'm told.
He's the Go To guy in your neck of the woods

So you guys removed the leather from the seat to diagnose and fix the heater./
How did all that go.?

Did you all do some PCM tuning while you were there.?

Just pulled the leather cover off the bottom cushion. It was pretty easy. Didn't have to touch the seat back leather at all.

I know this doesn't belong in this topic but I am curious about the removal of the leather.
Was it a simple matter of undoing some hog rings and then reinstalling them when done.?
I've read here that that is all that's needed but not have seen any pics of anyone actually doing it.

On the bottom cushion there weren't any hog rings. There is a seam that goes around the outer edge of the leather cover that tucks into the bars under the seat (just folds around the bar and the seam grabs it). If we were to take the leather all the way off the seat (including the back part) that would have been more involved with the hog rings. Bill said you can just pull the rings off with pliers and reinstall them.