The air conditioning control unit is a component of the electronic system that allows the driver to set the temperature mode in the car's cabin.
Based on the interior temperature of the vehicle, the control unit decides whether to activate the heater or the air conditioner and chooses the suitable air grille to guide the airflow in the desired direction. All of this happens thanks to the coordinated work of sensors and actuators that control the vents.
These well-established and convenient systems allow maintaining the cabin temperature at a set level, contributing to road safety since the driver no longer needs to constantly get distracted from driving the vehicle by adjusting the airflow and temperature parameters.
Causes of control unit malfunction
- Mechanical damage.
- Corrosive processes inside, due to natural aging.
- Malfunctions in other systems.
- Voltage surges.
Symptoms of a malfunctioning air conditioning control unit
- There is no temperature control in the car interior.
- The control unit display does not display information.
- Air flows do not work.
- Buttons and switches on the control unit panel do not work.
- Possible increase in fuel consumption if the system does not turn off and works constantly.
If you detect any relevant signs, we recommend contacting a car service center.
Repairing the air conditioner control unit is a complex type of repair that can only be performed by professionals in the field of electronics.
The main stages of repair and replacement of the air conditioner control unit
1 Diagnostics.
Accurate diagnosis is very important because many spare parts are expensive. The control unit is a complex mechanism consisting of many components, and you need to understand which of them is not working correctly. To make the data more accurate, scanning is carried out with the engine running.
2 Dismantling the block.
- Turn off the power supply to the vehicle.
- Unscrew all fastening elements.
- Remove the air conditioner control unit.
- After removing the unit, you need to disconnect it from the general network by disconnecting the power bus.
3 Determine whether the unit can be repaired or needs to be replaced.
4 Installation of the air conditioner control unit should be carried out in the reverse order, and it is necessary to ensure that the unit is positioned correctly in the guides.
5 After replacing the unit, you should encode it - enter the program into the new control unit.
A faulty air conditioning control unit can compromise the comfort inside your vehicle, as well as affect fuel efficiency or cause more serious damage to the air conditioning system.
