Climate control won't turn on

[zcasavant]

I went out for lunch today and the climate control in my 98 M3 wouldn't turn on. When I turned on the car, the climate control display was very dim, and none of the buttons work. I don't recall if there was air coming out of the vents. The AC button was illuminated, as was "auto" which was the way I left it. The buttons wouldn't work though, and I turned off the car and restarted it, and the unit was dead.

Nice day for it too, 90 degrees and humid. :mad:

[SARAFIL]

Originally posted by zcasavant
I went out for lunch today and the climate control in my 98 M3 wouldn't turn on. When I turned on the car, the climate control display was very dim, and none of the buttons work. I don't recall if there was air coming out of the vents. The AC button was illuminated, as was "auto" which was the way I left it. The buttons wouldn't work though, and I turned off the car and restarted it, and the unit was dead.

Nice day for it too, 90 degrees and humid. :mad:

So there's no power going to the control unit?

Last summer, there was a huge number of E36 owners that were stuck with no A/C when their IHKA control modules all failed and the part went on back-order. The parts finally showed up in August. The year before, it was the E46 and the final stage resistor that went dead and caused many E46 owners to spend the summer without A/C.

At least your car is a year behind the curve, so the parts should (hopefully) be available if that it what is actually wrong. The symptoms of a bad IHKA include intermittent power outages of the HVAC system-- it will work fine, and then the display will go out and there will be no response from the system. This is different from the E46 problem, because in that case, the display would retain its power, but the fan would no work at the speed it was supposed to and would cycle between high and off.

[zcasavant]

Originally posted by SARAFIL
So there's no power going to the control unit?

Last summer, there was a huge number of E36 owners that were stuck with no A/C when their IHKA control modules all failed and the part went on back-order. The parts finally showed up in August. The year before, it was the E46 and the final stage resistor that went dead and caused many E46 owners to spend the summer without A/C.

At least your car is a year behind the curve, so the parts should (hopefully) be available if that it what is actually wrong. The symptoms of a bad IHKA include intermittent power outages of the HVAC system-- it will work fine, and then the display will go out and there will be no response from the system. This is different from the E46 problem, because in that case, the display would retain its power, but the fan would no work at the speed it was supposed to and would cycle between high and off.

I am really hoping to have it fixed by Thursday, as I take off for CT Thursday night or Friday midday. Having no AC or Defroster would be pretty awful. It goes into Inskip tomorrow morning.

[zcasavant]

The climate control resumed working on the way home from work. Damn thing. Should I still bring it to the dealer tomorrow? :dunno:

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally posted by zcasavant
The climate control resumed working on the way home from work. Damn thing. Should I still bring it to the dealer tomorrow? :dunno:

May as well. Still under CPO, right?

[zcasavant]

Originally posted by SpaceMonkey
May as well. Still under CPO, right?

Yes. I have decided I WILL bring it in tomorrow, as it turned off again tonight for about 30 seconds, and then came back on. :dunno:

[TD]

Is it dead as in dark or is it showing that everything is fine (fan speed displayed, etc) yet no air is coming out?

If it's the former, I can't help you, but I had the latter this past weekend. It's the final stage resistor. $70 at the dealer (w/CCA discount) and a 15 min DIY repair.

My fan had been cutting in and out, but the display showed everything was blowing full blast. If that's what you have, I can get you the part #. IMO, it wasn't worth going through the CPO warranty. After the $50 deductible, I would have only saved ~$25 (after tax) but would have the hassle of taking the car in.

[zcasavant]

Originally posted by TD
Is it dead as in dark or is it showing that everything is fine (fan speed displayed, etc) yet no air is coming out?

If it's the former, I can't help you, but I had the latter this past weekend. It's the final stage resistor. $70 at the dealer (w/CCA discount) and a 15 min DIY repair.

My fan had been cutting in and out, but the display showed everything was blowing full blast. If that's what you have, I can get you the part #. IMO, it wasn't worth going through the CPO warranty. After the $50 deductible, I would have only saved ~$25 (after tax) but would have the hassle of taking the car in.

Whole unit was replaced this morning under CPO warranty while I waited. Apparently, they go bad frequently. :)

[zcasavant]

And now the clock in the OBC doesn't work. That little window for clock and date is dark, no matter what buttons I push. :mad:

[SpaceMonkey]

Originally posted by zcasavant
And now the clock in the OBC doesn't work. That little window for clock and date is dark, no matter what buttons I push. :mad:

Well, at least you'll be cool driving back to the dealership. :dunno:

[brigun]

:mad: The post's for the symptom's on my 2000 528i are exactly what I'm getting too.It was roarin hot here in Jersey the control's all work AC engages ducting Fresh/recirc everything on display is kickin,we jet guy's were all in the parking lot at the airport looking at like a bunch of monkey's,apparently my fellow wrenches feel bad for me,but I just cant identify the final stage resistor.It makes sense,we have "quirky"thing's like this for the jet's too,but right now just not sure where this puppy is located.:dunno:

[TD]

Originally posted by brigun
:mad: The post's for the symptom's on my 2000 528i are exactly what I'm getting too.It was roarin hot here in Jersey the control's all work AC engages ducting Fresh/recirc everything on display is kickin,we jet guy's were all in the parking lot at the airport looking at like a bunch of monkey's,apparently my fellow wrenches feel bad for me,but I just cant identify the final stage resistor.It makes sense,we have "quirky"thing's like this for the jet's too,but right now just not sure where this puppy is located.:dunno:

Are you trying to find the final stage resistor (I can't tell from your post)?

If so...

- Take off the lower driver's side dash panel (the piece above the pedals).
- Look up toward the center console area (sort of where you'd be if you could go straight back from the climate control panel).
- Look for a squarish flat surface held in place by two screws that has a small wiring harness attached to it. Unscrew it and pull it out.
- THAT is the final stage resistor.

From the ETK, the E39 FSR is part #3 on this diagram. You know you got the right part if, when you pull it out, you see those many finger-like prongs.

[brigun]

:thumbup: TD you read my mind I came upstair's to teel ya thank's for the hint.I went to part's CD and found the resistor and mom and kid's beat it,and I went back in and saw it.I just removed it and when connected with test probe the case of resistor is reading hot (12V)that cant be right..from the size of heat sink I imagine this pup roast's in the fan housing,but I can't imagine it's supposed to be hot to the case when connnected,even though is encased in plastic.Only thing I'd like to do is jump connector and get motor kick for piece of mind,but it's getting hot..once agian thank's for the advice.I knew it was worth reachin' out...;)

[brigun]

:cry: TD understand my low patience level I have go to work tommorow and do this crap on airplanes.It's about 97*here and buggin hot,I don't mind trying to fix my wife and my car's on weekend's but my hand's need a rest.My wife has the "check engine" light in her minivan I buyin OBD (generic for ford and BNW and fix that puppy next.Faster I can get this done the better:drink:

[SARAFIL]

My correction to the "What would you buy if you won the lottery?" thread (and you'll see why it belongs here in a second):

I'd buy enough punctuation marks to last for years on this board. It is so hard to understand what some people are saying in their posts because they don't put punctuation marks in their sentences.

:tsk: :(

[brigun]

I have trouble typing because my hand's get stiff from using them all week.Granted I could preview my post's before I send them but what the :nono::nono::nono::nono: is your point,I either get the real cool owner's or the english teacher's on this site.I use this site partly to share expieriences or help each other OR for entertainment, if you have somthing to share for owning this overpriced Duetchland car that great! share, or I'll share whatever, but to come back into the house on a hot ass day to read this makes me want to bust out your teeth with my good hand.Let's look at this way,TD gave me awesome advice and took the time out to print the ETK for a part I'm having trouble finding, and repairing, critical to the blower working for my car. I hardly can afford to take this car to the dealer with the economy the way it is... Do I really want to hear about punctuation?did I spell that right?I know can order and replace this part and restore my care to perfect order I think that's worth a few missed !?," Bottom line bro, I suffer from CPS from wrenching car's,and airplanes yes,I somtimes miss a comma here and there.Oh nice car, can put this spelling lesson/punctual english stuff to rest now?I mean this is getting nut's, I thought we were supposed to talk about BMW's?????

[brigun]

TD part's on order I thank you,I feel this it it.I going to booze shop for a cold six pack of hienie's, I next some off time.I feel the people on this forum sometimes get too critical.Critical is on monday.:confused:

[SARAFIL]

Originally posted by brigun
I have trouble typing because my hand's get stiff from using them all week.Granted I could preview my post's before I send them but what the :nono::nono::nono::nono: is your point

I didn't mean to single you out and make you mad...

However, that being said, I would be more than happy to give you all the help I could (just read some of my other posts and you'll see that I have shared a wealth of information here in the past few months), but it was hard for me to even follow and comprehend your posts to even figure out what your problem was. :dunno:

Once again, I didn't mean to criticize you, I was just saying that it is difficult many times for one to help out if he can not even understand what the original poster is asking for. :rolleyes:

[brigun]

I exploded,you see,I'm a tech rep,I write report's and fix planes,it was a long exausting day.I'm the type of guy who wrench's a plane then has to write a report of all I did,like a doctor,he get's this way too.When was the last time you read and understood a script for medicine.Plus this keyboard height at home drives me nut's.Any rate let's move on I blew my vent valve and we'll talk BMW's,fair enough?plus I had some heines and cooled off..:drink:

[brigun]

TD you hit the gripe right on the head.I ran to dealer on lunch break, swapped out resistor,and whaddya know,airflow.Hmmm..
I'm all giggly it's so muggy in jersey right now,your a life saver.:rofl: By the way see the size of the heat sink on that thing
that has to tell you how hot they get,plus new one seem's to be a better design.