Air conditioner/heater & display panel goes off and on for no reason at all

I have a 1996 328i and when im using my air conditioner or heater it goes out for no reason and the display panel goes black. Nothing I do or press turns it back on.
And then all of a sudden it comes back on all by itself. Like a sensor or something is messed up. A local shop I called said I possibly had to replace the Push Button Controller Assembly and it may cost up to $525.00.

I wondered if anyone has has this happen to them.
Need Help!

Easy repair, you just need to replace one of the resistor. Here's a link on how to do it yourself and would only cost you like $10 bucks

http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html

i did just what it said to do and my has worked like new ever sense. it cost me $11.00 and only because i had to buy a soder iron. the part only cost $1.00.

525?? You can buy a new one for less than that lol.

I'm having this same problem but not with the automatic climate control. I have the older one with the knobs. Would it be the same fix?

hello,
i have a BMW E36 1.6 and when i bought the car my heater was fine and now all of a sudden it comes on when it likes and goes off when it likes. Some days it wont come on at all.
I need to get it sorted really asap as its coming close to winter
someone please help.