Fix your broken heater

[Gra]

This is a fix for those of you that might suffer from broken heater speed (from 1-4). I had this problem and ive known it to happen to others so it is not rare but it is by no means common. Its a fairly quick job, with not really any tech knowledge needed, and no need for fancy tools.

First off before we start, get the following tools as a minimum so you can do it:

- Multimeter, or any meter which can check for continuity.
- Short/stubby phillips screw driver.

I used a 3/8" ratchet with screwdriver attachment, as well as an 8mm socket for the glovebox bolts but all you need as a minimum is a stubby phillips screw driver.



Now, to start with you want to remove the glovebox, which is very easy, being held on by only two screwbolts (8mm socket or phillips screw drive). They are circled im this picture:



Stick your head under and you will see the first screwbolt to the right:



And the other one, to the left:



Remove the bolts using an 8mm socket if you have one, otherwise use your screwdriver. Just watch you don't chew them out if you use the screwdriver.

Now pull the glovebox off (open it off using the handle) and put safely to one side. Now you will see the heaterbox system and the troublemaker pictured below. Unplug the brown plug and move to one side. Remove the 2 phillips screws at either side of the resistor with a stubby screwdriver/ratchet:



Lift out the resistor and visually check for any breaks in the coils (my one pictured is only a few months old as you can see). If you can see any breaks (in the wire only, not the hard light grey stuff), try to solder them up;



If you cant see any breaks, or you have soldered ones you have spotted, now check for continuity using the multimeter. Check each of the 4 terminals against each of the others. For example, hold the negative to the top left (L), and touch the positive to the top right (H), lower left (M1), and lower right (M2). The multimeter should beep/flash each time. Repeat for each other terminal;



If at any instance there is an indication of no continuity, then look a bit harder for the break. If you cannot see the problem, replace the resistor. From memory its about £20 from honda, but you should be able to get one from any local scrappies/breakers. They are the same as an EG civic for definate, other honda models might also share the part.

[hullfc]

well easy....then pics helped a treat, one look at them and i was away..... one thing tho... if u hadnt said about they been the same as the civic id of been well pissed coz the bloodt thing was knackered..

really helpfull cheers...

[SiR_chris]

ok Gra and others, need your help please! Went to replace my resistor today, took old one out and it looks like this: (the one on the left)



the one on the right is what I am replacing it with. Not only does it look totally weird and different, the plug that is connected to it is different:



and so is the connection on the back of the resistor (again, mine on left):



the weird thing is, the brown plug which should be in the resistor in any normal one, is plugged in to a connector that isnt connected to anything (other than a bracket under the glovebox):




which is weird too.

Im thinking of just putting in the new one (well second hand but its ok) and connecting the brown plug as it should, but then what do I do with the plug that I took out of the old one?!!!!


PLEASE HELP ME!!! I keep thinking I have a totally freak sol which doesnt match any others!

[Gra]

I think you have the heater controls that my mate had on his import SiR. UK cars and some imports have heater speeds from 0-4. Is yours like loads of dashes all the way round where there are about 15 different settings or something? If so i think then its a different resistor.

[Camile]

a bit of info...

hooper's 92 SiR has the 0-4 dial,

my 94 SiR has the "lots of dashes" one.

so SiR's have either

[SiR_chris]

Well mine says 1-4 on the panel, but there are lots of increments that I can turn the nob to, especially from 3 upwards. The first 'click' goes between 1 and 2 which I thought seemed odd .

So I guess Honda have two part numbers for the resistor then and I need the 'strange' one lol.

So what's the point of the brown plug connected to nothing ? Or is it there to just clip it out of the way. Do you know if I can just put the brown plug into the 'new' resistor and everything will work?

Thanks guys...

[Camile]

Well mine says 1-4 on the panel, but there are lots of increments that I can turn the nob to, especially from 3 upwards. The first 'click' goes between 1 and 2 which I thought seemed odd .

sounds to me like the actual dial is broken. pull it out and see if the part behind it is cracked, if so, might be possible to repair it or go to a scrappy and get one

[SiR_chris]

right Ive taken out my whole heater panel... everything looks fine unfortunately, I will get some more pics up in a minute. Aaaarrgh

ok here we go. pic of heater unit and spindle behind knob, nothing looks broken to me, spindle turns with knob etc as it should


but this is the operating sequence: first, it doesnt turn to the fan thing before the OFF label, ie. the off is as far anti-clockwise it will go without forcing;

then the next position is between the 1 and 2;

then between the 2 and 3;(sorry for poor image)

and then from this position it goes around clockwise in little increments until this position and then doesnt turn any more;


the whole thing is odd. I could try to take off the casing etc. but its really fiddly and delicate and there's quite a few pcbs that I dont really want to mess up or snap bits off of. The whole unit looks like this;


which is different to the one shown on TeamWashington DelSol site;
http://www.teamdelsolwa.com/howto/ac_co ... l/ac07.jpg

any ideas? Sorry for all the pics, I just really want to sort this out...

Thank you

[Gra]

Looks like you have the wrong sticker/face on your heater control. Check out this:



The first bit on yours, between 1-2 will be auto. Next bit will be the first dash, and then it will go round to each dash til it stops (like where yours is at "3 o'clcok"). Could be something to do with the panel. So i reckon we have established you have the auto fans, not the 1-4 fans.

[Camile]

looks like gra is right.

you have the 'auto' button which should work alongside the 'auto' on the dial, which you don't seem to have.

on mine though, i don't remember it having increments . it clicks into auto, but then after that it's smooth all the way, but i'll double check just to confirm.

with the 0-4 dial, i believe it should click into each number.

[boredbloke]

yep 1-4 clicks and you know it's in place correct.

[mike_delsol]

Sir Chris,

You resistor things looks exactly like mine as does your heater control panel so please update me if you find a fix for the rubbish heater as its getting very chilly in the mornings

Thanks,

Mike

[SiR_chris]

what you are saying Gra makes a lot of sense actually. The whole reason I thought I would check the resistor out is because what I thought was position 1, no air was blowing out - now with your info, this would make sense because I never tried it with the AUTO button pressed, which is what the knob would have been set to (and hence no air would blow).

I wander why the sticker is wrong then?

Mike- so you have the same resistor as me, do you have the same heater panel sticker ie. numbers 1-4 or do you have the sticker with AUTO and the dashes on? I don't really have any trouble with lack of heat though mate- well I do until the engine has been running for a while but thats normal I think

Cam- if you could check the 'increments' or smoothness of your dial that would be great thanks. Do you know if you have the same resistor as me? Ie for cars with the auto fans, does the car have my resistor and for the 1-4 fans, do they have the resistor as originally posted?

[Camile]

Cam- if you could check the 'increments' or smoothness of your dial that would be great thanks. Do you know if you have the same resistor as me? Ie for cars with the auto fans, does the car have my resistor and for the 1-4 fans, do they have the resistor as originally posted?

i'll go check just now (means going into the cold garage).

<will edit shortly>

EDIT:

ok, it clicks into auto, then it clicks to the first of the many lines. after that it has softer clicks...a further 12 of them, then it hits the end.

if your dial clicks the same, then you have the auto one, which makes plenty sense as you have the auto button and if it doesn't line up with the numbers but is still clicking, it must be the numbers that are wrong.

have you tried having it on full power?

with the auto function...that's the climate control. pick the auto power and the auto button, then the temp you want the cabin to be. it will blast hot or cold air until the temp is right, then it'll stop blowing but will keep adjusting the air temp if it fluctuates, so try that by clicking into into the 1st position.

[boredbloke]

with the auto function...that's the climate control. pick the auto power and the auto button, then the temp you want the cabin to be. it will blast hot or cold air until the temp is right, then it'll stop blowing but will keep adjusting the air temp if it fluctuates, so try that by clicking into into the 1st position.

i want an auto button!!