2010 Avensis climate control temperature has gone crazy

[chrisjeffery1]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me as searches have proved fruitless and I've put up with a dodgy climate control for months now. In effect, if you try and rotate the dial to increase the temperature, it will go up a degree or two, then drop two or three degrees on the next 'click', and you end up with a cold cabin. I managed to tickle it up to 24 once and left it there, using the dual control wheel to increase or decrease the temperature slightly if 24 wasn't comfortable. But the wife borrowed the car over the weekend, I didn't give explicit instructions, and I've just had a cold commute today!

I've tried putting different pressure and speeds on the wheel in case it is a loose connection, but no joy. Anyone else heard of this? I don't want to fork out what will probably be a good chunk of money for a second hand unit if it doesn't fix it, but it's the only cause I can think of.

Any hints & tips greatly appreciated!

 

[Konrad C]

See if an auto electrician can check the control. The problem is, because it is electronic it may need a replacement unit. Hopefully is should be worn contacts.

[Liemak]

On 3/29/2016 at 7:34 PM, chrisjeffery1 said:

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me as searches have proved fruitless and I've put up with a dodgy climate control for months now. In effect, if you try and rotate the dial to increase the temperature, it will go up a degree or two, then drop two or three degrees on the next 'click', and you end up with a cold cabin. I managed to tickle it up to 24 once and left it there, using the dual control wheel to increase or decrease the temperature slightly if 24 wasn't comfortable. But the wife borrowed the car over the weekend, I didn't give explicit instructions, and I've just had a cold commute today!

I've tried putting different pressure and speeds on the wheel in case it is a loose connection, but no joy. Anyone else heard of this? I don't want to fork out what will probably be a good chunk of money for a second hand unit if it doesn't fix it, but it's the only cause I can think of.

Any hints & tips greatly appreciated!

 

Hi Chris,

Did you resolve the problem? I have the exact same situation with my Avensis. 

Your help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[chrisjeffery1]

Hi Liemak,

Yes I did fix it. I bought a second hand unit, pulled the interior apart (not actually that difficult, the Toyota interior fixings are quite robust) and switched them over. The second hand unit worked fine, but something made me wonder if it was a connection issue, so I put the original back in after a few days, and it worked fine and continues to do so. So it must have just been a slightly dodgy connection at the back. I think I have the spare unit in the garage, if not, there are loads on eBay now in case it’s more than a dodgy connection. 

Chris

[Liemak]

Thanks Chris!

I will try the connectors first, must be easy to do I think. Will let you know if it worked

[chrisjeffery1]

Good luck 👍

[Matt0892]

I had the same problem with my climate control unit. The contacts for the temperature dial were dirty.

To fix it, I cleaned the circular contact tracks on the circuit board and the contact arms on the back of the dial. 

I removed the unit and opened it up, sprayed a little contact cleaner on the tracks and contact arms, and wiped round with a cotton bud. 

[Liemak]

56 minutes ago, Matt0892 said:

I had the same problem with my climate control unit. The contacts for the temperature dial were dirty.

To fix it, I cleaned the circular contact tracks on the circuit board and the contact arms on the back of the dial. 

I removed the unit and opened it up, sprayed a little contact cleaner on the tracks and contact arms, and wiped round with a cotton bud. 

Thanks for the tip Matt!