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imcarm
29-11-2005, 04:10 PM
Odd one this,

I have a UK spec 2001 v6 sport which appears to have problems controlling the climate. if I set the dial to 17 she blows cold air but set it to anything from 18 upwards blows out hot air, there is no variation in the hot air temperature either. The auto setting blows old cold air at full blast on 17, set it to anything higher on auto and it trickles out warm air (shows 1 bar on the climate control screen).

I asked my local Mitsi garage to check it out, they could not find anything wrong - so I gave them a demo in which they came to the conclusion that the climate control computer must be broken, they warned that this would be VERY expensive as the whole CC unit would need replacing.

Anyone ever had this before? :inquisiti

TIA

Kieran
29-11-2005, 05:29 PM
Hmmmm.... Theres a little hose on the back of the climate control unit that helps it to meter the ambient cabin temperature. Sounds like this might have been dislodged, perhaps whilst fitting a radio?

The centre console titanium/carbon panel is easy enough to remove (I've written an article on it) and you should be able to see the hose in question - there are two multiplugs, and the hose should be to the right of these.

Roadrunner
29-11-2005, 05:30 PM
It could just be the plastic pipe that runs from the cabin air sensor to the climate control system. If the pipe's off at either end, the system won't be getting the correct information. Have you had any work done behind the centre dashboard (radio, mobile phone kit fitted, etc.) recently?

bernmc
29-11-2005, 05:33 PM
Well, I've turned mine right up, and it's still snowing outside :o. What's that all about? Climate control my 4rse :D

Kieran
29-11-2005, 05:33 PM
Another thought.

When set to 17 degrees, the unit effectively operates in 'override' mode and blasts cold air into the interior. whatever the outside temperature and cabin temp usually.

Seeing as yours starts to 'warm' when its not on override, I wonder if your external temperature sensor is mis-reading the incoming air temp (thinks it's too cold) and not applying the right amount of cooling to maintain the temperature you want?

What happens if you wang it up to 32 degrees? That should switch it to 'hot' override...

imcarm
29-11-2005, 06:00 PM
The external temperature sensor does appear to be functioning correctly (even beeping to warm me that the air outside is 3 degrees).

I did fit a new stereo a few months back, so I'll check the pipe that runs from the cabin air sensor to the climate control system.

Thanks peeps, will report back on my findings.

richy rich
29-11-2005, 06:46 PM
i have the same kind of problem so thanks guys ill have a look

Nick Mann
29-11-2005, 07:27 PM
Does this fault occur at all times? The hose to the back of the climate control is to keep the units ambient temp sensor at an ambient temp. The lights in the unit will heat it up otherwise, and the car will think it is too hot. This should have the opposite effect of what you are seeing and effectively the unit will start doing the right thing, but end up blowing colder and colder air as it thinks the car is getting warmer and warmer.

I think Kieran is closer with the over-ride setting. When you set the unit to 17, the controller thinks you are a penguin in the desert and tries to ease your pain. This, I guess, means that whatever the controller wants to do is over-riden. My guess therefore is that Mitsy have got it right (the shear unlikeliness of this bothers me, though!) and your controller is dud. I would suggest that the temp sensor on the unit is ker-nackered. If you are ever anywhere near Redditch, we could try swapping yours for mine and seeing what happens?

imcarm
29-11-2005, 08:51 PM
Does this fault occur at all times?
Yes, it happens all the time - but the issue does tend to coincide with when I put in my new stereo.

17 is the only setting that appears to be cold (I mean real frosty cold) every other setting from 17.5 > 32 is hot (but always the same temp) so 17.5 and 32 feel the same temp, my hand is probably not the best at detecting differences in heat but I should feel a difference from 17.5 > 32.

I will check the pipe, but maybe it's time to start searching ebay for a new unit.

again thanks for all the advice.

Nick Mann
29-11-2005, 11:27 PM
The unit is easy to swap. Where abouts in the UK are you?

Also, speed the e-bay process up and contact zedy1 via PM.

Gly
30-11-2005, 06:17 AM
ive had similar problems..
i didnt plug one of the connections all the way on. (till it clicked in place)
and it caused all sorts of strage things.

imcarm
30-11-2005, 10:50 AM
Where abouts in the UK are you?

In the South West, about 10 miles from Yeovil!



speed the e-bay process up and contact zedy1 via PM

Will do, thanks :happy:

ariddell
30-11-2005, 01:01 PM
Bonus, i always wondered why mine would lose the plot after a while of driving and start pumping cold air into the cabin...

Funnily enough usually when i had the stereo up loud pumping heat into the back of the dash..

Turns out my pipe was disconnected so the CC was getting warm air straight off the stereo and thinking it needed to cool the car down...

Cheers

The Vee
08-12-2005, 02:00 PM
There was a Mitsi recall on these units to do with heat off the radio (I Believe) affecting the unit - even if the pipe is in place. Mine was changed after I reported to the dealer that it had been behaving most oddly when in that heat wave in france couple a years back.

/ or maybe not a recall, but a known problem - tbh mine was under red zebra at the time.

Kieran
08-12-2005, 03:04 PM
Oh that's interesting Andy - What was the fix? :inquisiti

The Vee
09-12-2005, 01:42 AM
Oh that's interesting Andy - What was the fix? :inquisiti

replacement control unit

GroundControl
09-12-2005, 04:10 AM
must admit that I've noticed a similar thing occasionally on long drives during winter - I'd have it cranked up to 25 or 26 and it still kept on pushing out cold air...

imcarm
16-01-2006, 02:54 PM
This is now resolved, it was the hose on the back of the climate control unit, it had fallen off when I put in a new stereo.

Thanks all for your time and assitance. I do have a new far more serious problem... But I'll start a new thread about that one.

Cheers