Climate Control Issues?

J

JR2000

New member
I'm new here so I'll try to sound intelligent! I have a 2000 4Runner Limited with the electronic climate controls (first 4Runner I've owned). Lately the control buttons seem to be not functioning properly...as if they're wearing out to the point of failure. Examples: the "off" button doesn't seem to work...have to play with it and push on it so hard I practically shove it through the dash! Similar issue for the "Auto" button. Is this a common problem and, more importantly, if it is am I in for a costly repair/replacement of the entire control module unit?! Further, in the event that I do get the "auto" feature to work it seems the A/C is on all the time - even if it's cold out. Is this normal? Is it hurting the A/C to be running all the time? Thanks in advance for any insight!
 
Register to hide this ad
I don't have the "climate control" myself, but I heard it's a costly repair because the whole unit has to be replaced.
As for running A/C all the time, it won't hurt anything besides your gas mileage. The A/C compressor won't cycle (turn on) under a certain temp. Not sure but usually around 38-40*F.
 
I know what you mean. I have owned mine for about 2 weeks, but it spent about 8 days of that getting the heat repaired. The blend door actuator motor was broken. I thought this was causing the problems, but its like this thing has a mind of its own. It stays on all the time, so I just adjust the temp as neccessary. I push the buttons, but nothing happens. It seems the only thing I can control is the temp and fan speed. Oh well, at this point I am just happy to have heat and A/C. My last vehicle didn't have heat for the last 4 years I owned it, and my wife wouldn't even ride with me.

Maybe I just don't understand how the climate control works?
 
I must have lucked out with my climate control module...still working great 11 years later.

Yes, it's a fairly common problem. No sure fixes either, short of buying a new unit...which is expen$ive of course. If you could find an automotive electronics repair shop, they might be able to replace/repair the worn components.

In "auto" mode, the A/C will run much of the time. In the winter, running the A/C is useful for defrosting (it dries the air, thereby quickly dissipating the frost/fog on the windshield). In the summer, it'll come on because it's the quickest way to get the temp down to whatever you set it to. So yeah, auto mode uses the A/C a lot. There is nothing to be hurt by that, it just pust a little more stress on the engine (slight ding to fuel efficiency, slightly reduced power). Nothing to worry about, though.
 
Read the HVAC chapter in the FSM (available here. Those things have an impressive self-diagnostic routine with trouble codes, etc...and you don't need a scanner, it reads out on the LCD. Worth a try....I haven't used it myself, because they only gave those out with auto trannys, not with 5-speeds.
 
Qyota said:
I must have lucked out with my climate control module...still working great 11 years later.

Yes, it's a fairly common problem. No sure fixes either, short of buying a new unit...which is expen$ive of course. If you could find an automotive electronics repair shop, they might be able to replace/repair the worn components.

In "auto" mode, the A/C will run much of the time. In the winter, running the A/C is useful for defrosting (it dries the air, thereby quickly dissipating the frost/fog on the windshield). In the summer, it'll come on because it's the quickest way to get the temp down to whatever you set it to. So yeah, auto mode uses the A/C a lot. There is nothing to be hurt by that, it just pust a little more stress on the engine (slight ding to fuel efficiency, slightly reduced power). Nothing to worry about, though.
Click to expand...
Auto mode always has A/C cycling.
I notice a 15% decrease in mileage when A/C is running. (measured)

When I set mine to auto mode, i press the A/C button to turn it off when it's not needed. Works fine (especially in the winter months)..
 
From a previous thread:

My 2002 had classic button problems - hit or miss, sometimes worked partly, 'Auto' LED never came on. I happened to hit it just right one day recently and it all worked. So (being the former electronics tech that I am - or was) I knew it was intermittent connections. So a couple of days ago I pulled out the board with the display and buttons and began looking for problems.

Of course, there were no obvious bad connections (broken solder joints) but it is a two-sided board (circuit traces on both sides). There are feed-throughs all over the board that connect the two sides. I took a small soldering IRON (25-30 watt - DON'T USE YOUR 200 watt Weller gun or you will destroy the board) and went over each solder connection (adding a small dab of solder every now and then to the IRON to transfer heat). Be careful not to short across conections (some are very close).

I put it all back together and it works great now. The feed-throughs probably break loose after pressing the buttons a few thousand times and they become intermittent. Which one is anybody's guess, but I made sure I got the ones near buttons done well.
 
Last edited:
AC Unit Repair

I covered what I went through to repair my Auto Climate Control Unit. Turned out mine had some crud built up in it and a good cleaning made a big difference.

LINKY
 
98OzarksRunner said:
Mine cost $10 for a soldering iron from WalMart and about an hour to pull it out, solder all the joints, and re-install. Works perfectly and has for months.
Click to expand...

There were some items on my circuit board that had exploded some white puss, i did not know how to replace them (sorry, what to replace them with). I would have done it myself if it wasn't for the broken capacitors or whatever they are.
:roadkill:
 
I had a 99 4runner with the automatic climate control and had the same issues, it seemed to have a mind of its own it would turn on when it felt like and it wouldnt usually turn off so i would just leave it on a low fan at a comfortable temperature, i sold the 4runner and bought another 99 limited 4X4 in better shape, this climate control actually works just needs a new bulb, good luck
 
I just got a 2000 4Runner with the automatic climate control. Every time I turn on the key it turns on and the blower starts. I manually turn it off and again, the next time I turn on the key it starts up. Is this how it is supposed to work? I have a 2002 Sequoia with auto climate and when you turn it off it stays off (regardless of the number of key off/on cycles) until you turn it back on.

I'm confused.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Members online

Total: 368 (members: 5, guests: 363)

Forum statistics

Threads
278,304
Messages
3,554,040
Members
248,016
Latest member
Advally Service

Share this page

Trending content

Back
Top