Temperature dial stuck on cold

[Culthero78]

Hi everyone. I know that versions of this topic have been covered by other people but I couldn't find a thread for my exact situation. My AC control module recently broke. It was stuck on cold and wouldn't move past 10 o'clock. I took it to my BMW mechanic and they forced it a bit and and it broke and spun freely. They replaced the HVAC control module behind the 3 dials. They said the cable and blend door seemed to be just fine. Just picked it up. They told me it still sticks a bit at 10 o'clock but if I move it with the fan off, it will move to the heat side. It worked one time on the drive home from picking it up. Now it is completely stuck again on cold. I have forced it just a bit and and eventually the temp control dial spun a bit and came off in my hand. It didn't move the actual temp control peg behind it. The dial itself didn't break and I was able to place it back on the peg in the 10 o'clock position where it had wiggled itself off. I have an appointment to bring it back to them in 3 days but I was hoping for some insight! It's about to get cooler out here and I will definitely want to have heat. Thanks!

[IndianaRoadster]

The blend door has a material that's similar to foam tape around the perimeter for sealing purposes. Over the years, it disintegrates leaving just the sticky part of the tape. That tape sticks and makes it hard to move. A temporary solution is to not open or shut 100%.

[sleeperz]

The blend door has a material that's similar to foam tape around the perimeter for sealing purposes. Over the years, it disintegrates leaving just the sticky part of the tape. That tape sticks and makes it hard to move. A temporary solution is to not open or shut 100%.

Upvote on the sticky tape. I had to remove my heater box on my roaster and rebuild it. Can't remember where I got the tape? I had it left over from doing the same thing on my old E30 325ic and a couple of old Datsun 510's. I had some citrus based adhesive remover that cleaned things up pretty well. A lot of work, BTW. If you do go that far into it, I would recommend replacing the heater core and evaporator too.

[melville]

Reset the cable so the blend door doesn't quite completely close. You should be able to do it with some needle nose pliers to slide the clamp just a bit on the cable. The next step is the peg breaking off the little arm behind the controls.

This is me resetting that cable after spending most of a day in this position and with half the interior apart to deal with a broken peg:



I go to yoga a lot but this isn't a pose I want to practice again.

[IndianaRoadster]

Reset the cable so the blend door doesn't quite completely close. You should be able to do it with some needle nose pliers to slide the clamp just a bit on the cable. The next step is the peg breaking off the little arm behind the controls.

This is me resetting that cable after spending most of a day in this position and with half the interior apart to deal with a broken peg:



I go to yoga a lot but this isn't a pose I want to practice again.

Here's a pic of the cable meeting the clip that he's adjusting.
Screenshot_20220919-115713_Gallery.jpg
Also if any of the tabs break off on the heater/AC control arms, you can drill out and epoxy in a servo ball off of a remote control toy car or airplane. You can get them at the hobby shop. The other two control levers on mine were still intact, but I reinforce them with a 1/16" drill bit, which I epoxy in and cut off the shaft for reinforcement purposes.
Screenshot_20220919-115829_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20220919-115815_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20220919-115800_Gallery.jpg

[melville]

Here's a pic of the cable meeting the clip that he's adjusting.
Screenshot_20220919-115713_Gallery.jpg
Also if any of the tabs break off on the heater/AC control arms, you can drill out and epoxy in a servo ball off of a remote control toy car or airplane. You can get them at the hobby shop. The other two control levers on mine were still intact, but I reinforce them with a 1/16" drill bit, which I epoxy in and cut off the shaft for reinforcement purposes.
Screenshot_20220919-115829_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20220919-115815_Gallery.jpg
Screenshot_20220919-115800_Gallery.jpg

Yes, I did a similar repair using (IIRC) an M3 or M2.5 socket head cap screw and some locknuts. I like the RC servo ball idea.

[Culthero78]

Quick update. I am at my mechanics and they attempted to move the cable a little more as described above. The metal clamp that holds the end of the cable broke. Does anyone know the part number for just the clip? The parts we look up have the cable but not the clip.

[Culthero78]

Looking for this clip:
3E635784-8C9D-4059-81AE-286C948F81A4.jpeg

[IndianaRoadster]

I'm not seeing it in Realoem. Maybe it comes with the cable.64118397723 is the cable # for my 2000 M Roadster

[Culthero78]

I'm not seeing it in Realoem. Maybe it comes with the cable.64118397723 is the cable # for my 2000 M Roadster

Yeah I can’t find it anywhere. I don’t think it comes with the cable

[RedRedZ]

No affiliation, I just googled BMW heater cable clip
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175253058397

[Culthero78]

No affiliation, I just googled BMW heater cable clip
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175253058397

You rule! Thank you so much. I had ECS tuning, Turner, and FCP Euro trying to find it and they couldn’t. It’s Less than two dollars!