If they try and give you any shit here is a scan of my work order/receipt.
[/b]
I prefer the manual actually. Never liked the auto function in my old A4 and in my friends Accord Coupe.Originally posted by Dan
I guess i should be glad i have the manual one as spartan as it looks.
Never have had a problem with my manual and very rearely have to adjust any settings. My wife likes to play with her temp knob (yes, I know what that sounds like ).
And actually I kind of prefer the aesthetics of the manual. The auto seems very plain and uninteresting to the eye.
Hi, I am Bill Janklow. I killed a motorcyclist and got away with it...
<img src="http://news.mpr.org/features/200109/27_hetlandc_forestfires-m/images/janklow.jpg"border="0" alt="">
This sucks. They triedto tell me that because it wasn't the digital odometer that they wouldn't do anything...so I bitched and told them to go to hell.
THey then said that we have to schedule an appt. to get the CC unit diagnosed and I will pay up front for the diagnosis. Then, if it's actually the CC unit like I said, they will reimburse me. I then asked "so what about the repair, we're just discussing a diagnosis". The response was, "we'll take care of that then". So this sucks, it f^$%* 90 degrees out and I have no A/C and my CC is stuck blowing out hot air.....just like the $tealer. I don't know if I'll ever buy another BMW again...........
98 328i - Minor mods include Eisenmann exhaust, Lowered Suspension, Hi-Flo Air Intake, 18" M5 Rims, 6-Disc Changer, subs, tinted windows, M3 shifter & pedals
Try a look at this site,
http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html
Thats a great site for some pictures if you all need more visual representation. I dont know how long that fix is going to last though - he only resoldered the capacitor.Try a look at this site,
http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html
I found that there are MANY different solder joints that fail on that board in that area, and although replacing the capacitor might have worked for him, i can almost 100% guarantee more joints on his board will fail sooner or later.
The first time i fixed my board, i only re-soldered a couple connections (including that capacitor's contacts.) not two weeks later it started failing again. I decided to do the job right, and solder all the joints in the failing area. If you read my instructions back on page 1, you'll notice i mention that you need to keep trying to flex the board a bit after you think you have fixed the problem, to make sure there isnt other problem areas as well that will creep up on you later.
Its almost a year later now, and still no more problems. I've fixed a friend's unit as well, and he has reported no problems since either.
Guys,
I finally have an appt for tomorrow morning with the stealer. Any advice on how I should approach this. I will print out a copy of the receipt that Dean attached. Is there anything else that I can do? I want this fixed or else I'm gonna sell this car.....I haven't had any A/C for the entire summer :-(
btw, all I did was resolder all of the pins for the blue harness on the PCB (on the main board itself), some 26 pins, just reheated each one to let the solder re-seat itself. This was some 4-5 months ago, and the things been working like a champ. ..No problems at all...well, aside from the following...
1. Quick wearing of
a. tires
b. brakes
2. lots of suspension travel
3. a tendency toward high speed acceleration
4. Frequent loud trance music
5. a squealing coming from the tires during cornering (at high speed)
6. often, during 180 degree turnabouts, I get shitty
Anyway, if anybody knows how I can fix these issues, please let me know
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
Well,
Here's the scoop. I finally am getting the thing fixed but I'm paying way more than I'd like. BMW NA is only picking up half of the costs for everything and I got to pay 200.00 out of my pocket for this fix.
At this point I'm so glad to finally have it fixed that I'm giving in rather than paying the entire price for a new unit. I'd really like to thank EVERYONE who helped on this issue, as it's been close to a year that I've been dealing with this. I just want to get back to enjoying my Bimmer and I can't wait to do about 120 MPH on the highway tomorrow. Thanks again!
98 328i - Minor mods include Eisenmann exhaust, Lowered Suspension, Hi-Flo Air Intake, 18" M5 Rims, 6-Disc Changer, subs, tinted windows, M3 shifter & pedals
Forgot to mention that the fix is actually a new unit, pus the charge for "coding" it to my car........why the hell they need to code a CC unit is beyond me but at least it'll be fixed with a year warranty.
98 328i - Minor mods include Eisenmann exhaust, Lowered Suspension, Hi-Flo Air Intake, 18" M5 Rims, 6-Disc Changer, subs, tinted windows, M3 shifter & pedals
I wish paying at the dealer was like ebay, and you could down bid the price between dealers (to EARN your patronage), I avoid dealers like the PLAGUE
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
For anyone who needs a capacitor and doesn't have a Fry's Electronics, here is where I just bought mine from:
http://www.electronics-plus.com/Merc...ry_Code=ELNOPO
It's Non-polarized, which means you can't install it backwards. It's a .47 microfarad and 63 volts.
btw, my old fix, of just reseating the solder on those 20-ish pins for the bigblue plug just failed (lasted quite a while), so...
I'm off to Fry's tonight to get the
0.47 microfarad 50 volt tantalum capcitor
Hopefully, this will be the last time I mess with the climate control system.
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
I just typed this to my friend:
" ....That this site exists, and that this is NOT a covered warranty item is horrible. I feel like starting a petition to get this covered...."
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
The repair for this problem is pretty easy. Not cheap, but easy. No need to pay anyone to do it. Stick your finger into the hole at the top of the "sunglasses holder" slot. Push the control panel out. It will resist to start with, but is designed to be removed this way. Once it pops out, you may have to unplug some wires.
The head unit of your climate control has a bad circuit inside. I have seem tips for repairing that, but popping a new one back in was the route I took. Very easy repair.
i did end up with one issue that I have not resolved yet. The rebuilt head unit that I bought from the BWM dealer is set for metric temp readout. I have been told I need to take to dealer for resetting. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Got some help at work (another set of eyes and a multi-meter), turns out my soldering on one side of that known bad capacitor was not soldered well (the solder had since come off, and there was daylight (bad). So, resoldered properly (thanks Jeff and Farhad, work guys). And now it's working again (yeah!).
-Ben
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
I can attest to the fact that these instructions work. It's worth a try.. I have posted pictures of my experience here (site's slow, sorry):
http://www.howthatdo.com/~chris/2002...limatecontrol/
WOW back from the dead!
Yep, and back from the dead again! Just as an FYI to everyone that has or will have this problem with the climate control-mine started acting up a few weeks ago. I could wiggle the wiring harness at the back of the unit and turn it on and off. I disassembled the unit tonight and reflowed solder on the main wiring harness and on the capacitor. So far so good-after plugging the unit back in it works fine. Wiggling the wiring harness and banging on the back of the unit did not affect it at all so hopefully it is now fixed!
Once again, thanks for the info everyone! :
Eric Giles
'04 330i ZHP
heh.. its the warmer weather.. mine just started doing this today. here's the best site i've seen:
http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html
Blackbox'es link to that fix is the one I did that (that .47 Capacitor), and it's been november, december, january, and into february with no problem thus far (since that repair)
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
i resodlered the blue plug pins but didnt replace the capacitor
i do notice a change cause it works more than before
but still turn off/on often (but alot less than before)
any chance the capacitor will solve the prob?
summer is coming fast and im scared
i have a black car
HELP!!
Last edited by Reno; 05-23-2004 at 01:03 PM.
Reno, a lot of people here do this and that, replacing the capacitor, resoldering plugs, all to no avail. I fix these unit professionally for $80 and guarantee the unit will work for life. You can email me if you'd like this service, yes I'm sure there's people out there who can do it themselves, as I am sure there are people out there who can perform surgery on someone if they had to. I'm not one of them, I would trust a professional. Not sure why so many here hack and ruin they're $500 units, when all they have to do is send it away and get it fixed properly.
My .02
It's now been six months since I replaced the Capacitor as documented with no other problems....
It cost less than $2 if you or someone you know is craft at ALL with a soldering gun, well worth the effort, and you'll note, I'm not trying to sell you products or services
You can buy that capacitor at any decent electronics shop (Fry's for those in California, but even small shops should be able to get that or have it).
Thanks,
Benjamin Hirsch
Track Junky Extraordinaire
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