QuestionHi Roland
Just wanted to let you know what happened with the 98 intrepid. After some checking of the fuse box, my
husband found a multi-pin connector (that connects to the upper left portion of the fuse panel under the dash) was disconnected. He reconnected this and it seems to have fixed most of the problem, (although we still have an intermittent problem with the directional knob...when we turn it to blow air in a different direction, it takes about 5 minutes before it responds. He is going to check out the wiring again. Thank you so very much for pointing us in the right direction. We would have never figured it out this far without your help---you are an incredible help!!!
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Hi Roland
We tried your suggestions - we first changed the #17 fuse with a new one, but it didn't fix the problem as the fuse seemed to be OK. Next, we followed your advice on getting the readout for the fault code. My husband followed what your wrote, step-by-step. He got to the part were the green light was blinking, but it remained blinking and did not stop. He tried the steps again, three times, but it always got to the point where the green A/C light was blinking, but it kept blinking and did not stop. Any further advice is greatly appreciated, we would like to know what the cause of the problem is, if possible. Thanks in advance for your responsiveness and suggestions,
we appreciate it!
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Roland, hi, I hope you can give us advice. We have 98 intrepid. We had it set on "heat" until yesterday when temps warmed up here, then my husband set it on cold for the day. Now, when temps dropped outside and he set the control to heat again, it will not turn to heat - it still blows cold air. Also, the knob right next to it (where you direct where the heat/cold comes out), is not working either. Both controls stopped working at same time. Do you know what could be wrong....any advice is greatly appreciated.
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Hi Linda,
I only see one fuse to be involved: #17 in the junction block under the dash on the driver's side. So check that one out for being blown or maybe even just a subtle crack in the wire.
Then there is a trouble code system that may give a hint of the cause. It is done by reading out the heater controller memory for fault codes, that will appear in the odometer window of the dash.
Here is how to readout:
The engine must be running, but the car not in motion
Set the fan to any speed except OFF
Temp knob to full cold (counter clockwise)
Mode knob in defrost position (full clockwise)
AC button can be either On or Off
Press and hold the rear window defrost button until "AC00" appears in the odometer window of the cluster. You will hear a chime from the body control module and the AC control button's LED will begin to blink. At this point release the defrost button and wait until the AC button stops blinking. That means the system test and fault codes have been recorded.
Now watch for number to appear follow AC in the odometer window. The numbers can range from 23 to 51. If no codes appear the odometer will return to normal operation. Because only one code can be shown at a time, if you get a number, then note it and press the AC button to scroll to the next number (the body controller will beep). Keep pushing the AC button after each number appears until the odometer returns to normal operation ("AC" will disapper).
Don't push any other button or turn any knob or the process will abort. You can erase the fault codes by disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes if you think the codes are stale.
Then get back to me with the resulting codes for interpretation.
Good luck on fixing this.
Roland
PS when you send a follow up question, please DO NOT use the private option as your question and my answer are then hidden from other questioners in the future, and then I have to repeat all the typing in of the answers. Please copy in your original question and this answer to your follow up question text. This way we build a library of help for "posterity".
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Hi Linda,
I trust that he waited long enough for the tests to run. It doesn't specify the time, but for the automatic temp control unit which is the alternative to the manual control temp unit that you have, it is said to take up to 2 minutes. And did you ever see the symbol "AC" appear in the odometer window? Just to be sure give it a try and see if it ever goes 'off' on it own.
The fact that both the air temp and the air distribution door doesn't respond to the knob makes me wonder if the voltage supply (5V) that is needed to operate those doors might have failed, and that supply is in the body control module. That module is ganged together with the fuse panel under the dash. The body module is on the back side of the structure and the two are connected internally as well. If you can get around to rear side of the pair of units by removing them from their mounting you should find 4 multipin plugs colored black, gray, white, and blue. The 24-pin black plug, on its pin 15, has a pink/dark blue wire and that wire supplies the 5v to the doors that are part of the air distribution system under the dash. So when you have the ignition "on" see whether that wire has 5 volts on it (and also turn on the air control system so that you are replicating the typical operating conditions when you would be asking for different air distributions). If you don't get the 5v then it probably means that power supply inside the body controller is shot. But maybe even before you do the above test, check fuses 14 and 19 under the dash which are the power supply fuses for the body control. If one of those were open that would explain the loss of the 5 volt supply also. As far as I can tell the 5v supply is only used for the air distribution and temp control doors, so if that went bad it would not affect any other body control functions. The other place to find that same color wire is under the dash at the air distribution system. Both the mode door and the blend door actuators that control the distribution and temperature need that supply voltage. The blend door is on the bottom of the housing at the center tunnel, and the mode door is located on the lower left side of the housing. It may be easier to get the pink/dark blue wire at to one of those actuators than at the body control plug that I mentioned above.
So that is about the best I can offer now. Get back to me with any results, please.
Roland
AnswerHi Linda,
Thanks for reporting back. I am pleased that you have the function back, and I hope some heat. I can see which plug was detached. It is indeed the one that carries the pink/dark blue 5 volt supply and the feedback signal from the air mode distribution door, so that would produce the problem you had. Lesson learned: I'll have to also contemplate the possibility of a plug being out of its socket! Oh me.
Thanks for the nice feedback.
Roland
