Electronic climate control systems constantly alter the flow of hot and cold air in a car's cabin to maintain a specified temperature. This results in a stable and comfortable driving experience regardless of how hot or cold the weather is outside. Unfortunately, this complicated and technical electronic system needs professional maintenance if one of the computer chips malfunctions. But there are several problems you can solve on your own with special tools. Perform your own troubleshooting to determine the source of a climate control malfunction.
Turn on the automatic climate control and feel for cold and hot air by turning the heat up and down. If you get heat but no cold air, and air blows from the vents, indicating the fan works correctly, you likely must add freon to the air conditioning system.
Turn off the car and open the hood. Locate the low pressure line of the car's AC system, which has a green valve. Check your owners manual for the exact location as this varies among different makes and models.
Fit the freon canister valve fitting onto the low pressure line valve. Press the trigger on the canister to fill with freon. Watch the pressure gauge on the canister as this indicates when the AC system has enough freon to function properly.
Turn on the electronic climate control and place your hand in front of the vents to feel for air. A lack of flowing air usually indicates a problem with the fan.
Open the hood while the climate control system is on. (Do not turn on the engine to check the fan). Locate the electronic climate control fan located in the back. The fan should spin while the climate control runs.
Inspect the fan belt located near the fan. A non-functioning climate control fan likely indicates a broken fan belt. Turn off all power to the car and remove the broken fan belt. Slip a new fan belt onto the fan system. Turn on power to the car and turn on the climate control to see if the fan fully operates.
Consult your owners manual to see where your automatic climate control electronics system is located within your car. This is usually under the hood or directly behind the dashboard.
Turn off the car and remove the battery if you must remove the dashboard to access the climate control electronic chips and wiring. Next, remove fastener clips and screws located in the glove box.
Remove all screws attaching the dashboard from the top and attaching the radio faceplate to the dashboard covering. Remove the faceplate and pull the dashboard forward. Disconnect all wiring connections to completely disconnect the dashboard.
Turn on a digital voltmeter and apply the prongs to a test point. The test points are the various circuits that make up the electronic climate control computer system.
Record the reading for each individual circuit on a sheet of paper. Compare to the proper voltage written in your owners manual. An improper reading indicates an electronic circuit or wiring problem that needs professional repair.
