Heater windscreen vent

[Critical_Mass 10]

SIGH.... Yet another question :lol:

 

Im having problems with my heater direction controls. I've taken the heater controls apart to find the direction cog has snapped at the pin it sits on. The direction knob used to work, but you had to force it slightly to get it to point onto the windscreen, until one day it snapped. Anyway, after a little look and reading up on it, it would appear that the actual problem is the windscreen vent 'paddle' has become stiff for what ever reason (read that this can happen), thus has made the cable stiff and thus broken the knob. If i push and pull the cable i can here the vent moving but it only seems to move about 1cm (going by how the much the cable moves)

 

Here my question -

 

Can the windscreen vent 'paddle' be reached without taking out the dash as it appears to be just left of the instrument panel?

[VR6 0]

Bit of a hi-jack but you see the big opening in the top left of the photo ..... does anyone have any ideas about the easiest way someone would get a socket out if they dropped it down there? :grin:

[Critical_Mass 10]

Bit of a hi-jack but you see the big opening in the top left of the photo ..... does anyone have any ideas about the easiest way someone would get a socket out if they dropped it down there? :grin:

 

:lol: how you manage that?

 

Does vent come apart at the bottom? Magnet attached to some string :shrug:

 

VR6 - can you help with my question?

[colinstubbs 0]

I've just had a look at mine as all the undertrays are still out and the cable for the directional control goes to the middle of the bottom of the air distribution box.

 

 

Probably best accessed from the passenger side, that way you can pop out the duct across the passenger footwell and get your hand in to lube the flap :norty: 8)

[Critical_Mass 10]

I think thats the cable for the foot and face vents. The cable for the windscreen vents go between the central face duct and the speedo instrument panel.

[colinstubbs 0]

Ah yes! To get to the third cable for the screen you'll need to remove the driver's undertray and the plastic panel alongside the air ditribution box in the first picture.

 

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Enjoy, let me know how you get on, mine may need some attention too.

[colinstubbs 0]

Bit of a hi-jack but you see the big opening in the top left of the photo ..... does anyone have any ideas about the easiest way someone would get a socket out if they dropped it down there? :grin:

 

There is a piece of ducting that runs from the centre vents down to the back of the air distribution box that's attached by two plastic hex nuts one each side (both undertrays out :lol: ), the sealing foam may disintegrate as you ease it off but you should have roombetween the duct and the center console to do this. 8)

[colinstubbs 0]

Bit of a hi-jack but you see the big opening in the top left of the photo ..... does anyone have any ideas about the easiest way someone would get a socket out if they dropped it down there? :grin:

 

There is a piece of ducting that runs from the centre vents down to the back of the air distribution box that's attached by two plastic hex nuts one each side (both undertrays out :lol: ), the sealing foam may disintegrate as you ease it off but you should have room between the duct and the center console to do this. 8)

[Critical_Mass 10]

Cheers mate :thumb right:

[Critical_Mass 10]

Cheers for the pics Colin :notworthy:

 

I managed to get the metal clip off that holds the wire in place - whilst laying on my head :lol: The flap seems to move freely without the wire attached so i took the wire out of the dash. I had bent it slightly whilst trying to get the loop of the wire off the plastic lever but found that it was more bent then i had made it... so, new wire time and it had a little resistance towards the end of it near the loop! Simple fix to be honest, just a little fiddly and i will have air to the windscreen in no time :lol:

 

I believe these are aroudn £15 from the dealers, is that for all 3 or just the one?

[VR6 0]

Bit of a hi-jack but you see the big opening in the top left of the photo ..... does anyone have any ideas about the easiest way someone would get a socket out if they dropped it down there? :grin:

 

There is a piece of ducting that runs from the centre vents down to the back of the air distribution box that's attached by two plastic hex nuts one each side (both undertrays out :lol: ), the sealing foam may disintegrate as you ease it off but you should have roombetween the duct and the center console to do this. 8)

 

Cheers chap, I;ll have a hunt for this thread when I get round to getting some work done on the old girl :salute:

[V33DUB 0]

Just to update this thread with another windscreen direction problem...

 

My hot/cold and speed dials worked fine but my direction dial would go on windscreen (10 o'clock) and then the dial would go between 10o'clock and 7 o'clock fine, but felt no resistance going to 4 o'clock and wouldn't go round to 1 o'clock at all (pardon the clock references but cant remember the positions of the top of my head!)

 

Anyway, long story short as the info needed for removal of the unit is all on the forum already...

 

Once I had the control pulled out of the dash I could see that when turning the direction dial to windscreen, the top arm moved the cable to the right fine but the bottom arm moved slightly then kinda popped back. When moving the direction dial anticlockwise the top arm moved back fine but again the bottom arm/wire did bugger all and then the dial became unmovable at 4o'clock.

 

I unhooked the bowden cables and the clips holding them in place and took the unit out completely. I found that there was some loose broken plastic rattling around which upon inspection matched the top cog.... put 2 and 2 together an worked out that my bottom cog was broken in some form, meaning the lower arm was not doing what it should. With the unit out and the cables unattached the bottom arm had more 'play' and would move to the right but still not brilliant. I worked out that to get the windscreen set up correct, both arms should be over to the right.

 

I refitted the unit and manually pushed the lower bowden cable arm as far as it would go to the right (the position it wouldn't get to by turning the dial). You may have to fiddle a little with the knob at the same time i.e. move to another setting other than window but somehow it will get there without much force (I dunno what will happen if you do force it but I'd suggest you don't! Fiddle and it will get there!) Once that was in place I set the dial to windscreen and the top arm moved to the right as before.

 

HURRAY! I have air coming through my windscreen vents and upon a quick drive hot air as well. Hot/Cold and speeds all still work.

 

Now this is a temporary fix or at least not a complete fix as if the direction dial is turned, I assume the bottom cable will return to the left but not go back to the right when turned clockwise again... it's basically 'stuck' on windscreen. I still have air coming out my dash vents via the manual dials next to each of them and to be honest my heaters are pretty good so even on windscreen only the car heats up quickly enough. The main purpose of having a go at this was to get the windscreen to work as demisting is pretty essential in this country, especially with the winter months closing in.