Lowering the costs of keeping heater controls

[Bruno 4]

This is a punt for now. I have a late Corrado VR6 with the rotary type heater and blower controls, the ones which keep breaking down. I also have airconditioning, which places a huge load upon the loom, and the blower switch. So my switch breaks down more often than other corrados.

 

Like most of us, I've had to replace my controls three times already; a new one now costs more than a hundred quid, second hand Passat ones are getting scarse, the SEAT one is more common but equally unreliable, the golf ones are designed for 3 speeds, not four. VW's prices for these largely plastic controls are outrageous.

 

There could be a long term solution for us all which I am trying to sort out. I'd be interested to know if you want to be part of this.

(1) I'm going to replace the UK Corrado layout with the US/European layout. Not as simple as it seems, cos longer control cables have to be installed, but for anybody who's had the dash off, its really not that difficult. We could, if we switched over, have access to the more widely used and cheaper for the LHD control system.

(2) I have found a source a OEM originated, and just as reliable, LHD based heater controls. And I've found someone who can work with my source to offer produce an exchange service for the heater control assembly and switch. It may be around £60 for a fully repaired system (literally as good as new), maybe less.

(3) I'm designing a relay cluster to fits on the metal plate at the bottom behind the centre dash unit (out of sight) and which will take over the task of handling the large currents used to manage the blower. By taking off the load from the switch, I reckon we could triple the lifespan of the controls, and double the lifespan of the blower resistor.

 

I'm going to do this anyway for own car. Where (1) and (3) are concerned might prepare a guide to doing it if there is enough interest. However if lots are interested it might be worth try to arrange a bulk deal for (2) and (3) eg. for upto 50 cars at a time.

 

Do let me know if you are interested, if I get the logistics sorted out, we may all benefit. I'll keep everybody posted.

[Jim Bowen 1]

whats up with heater controls? is this another common thing to break?

 

mine seem fine still, what happens when they break?

[Lufbramatt 0]

when mine broke, one of the plastic retainers for the gears broke and jammed the direction lever as the gears have a kind of cam/track in them that moves the cables in or out. Its all a bit flimsy tbh.

 

I didnt find it hard to source a working set of mk3 passat controls though, lots of people breaking them on ebay just have to keep a lookout. Lubing the control cables helped a lot too, as i think thats what makes them brake in the first place.

[Critical_Mass 10]

aye, mine have gone same way as Lufbramatt's - the direction control just spins now. Id be interested in these refurbished heater controls.

[jamminvr6storm 0]

Quite common for them to pack up.... although usually its the switch that gives up !!(or the metal L peice on the dial needs a tweek)

[Jim Bowen 1]

i've done quite well with my corrado, 160,000miles old and the spoiler hasn't broken, the heater matrix is fine, the heater controls never broke and the sunroof works :lol:

 

probably just jinxed myself now :(

[Bruno 4]

Ok. I'll work on the idea in Feb and March and come back.

[dr_mat 0]

I think that the only way you're going to fix this is either: custom engineering, or just *be careful*.

 

Most people note that you don't want to be moving the direction control if the fan is on 2 or above, or if the car is travelling particularly fast, because it increases the resistance against the plastics .. and they pop.

[vwdeviant 0]

Woohoo and I thought it was just us "early" control owners who had issues! :D

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It's the cables and flaps that are responsible for breaking the heater controls.

 

The windscreen flap is VERY stiff when cold and people who don't know any better just force it, which just fecks the heater control. Bending the metal spring clip out of it's detents at best, or completely snapping it at worst.

 

The windscreen flap pushes as the feet flap is pulled, and vice versa. The feet flap is very easy to move, but the screen flap, even with the cable removed and pushed by hand is still bloody stiff. It's a really crummy peice of design.

 

The most reliable heater controls were in the MK1, where the screen and feet / face directions were independant.

 

As Mat says, just wait for the heater system to get some heat in it and the screen flap frees off.

 

Another weakness I've found is the feet flap jumps teeth, but that just gives you hot feet and nothing else, but it doesn't shag the control panel. You just have to get down there and realign the teeth.

[Yandards 0]

Woohoo and I thought it was just us "early" control owners who had issues! :D

 

Eh?

 

Early controls are really reliable - its only a set of levers pulling cables not like later ones the are cheap plastic cogs trying to turn more cheap plastic cogs mounted to cheap plastic studs.

 

Its the heater box foot flap to windscreen flap that causes the problems.

[Bruno 4]

The windscreen flap is VERY stiff when cold and people who don't know any better just force it, which just fecks the heater control. Bending the metal spring clip out of it's detents at best, or completely snapping it at worst.

 

Kev, I've found an easy, but not too expensive way of handling that. When I last changed my cables (oh isnt it fun!) I put some dielectric grease on the cogs, and sprayed silicon fluid on the pivots, then dried the interiors of the exchange housing up with a cloth so there wasnt any spillage to attack me on full blow. Its been stable for the last 104K miles. Just the switch on the heater control that goes, due to the switching current involved with an aircon I suppose.

[A-J 0]

Woohoo and I thought it was just us "early" control owners who had issues! :D

 

Eh?

 

Early controls are really reliable - its only a set of levers pulling cables not like later ones the are cheap plastic cogs trying to turn more cheap plastic cogs mounted to cheap plastic studs.

 

Its the heater box foot flap to windscreen flap that causes the problems.

 

Early controls do have the cheap plastic cogs. I resorted to a huge wad of blue tack over the broken cog to keep it in the windscreen position. Who needs warm feet? :camp:

[Trickygti 0]

I must say I'm seriously naffed off with my later spec controls, the metal clips that hold the cable casings to the control panel have all come off which means I'm stuck with cold air blowing on my screen. I'm hoping you can buy them seperate from VW. I'll check ETKA tomorrow.

[bigpants baby 0]

I must say I'm seriously naffed off with my later spec controls, the metal clips that hold the cable casings to the control panel have all come off which means I'm stuck with cold air blowing on my screen. I'm hoping you can buy them seperate from VW. I'll check ETKA tomorrow.

 

823 819 679=£0.35 ea