2003 Climate Control problem

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tedzap

tedzap

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Oct 31, 2007
Threads
29
Messages
118
Location
Roanoke, VA
I have a 2003, and the other week my climate controls started having problems. Specifically, they don't work. When I push the CLIMATE button I get a message on the NAV screen "Check the connection of the Air Conditioner". Since that time, this problem has coming and going. For example, last night after watching VT kick UVA's but in basketball, I restarted the vehicle several times before I could get heat.

I left the vehicle with a good independent shop for a week when I was away, and they came back thinking it might be the air conditioner amplifier, but weren't sure enough to recommend I spend the $750. I like these guys.

This sounds like the MFD problems experience by the 2004+ LC/LXs, but haven't seen the problem in the earlier ones. Am I just not searching well? Are they also prone to MFD failures? I suppose that if the MFD started going bad, then it might be diagnosed as a bad amplifier.

As the 2003- didn't seem to have this problem (please correct me) I am considering just buying one out of a junkyard.

If I go that route, are 2001-2003 the same?


Thanks. Any input/advice/links are welcome.
 
Hmmm.....maybe if the MFD in yours was made at the very end of the '03 MY production run and overlapped with the issues in the '04 MY? Hard to say, but the symptoms you describe sound like the well-documented solder problem on the MFD circuit board. There are lots of threads on replacement/repair, if that's the problem. I'm betting it is, given the potential overlap in '03-'04 MY production and the known issue in the '04.
 
Sandroad said:
Hmmm.....maybe if the MFD in yours was made at the very end of the '03 MY production run and overlapped with the issues in the '04 MY? .
Click to expand...

Thanks for the idea. It does sound like what happens with the 2004+. Not sure when the MY's are defined, but my "born on date" in the door jam is September 2002.

Even if it is the same problem, I am thinking that a 01-03 screen from a junkyard might be a better bet than if my truck was a later year. Rational being that the earlier ones were less prone to this problem.

Has anyone done the "pin60" fix on a 01-03? Did it work for you?
 
Turn on your rear air it's independent of the front air conditioning and run it for a few days I went through a terrible storm in Denver couple years ago parked it at a friends house in Santa Fe overnight and the next day the air conditioning wouldn't work just turned on the rear ran that for a while and it self healed itself never a problem since
 
tedzap said:
Thanks for the idea. It does sound like what happens with the 2004+. Not sure when the MY's are defined, but my "born on date" in the door jam is September 2002.

Even if it is the same problem, I am thinking that a 01-03 screen from a junkyard might be a better bet than if my truck was a later year. Rational being that the earlier ones were less prone to this problem.

Has anyone done the "pin60" fix on a 01-03? Did it work for you?
Click to expand...

That seems like an early birth date for it to be affected, but who knows. I like your idea of finding a "used" one to see if that helps. Might not be cheap, though. Everyone knows what those things cost new! Anything on eBay right now?
 
I would check the components before I took out the screen. This may sound really stupid, but I would unplug the AC in the back and make sure the same message appears. Re plug it and connect battery and see if the same message appears.
If you don't have the EWD you should get it, it's cheap. In all my testing the screen will tell you whats unplugged and what isn't. I've tested all that, nav ecu, back up cam ecu, radio, climate, it all leads back to the screen.
 
I know the indie shop did, and they had a few that were sorta coming and going. I recall the engine temperature sensor. Are you talking ODB2 codes, or codes read through the nav screen?
 
AC diagnostics codes - ignition off, hold in the AUTO* and recirc/fresh buttons and turn ignition on. Any codes will be displayed in the clock screen. It will do an auto check and you can force it to do a sequential check by selecting buttons like the R/F as per the diagnostic flow chart.
*AUTO not AC
 
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They're talking about this,
From this thread, Dreaded MFD Issues - Reputable shop to diagnose it?

edit, my bad, he's talking about ac codes. The check below is actual ecu checking.

agaisin said:
How to diagnose and troubleshoot myself?

My trusted independant technician can't take a look at the car until Monday. Of course I can't help but try to figure it out on my own in the meantime.

I tried by using a code reader and no codes were showing up.

Next, I tried using the (little known?) Service Check Mode (on mine it's hold down info button + switch headlights on and off 3 times). This took me to the diagnostic mode where I could see more info. I was able to see that my battery was producing >13 Volts.
DiagnosisMenu.jpg


Also, when going to the service check mode it shows that EMV is OK, and all other devices showed up as NCON (not connected).
SystemCheckMode.jpg


When I went to Lan Monitor mode, it said CHK and when i tap on that icon it shows me a bunch of DTC codes - all were 01-D5 except for one that was 01-D8.
LanMonitor.jpg

LanMonitorEMV.jpg


01-D5 means "Absence of Registration Unit" and trouble area can be any of the following:
1. Power source circuit of the
component shown by the subcode
2. AVC-LAN circuit between the
radio and navigation assembly
and the component shown by the
sub-code
3. Component shown by the subcode


01-D8 means "No Response for Connection
Check" and trouble areas can be any of following:
1. Power source circuit of the
component shown by the subcode
2. AVC-LAN circuit between the
radio and navigation assembly
and the component shown by the
sub-code​
3. Component shown by the subcode


Also, the FSM gives a hint that "when +B short or GND short is detected in AVC-LAN circuit, communication stops, and audio system does not function normally."

Can anyone explain a few things to me:
1) does all the power to the devices go through one central device or one place - that's the place I want to confirm the power is getting.
2) what is +B and where is the ground and how would I be able to tell if a short occurred on either one?
3) which fuses would I be checking?
4) Also, to a beginner like myself it seems obvious that there's one central point of failure here causing all the devices not to be connected. The Nav DVD isn't ejecting either (yes I know to slide the lock and push). is it possible that there's one connection for power that's loose or disconnected and where would that be? Is it possible that a single fuse blew and which would that be (ACC?). Is it possible that a single device is shot like the nav computer and everything else shows up as not connected?

I'm a beginner with cars but love to learn and wondering if anyone can provide some pointers.

Thanks!​
Click to expand...
 
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PADDO said:
AC diagnostics codes - ignition off, hold in the AC and recirc/fresh buttons and turn ignition on. Any codes will be displayed in the clock screen. It will do an auto check and you can force it to do a sequential check by selecting buttons like the R/F as per the diagnostic flow chart.
Click to expand...

Went out to do this and wasn't able to come up with the right button pushes to invoke. I don't have an "AC" button as you describe. Mine looks like this:

mfd-2-jpg.454474
 
Maybe I am doing it wrong, but I hold down the AUTO and RECIRC buttons and take the key from OFF to ON. All I get on the screen is the OK prompt for the map program. If I hit OK it goes to the map.

I tried starting with the key all the way out, and I tried actually starting the car. Don't get any type of messages on the screen.
 
how do I know when the check sequence starts? Is it subtle? I push in the buttons and hold them in while turning the key to ON. After a few moments I see the "Acknowledge" screen for the map.
 
tedzap said:
where does it flash OO ?
Click to expand...
You've got to turn IG on, if you just go to ACC you only get the map stuff and no diagnostic. Just noticed in your image your recirc/fresh button doesn't have an Auto center light between the two options whereas I do. Maybe a different prococedure to get into AC diagnostics for you? But the DI I've attached seems to cover with and without Nav options.

IMG_1900.webp
 
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Yes, I am taking it all the way to ON. Even took it all the way to starting the engine, but still nothing.

When the climate controls are not working, the display where the 00 is in your picture does not work. The clock is the only thing that works in that area (others are blank/off).
 
I think that the problem is that when the climate control is not working, these buttons are non-responsive. So I am not able to get it to go into diagnostic mode because they are dead. Typically it has been "coming and going" so I will try to catch it when it is working.

Is there any other way to get into this diagnostic mode?

Thanks for your help.
 
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