97 Collectors Edt Climate Control Woes

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The outside temp sensor is wired to the special "A/C Automatic Amplifier" (as opposed to the "A/C Amplifier" that is also installed on the same vehicle.. ??). The Green wire must be the + for it, as the same green circuit goes to a number of other things including the inside temp sensor, heater core temp sensor (only on Auto AC trucks), an air mix motor, and the thermistor.

So yes, possible.

Still have trouble imagining that crapping out lights on the stereo.. but will wait til you report back with diagnostics.

You can remove the A/C dash panel by attacking the four screws behind the useless pocket above the stereo and the ash tray. Then pull out and some friction tabs will let go.. carefully unhook the harness plugs from your antenna/hazard/defrost switches, from your cig lighter and bulb, from the little extension harness that goes to the ash tray light (under the a/c panel), from the 2-wire plug to the interior temp sensor behind the little grate, and carefully unhook the two big plugs from the back of the a/c module. In my experience that many pins makes them very tight.

If you have it out you can pretty easily get to the three bulbs in the back to check them.. pull out and check for continuity across the terminals. I'm betting you have one or two burned out. As to how they got that way so suddenly....
 
bloc said:
The outside temp sensor is wired to the special "A/C Automatic Amplifier" (as opposed to the "A/C Amplifier" that is also installed on the same vehicle.. ??). The Green wire must be the + for it, as the same green circuit goes to a number of other things including the inside temp sensor, heater core temp sensor (only on Auto AC trucks), an air mix motor, and the thermistor.

So yes, possible.

Still have trouble imagining that crapping out lights on the stereo.. but will wait til you report back with diagnostics.

You can remove the A/C dash panel by attacking the four screws behind the useless pocket above the stereo and the ash tray. Then pull out and some friction tabs will let go.. carefully unhook the harness plugs from your antenna/hazard/defrost switches, from your cig lighter and bulb, from the little extension harness that goes to the ash tray light (under the a/c panel), from the 2-wire plug to the interior temp sensor behind the little grate, and carefully unhook the two big plugs from the back of the a/c module. In my experience that many pins makes them very tight.

If you have it out you can pretty easily get to the three bulbs in the back to check them.. pull out and check for continuity across the terminals. I'm betting you have one or two burned out. As to how they got that way so suddenly....
Click to expand...


Roger that, time to call in my electrician friend. Electrical work is like greek to me....I will hopefully have some time this weekend, worst case next to pop the dash open and get down to whats going on with this Climate Control unit. Was hoping to be spending this time baselining cooling system and such....however this has been eating up my time...oh well gives me more time to stack parts for the cooling system.

I will post up with some pics and info in the coming days, appreciate all the info!

CS
 
Once you get that EWD I'd strongly recommend you set some time aside to get to know it. I had a basic understanding for years but all of the work I've had to do recently got me very familiar with every aspect of what is on a page, and trust me, it is HUGELY valuable information, and toyota has done a fantastic job of making it the best it can be. Things like every harness plug in the truck having an ID. So any circuit you see on a page can be traced from where it gets power, to which pins on which harness joining plugs it goes through (and which side is male and female from the diagram), all the way to whatever function it actually has. And even then on each system page they give you an index to show what each connector physically looks like and what colors they are. PLUS they X out which pins arent being used! Then they have references in each system to show what other pages in the EWD would be useful for that portion.

Either way.. glad to help. Keep us posted.
 
bloc said:
Once you get that EWD I'd strongly recommend you set some time aside to get to know it. I had a basic understanding for years but all of the work I've had to do recently got me very familiar with every aspect of what is on a page, and trust me, it is HUGELY valuable information, and toyota has done a fantastic job of making it the best it can be. Things like every harness plug in the truck having an ID. So any circuit you see on a page can be traced from where it gets power, to which pins on which harness joining plugs it goes through (and which side is male and female from the diagram), all the way to whatever function it actually has. And even then on each system page they give you an index to show what each connector physically looks like and what colors they are. PLUS they X out which pins arent being used! Then they have references in each system to show what other pages in the EWD would be useful for that portion.

Either way.. glad to help. Keep us posted.
Click to expand...


How similar are the 96 EWD vs the 97 EWD? I have the digital version of the 96 one that I downloaded from MUD. Just curious if I should be ok with that or is the 97 specific absolutely necessary?

Found 2 on eBay for about 55$ each.
 
I don't know of any specific differences, but most likely if there are any they'll be very insignificant. Glad you found a 97 though.

Obviously 91/92(3FE/A440F), 93/94(OBDI/1FZ-FE/A442F), 95(some OBD1, some 2), and 96/97(OBD2/1FZ-FE/A343F) have big differences.
 
bloc said:
I don't know of any specific differences, but most likely if there are any they'll be very insignificant. Glad you found a 97 though.

Obviously 91/92(3FE/A440F), 93/94(OBDI/1FZ-FE/A442F), 95(some OBD1, some 2), and 96/97(OBD2/1FZ-FE/A343F) have big differences.
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Yea I was assuming not much...but at that price I couldn't pass it up.

Going to start digging into my digi version while I wait though.

CS
 
It sounds like the dash control is dead. Fan speeds not working, no fresh/rec and no heater control valve operation but only vent controls working.

Just a thought but take out the control unit and flip the switch on the back from the auto to the standard setting. It's covered in clear tape. I doubt it makes a difference though but worth a try.

BTW the standard control unit without the center auto button can be swichted in the back to auto, obviously it will not work without the auto button or in a truck without the additional external sensors (light&temp).

If it is the control you don't need to have the auto version. You could disassemble your control to install the auto button in the standard control or just be like any truck without the auto feature.
 
Bear80 said:
It sounds like the dash control is dead. Fan speeds not working, no fresh/rec and no heater control valve operation but only vent controls working.

Just a thought but take out the control unit and flip the switch on the back from the auto to the standard setting. It's covered in clear tape. I doubt it makes a difference though but worth a try.

BTW the standard control unit without the center auto button can be swichted in the back to auto, obviously it will not work without the auto button or in a truck without the additional external sensors (light&temp).

If it is the control you don't need to have the auto version. You could disassemble your control to install the auto button in the standard control or just be like any truck without the auto feature.
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Yea to be honest I could care less about the auto feature...especially if it causes headaches like this one. Ive got some time tonight hopefully to open the dash up again and flip the switch. Appreciate the input, and will give that a shot.
 
So pulled the dash apart tonight as I wanted to try flipping the Auto switch on the back to Manual. Also yanked the power antenna out as well to install a fixed antenna.

Flipped the switch, plugged it back in and what do ya know?! Blows air, hot air, cold air. Only thing I have noticed is that when I hit the recirculate/fresh air switch, it will change from one to the other, however it only lights up the fresh air side. The recirculate side stays dark. I need to test the rest of the lights now that I think about it some more....I still have to button the dash up as well so will check that before putting it all back together. I can live with out the auto feature, stoked to have it back working properly again!

On a diff note...does any one know the best way to fish a antenna cable through the dash, to plug it back into the radio HU? Would like to use an existing route though. Tell it if you got it!

Appreciate everyones help with this little gremlin. What part exactly is needed to replace to get the auto working again? Whole unit or?

Thanks again everyone!
 
Fishing an antenna cable through the cowl and dash is a PITA. It is much easier to just replace the stock antenna mast.
If you must do it, use the old cable to pull a cord through to use to pull the new cable and hope for the best.
 
Pin_Head said:
Fishing an antenna cable through the cowl and dash is a PITA. It is much easier to just replace the stock antenna mast.
If you must do it, use the old cable to pull a cord through to use to pull the new cable and hope for the best.
Click to expand...


At first I was thinking the same, however with a little slit in the grommet coming into the wall near the glove box, I had the cable in and a few choice words later had it plugged in and working. Wasn't that bad really.
 
Little update...still having intermittent issues. Had it working fine with the dash and all hanging out. Buttoned it up and turned it on...NADA haha. Few bumps would get it working for a split second, then dead again. Was sitting at the light just before getting home...and boom all working again. So far still working, but I'm not holding my breath to tight haha.
 
Sounds like a loose / bad connection. In the introduction section of the FSM (which is packed with useful trouble shooting information) it describes how you simulate the fault, by pulling and wiggling the connectors one at a time until you find the one that is intermittent.
 
Pin_Head said:
Sounds like a loose / bad connection. In the introduction section of the FSM (which is packed with useful trouble shooting information) it describes how you simulate the fault, by pulling and wiggling the connectors one at a time until you find the one that is intermittent.
Click to expand...

Appreciate that! On to trying this now. I have a feeling it has to do with the module under the drivers side dash. Thinking something connection wise is loose there.

Will report back.
 
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