Heat control knob repair
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Evolved Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,902
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From: Grand Island, NE
Heat control knob repair
Okay, here's the deal on the heat knob. This affects '03 and '04 cars. I've been working on my car for the last two days and have had most of the dash apart and here's what I've learned about the hard to turn heat control knob.
There is no recall, only a TSB. If you break the knob while the car is under warranty then the warranty will fix it. Otherwise, you pay.
1. If the knob is broken then you need a new heater control.
2. The design of the air blend door linkage on the side of the heater box is fubar (if you don't know the meaning of fubar Google it). There is a new design out. There are two levers and the the cost for both is about $15. The linkage is located above and to the right of the accelerator pedal. Unhook the cable and remove two screws to replace the levers. This will probably improve the ease of movement enough that you will never have to do #3.
3. There is a new design air blend door available. The door itself is supposed to move more easily. With both a new door and new linkage the temperature knob is very easy to move. To replace the door you must discharge the A/C, remove the entire dash and then remove and open the heater box. Don't do this until after you have replaced the linkage and found that the knob is still difficult to move.
There is no recall, only a TSB. If you break the knob while the car is under warranty then the warranty will fix it. Otherwise, you pay.
1. If the knob is broken then you need a new heater control.
2. The design of the air blend door linkage on the side of the heater box is fubar (if you don't know the meaning of fubar Google it). There is a new design out. There are two levers and the the cost for both is about $15. The linkage is located above and to the right of the accelerator pedal. Unhook the cable and remove two screws to replace the levers. This will probably improve the ease of movement enough that you will never have to do #3.
3. There is a new design air blend door available. The door itself is supposed to move more easily. With both a new door and new linkage the temperature knob is very easy to move. To replace the door you must discharge the A/C, remove the entire dash and then remove and open the heater box. Don't do this until after you have replaced the linkage and found that the knob is still difficult to move.