75/Milano Centre console removal/heater control replacement

["Nick Koleszar" <npk@domain.elided>]

Ok

I managed to get this done. Thanks to everybody who helped and here are my
findings (this is from recent memory so apologies if I suddenly forgot
anything):

If you open the storage binnacle on the transmission tunnel (behind the
handbrake), you need to prise up the carpeted card at the bottom.
Underneath, you will find a long screw that needs to be removed. Remove the
rear ashtray. You will see 3 large screws. Remove them. Now the cigarette
lighter will come out and you can disconnect the cables. Once this is done,
the entire binnacle come off. (you'll have to prise up the mirror control
panel and unplug the cable.) Underneath, towards the rear of the binnacle
space, you will see a huge nut that needs removing.

Now, there are 4 screws (or should be, often one or more are missing) that
need to be removed. One on each side of the transmission tunnel, just ahead
of the gear stick. Then, there are 2 more, one on either side of the centre
console, around behind the heater controls. You should see them with their
heads facing down.

Once all this is done, you put the gear stick in reverse, slide the
tranmission tunnel console back enough and you can pull out the lower
section of the centre console. The heater controls will remain in place.

Now there should be one screw on either side of the heater control unit,
holding it in place. There is also a thin galvanised piece of metal which
loops up behind the centre vents. On my car, this was only attached to the
heater controls. I suspect the other end is also suppose to be screwed to
the heater unit but not sure. If you can remove the central vents, you
should be able to see better.

Once you undo the maximum of three retaining screws holding the heater
controls in place, it should kind of swing down so you can see the back, but
there are 3 mechanical cables running to the back of the heater controls and
they will offer a certain amount of resistance. There are also 6 wires
connected at the back.

I worked my way from left to right, removing the control cables. By juggling
the positions of the 3 large rotary knobs, you can make it easier to get to
the back and disconnect the cables. Remember that a certain logic exists and
you will have to properly arrange the knob positions, extensions of the
cables and position of the cable sheaths when you put it all back together.

Once you have disconnected all the cables and unclipped them from the unit,
you have 6 wires remaining to unplug. Two brown with white stripe power the
bulbs inside and it doesn't matter in what order they are connected. Then
there are 4 connected to the fan speed switch. Make a note of which colour
wire goes where.

Once you have it out, have a good look at the back of the control unit and
compare its operation and appearance to any replacement unit.

From behind, you should see that for the large rotary controls, when they
are in their most counter-clockwise position, you can look through a hole in
the black plastic of the actuator arm and the hole of the white plastic
shaft should be lined up. I hope that makes sense!

I had to dismantle my control unit to alter the position of some of the
controls. Each of the shafts which run through the body of the control has a
sprung retaining tang which is visible and accessible and some positions in
the control's movement. Using a small screwdriver, you can push in the tang
enough to release the shaft. Be careful not to push too hard and break the
tang. Also, be careful, it is possible to put the control back together so
it is in the wrong position and you cannot access the tang to correct
things.

If you are going to separate the two halves of the heater control unit, you
need to pull off the knob on the fan speed control. Be very careful with
this as the unit is quite old and it is possible to damage the insides of
this electronic component. I think that's what's happened to mine now and I
have to test it with an ohm-meter, probably to confirm this has happened.

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Nick Koleszar : npk@domain.elided
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