Re: Issue with 164L Climate control

[<maxid@domain.elided>]

I have the same problem in my 1991 164S. When it is cold outside, even if I
set the heat at 64 F (or 18 C), I get a full blast of heat. It has been like
that since I bought the car at 64K (now has 102K).

It is OK as long as the engine coolant is cold, but after 20 min of driving, I
just resort to cycling the system on/off at the 64 F setting. I haven't had
the time to overhaul the stepper motors and I am not even sure that they are
broken even though I have recently begun hearing the supposedly telltale
ticking sounds from behind the central dash, albeit they appear when HVAC off.

The HVAC unit has a self-diagnosis feature which is activated by
simultaneously depressing "AUTO" and the air flow button that directs air to
the floor. It takes about 20 s. Thereafter, recorded fault codes will be
displayed every time the "floor" button is depressed. There are 15 fault
codes, including for the sensors. There is no fault code for the common
stepper motor problem. I tried to run my self-test once without abnormal
findings.

Others who have experienced the same problems advised to clean out dust from
the little fan assembly in the overhead console that houses the indoor temp
sensor, but this did not work for me. 

Personally, I have ordered the reinforced gears from AlfaPro in Australia; I
am waiting for a good occasion to throw them in and see whether this problem
remains. 

If you want a temperature lower than what it dishes out at 64 F but higher
than at LO, you can run it at LO and ECON. This will disable the A/C
compressor. 

However, the A/C is automatically disabled in cold outside temperatures (below
41F, someone has scribbled in my Electrical Service Manual). I don't know if
this is a necessary feature to save the system from freezing over. The A/C is
known to be helpful in clearing the windows from condensation on cold, humid
days; and other cars (e.g. my former '90 Subaru Legacy) seemed to be able to
run the A/C in all temperatures. Any comments on the last point?

Sonny '91 164S, Baltimore
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