Climate Control Unit Removal

[SiliconSoul]

Anyone happen to have a walk through for removing the heater control / climate control unit from the dash? I have pretty much everything else done to remove the dash but I am having a heck of a time trying to figure out what is holding the climate control unit in place.

After you remove the four front screws, do you need to unhook the 3 cables? Where do you unhook them from? Search gods were not being kind to me as I can't seem to find anything helpful. Thanks for any help!

[blueoval]

just follow the cables down to the heater box and unhook from there they just pop off and make sure you mark the two that are on the passenger side so you know which one goes up top and wich one is lower

[1990new]

I just did this to my 3 Festivas in the last 3 months when I removed the evaporator boxes to clean them out and replace the expansion valves.

Remove the two screws on each side of your glove box and remove the glove box so it will be easier to get to the fresh air cable.

The fresh air cable is held in place in a retaining clip and will just pop out when you pull the cable toward you.
Move the selector to recirculate before you remove it.
*Use a flat screw driver or pliers if necessary.
After you loosen the cable here you will be able to move it at an angle that will allow the cable rod to slip out of the flap lever.

The second (mode selector) cable is on the left bottom side of the evaporator box.
Move the selector to the vent position before you remove it.
Same thing...snap out of the retaining clip, slip the cable off.

The third cable (temperature control) is on the left lower side of the heater box near the gas pedal.
Turn the selector to max cold before removing it from the retaining clip and slip the cable off.

After you loosen the cables you will be able to pull the lever assembly out enough to disconnect the blower switch electrical connection, AC switch and the Illumination wire.

As you pull the unit out, note the general direction the cables are coming from so you can route them back in the same general direction.

[SiliconSoul]

Thank you guys very much! Going to give this another try tonight.

[TominMO]

Great writeup 1990new! Gonna do this to Matthew when I take him apart after Madness.

[jawja jim]

I've found that mode selector cable to be easier going back in if I wire a belt to it before withdrawing it. There are all sorts of places for it to go hide going back in. I tried it with a wire attached but there was a possibility of the wire getting in cracks too.

[1990new]

Great writeup 1990new! Gonna do this to Matthew when I take him apart after Madness.

Thanks...Looked it up in the manual to make sure I remembered correctly and pretty much paraphrased what it said.
Once you take out the evaporator box and clean it on one, you realize how easy it is and how much of a difference it makes in the airflow out the vents and
it becomes one of the "have to do" things on the dedicated Festiva owners bucket list.

Hope you have fun at Madness. I had not planned on coming this year but I just might make a last minute decision and show up Saturday morning.

[1990new]

I've found that mode selector cable to be easier going back in if I wire a belt to it before withdrawing it. There are all sorts of places for it to go hide going back in. I tried it with a wire attached but there was a possibility of the wire getting in cracks too.

That actually might be a good idea for all 3 cables.

[SiliconSoul]

Thanks again 1990new! Your walk through helped make it clear. I took a bunch of pictures and made an album on imgur.com to help anyone else interested in doing this. My main reason for doing this was to remove the computer for an engine swap. Thanks for the help!

http://imgur.com/a/bPoih

[1990new]

Thanks again 1990new! Your walk through helped make it clear. I took a bunch of pictures and made an album on imgur.com to help anyone else interested in doing this. My main reason for doing this was to remove the computer for an engine swap. Thanks for the help!

http://imgur.com/a/bPoih

WOW.. :icon_smile:that is some detail. The pictures are all clear and the markups are really helpful.
This is a great guide for folks who might be a bit timid when it comes to removing their dash.
I had not seen how the fresh air connects to the heater box on a Festiva without air.
I have removed a computer without removing the dash before but it requires a very flexible body.