Auto Climate Control Diagnostic

[KoukiS14]

I just learned how to do this -- you may already know how to do it, but it's fun to play with.

Nissan Auto Climate Control Diagnostic:

To run a self-diagnostic for the DCC:Turn engine on. Within 10 second of starting engine, press and hold ‘OFF’ button on the DCC for 5-10 seconds until all segments on the display light up.

Test 1- Display Test. Look for any missing segments or iconsPress Up arrow to get to Test 2.

Test 2 – Input signals from each sensor Wait a couple seconds and it’ll display error codes (20=all ok, 21=ambient, 22=in-vehicle, 24=intake, 25=sunload (test in sunlight to prevent this error), 26=PBR)Press Up arrow to get to Test 3 or Down arrow to get to Test 1

Test 3 – Mode Door Motor This test takes a little longer. 30=all modes ok, 31=vent, 32=B/L, 33=B/L, 34=Foot/Def 1, 35=Foot/Def 2, 36=DefPress Up arrow to get to Test 4 or Down arrow to get to Test 3

Test 4 – Actuators Test Pattern Toggle modes 41-46 by pressing defrost button on ACC.

Test 5 – Temperature Readings Press defrost button to toggle through sensors (ambient, in-vehicle, intake in that order). If the temp is -22, then that sensor is not working. The temperature can also be adjusted to compensate for differences between temp setting and the temp felt by driver. It can be adjusted 6 degrees up or down. While in Test 5, press the fan switch and then the temp adjustment can be made using the Up/Down arrows.

Hit Auto button or turn car off to exit self-diag.

[bmlawless]

Now where does someone learn this? HVAC Service Manual perhaps? They don't have the 1999 manuals on-line, but I've downloaded the 2000's. Other than the engine, a lot of it will be the same and common sense will have to play a part in determining the differences.

Then again, Voltaire once wrote, "Common sense is not so common."
Modified by bmlawless at 9:17 AM 1/21/2008

[fueler]

Thats weird, i wonder if it can run a diagnostic on the flapper that opens / closes the passageway to the heater core? This would help snowsurflax.

[timmack]

huh huh, he said "flapper".

[KoukiS14]

I dunno where it comes from. . I was reading something else for some other Nissan, and I heard about this diag you can do (it was for auto climate control on a 240sx, because I wondered if anyone had gotten that to work). . This is the same for all Nissans.

[KoukiS14]

Thats weird, i wonder if it can run a diagnostic on the flapper that opens / closes the passageway to the heater core? This would help snowsurflax.

I'm not sure. . it opens and closes all the vents. . I adjusted my temp a bit because when I set it to 72 it gets too warm.

[bmlawless]

I adjusted my temp a bit because when I set it to 72 it gets too warm.

Did you try 71?

[KoukiS14]

Did you try 71?

Yeah I usually set it for 70, but hey since I have the option of adjusting it, might as well right?

[SnowSurfLax]

IF we ever meet KoukiS14, I'm buying you a beer.

I'm thinking my system is set high and needs to be reset. I'm goign to try running that and make sure everything's hunky dory and then set my temp down.

My wife usually never minds it but my cab is almost always too warm for me on any days that aren't cold. In the summer it's almost unbearable without the AC running full blast.

[bmlawless]

IF we ever meet KoukiS14, I'm buying you a beer.

I have come to the conclusion that KoukiS14 and I both like to tinker, sometimes beyond our capabilities. I'm afraid that if we met, we would attempt to perform every mod we could think of and end up with a 4-story tall, eight-wheel-drive luxury vehicle that ran around destroying cities and screaming, "I am not an import! I am not an import!"

[KoukiS14]

I'll take that beer!! I'm glad it worked out for ya!

and yeah I am a tinkerer. . .I'm not much of a mechanic, I only do little things like brakes / oil / filters, but I love screwing around with things to see how they work .

[bmlawless]

I love screwing around with things to see how they work .

Isn't that on all of the ITT commercials?

[KoukiS14]

Isn't that on all of the ITT commercials?

It's ironic, because I work in a community college.

[SnowSurfLax]

I'll take that beer!! I'm glad it worked out for ya!

and yeah I am a tinkerer. . .I'm not much of a mechanic, I only do little things like brakes / oil / filters, but I love screwing around with things to see how they work .

It's yours buddy!

As for results... *meh*

Not much use right now, though does let me get a colder setting than 65. I think I'm going to eventually have to pull the dash and look at the flapper for the heater core. I think it doesn't seal very well as I often still get warmer air than is outside blowing through my vents when I have the temp set to lower than ambient air temp.

[KoukiS14]

I'm bored today so I'm reading my FSM. . actually it's in there and has more info. . it can be found at HA-37 (at least in my 99 QX4 FSM)

[SnowSurfLax]

I'm bored today so I'm reading my FSM. . actually it's in there and has more info. . it can be found at HA-37 (at least in my 99 QX4 FSM)

Yeah, I brought it to work with me to on a zip drive. So now when I run out of internet minutes I can just peruse that. I think I'm going to try and read it the whole way through before June.

I did read through that section a couple times already. I'm going to look at the actuator and see if it's sealing completely. If it's not that, it's just the perils of owning a black car

[SnowSurfLax]

Ok, sitting at the San Ysidro border on Saturday and waiting to cross, I still ahve the same damn problem. If i set the econ mode to the coldest temp, it still blows warm air at me. The outside air is cool, about 65F and the air blowing at me has gotta be about 75 - 80F. I roll down the window and I can feel the coolness of the air so I know it's not warm out.

Is it just the fact that the fresh air intake is above the hood so the intake gets hot when at an idle?

I've noted that I can get cooler air when running down the freeway at 65mph (though still not as cool as the air outside)

Fueler - do you have this same experience when you're at the border?

[bmlawless]

I haven't had my QX4 for the summer yet, but in my other cars, I have the same issue sitting in traffic when it warms up here in Idaho. I think it's just the hot hood, angine, interior, etc.

[KoukiS14]

Doesn't econ just run the fan? I'm of the opinion that heat will function, but you won't necessarily get anything cooler than the intake can bring in, which would probably be warmer (like you said) due to the engine. . I may be wrong tho, but I thought auto = a/c on and econ = a/c off

[SnowSurfLax]

I haven't had my QX4 for the summer yet, but in my other cars, I have the same issue sitting in traffic when it warms up here in Idaho. I think it's just the hot hood, angine, interior, etc.

Traffic?! In IDAHO?!

Is that like when the beet truck drives down the middle of the two lane road and blocks everyone for 5 minutes?

Kouki - yes, you're right. The point being that I would not like to have to run the AC when it's mildly warm out just because the air coming in is hotter than the air outside. Especially when I'm sitting in line at the border for 2 hours. Running the AC at idle for that long can't be good for my poor QX.

[KoukiS14]

okay okay I understand. . Well with all said, it shouldn't run hot anyways. I know you know that, just acknowledging that I'm not all that dumb. . haha

[bmlawless]

Traffic?! In IDAHO?!

Is that like when the beet truck drives down the middle of the two lane road and blocks everyone for 5 minutes?

Granted, we're better than a lot of places, but it's getting to be an issue in the Boise area. We are up to 500,000 people now and they all descend on Boise in the morning. Road construction has had trouble keeping pace with the rapid growth we have had here over the last five years so we are playing catch up.

[SnowSurfLax]

You're talking about the Boise area, right? Last I heard, Boise was only about 150K ppl. I can't imagine 500K there.

Yeah, Idahoans don't like spending money they don't have to. My experience from living in Southern Idaho *shudder* has been they'll spend as little as is possible and cut every corner there is.

I still can't understand why people want to move to that backwards little state. I know my parents regretted hauling my brother and I out there. They've never been back and don't ever have plans to.

[evandromoro]

Hi all

Let me 'revive' this thread if I may.

I have a similar issue with my brand new Micra where the temperature shown at the display is not the actual at the cabin. I am looking thus to perform the step 5 of this operation.

When I start the car and enter the 'Diagnostic' I am stuck at the first step (the LED sanity test). I was wondering how I jump to the next steps as I have no buttons to control the fan speed but a dial--which does not lead me to the next step. The 'AUTO' button though leaves the diagnostic, so I am guessing the process is somehow similar to this one described...

I have also taken the car back to the dealership but the fellow told me his car--a Micra similar to mine--has been behaving similarly, that he always sets the temperature to 16C and was never bothered about this being accurate or not...

Thanks all!

[evandromoro]

Btw, my air con system is the same as the Nissan Kicks in the US