Climate Control Buttons repair?

[xmaciek82x]

I read through some old threads that there really wasn't a good solution for replacing climate control buttons. Since all those threads are pretty old, I'm curious if anyone has come up with a good/cheap repair solution on buttons that have completely fell off.

There is a guy on ebay that makes replacement buttons but he charges $100 per button. Don't really want to spend over $400 on 4 buttons.

[barnaclebob]

I assume you have called all of the local junk yards?

[xmaciek82x]

I did not actually. I'll give that a shot. I never owned a vehicle this old and constantly forget about utilizing local junk yards for random parts.

[04pathse]

I did not actually. I'll give that a shot. I never owned a vehicle this old and constantly forget about utilizing local junk yards for random parts.

If you don't have any luck with that, if you still have the buttons that have fallen off (to use for measurements) I might be able to make them for you.

[sroberts]

You're asking about buttons on the NAV system, right? You don't want to invest much because there's a good chance several of them will start to break. I think it was when my 4th broke that I gave up and pitched the NAV/climate unit.

[xmaciek82x]

Correct. The climate control buttons on the navi system (right side) fell off and I wasn't able to even turn off the heating or change vent setup.... I actually solved my problem with some toothpicks, original broken buttons and electric tape Everything is back to working condition.

[RR425]

Correct. The climate control buttons on the navi system (right side) fell off and I wasn't able to even turn off the heating or change vent setup.... I actually solved my problem with some toothpicks, original broken buttons and electric tape Everything is back to working condition.

How'd you do that? I have a couple that have fallen off, I glued them back, but then they don't work.

[xmaciek82x]

How'd you do that? I have a couple that have fallen off, I glued them back, but then they don't work.

I'll try my best to explain it without actual pictures of the process.

Each button is held on by clipping into the unit by 2 openings (green arrows in the picture) in the top and 1 opening (red arrow in the picture) bottom. The bottom opening is what actually has the switch behind it that controls the function of that particular button.

If you were to take a tooth pick or a paper clip and stick into that bottom opening, whatever that button does, it would perform that function for you. I found that a tooth pick is a perfect size to stay in the lower opening without falling out/in. I cut a tooth pick so it VERY slightly goes past the base of the opening and placed the original button over it.

Now when you press the button, the 1/4" tooth pick presses the small switch behind it and everything works as it should....

I highly recommend you have tweezers for this.

Now that you know how the original button turn a function on/off, feel free to be more creative then me

[chukel]

So helpful

[mvmcali]

amazing how we all have the same issues. my tiny buttons have also fallen off on the right side (for me its the AC button and the ECON button). YES, save the originals if you can and use the toothpick or other method to 'add a little bump' on the bottom edge of button so that it pushes into the tiny switch that it is supposed to control .

[sroberts]

amazing how we all have the same issues.

mvmcali, I'm amazed you have even one button that still works. The tiny plastic rods on those buttons are so fragile. Performing micro epoxy surgery gave me an extra year or two of using the NAV but I finally gave up and installed an Android head unit. It was a time consuming project but worked out awesome. I run Magic Earth as the NAV, it stores offline maps and is the closest to the original OEM NAV that I've found, better in most ways. But it doesn't have the breadcrumbs, that was a nice feature.