I miss my manual climate control...

[MinisterofDOOM]

Sure, the digital climate control looks cool. Digital displays and buttons will always have a strange appeal (unless you're Douglas Adams)...especially when they're in cars from an era where that was advanced stuff.

But the Q's climate control leaves me desperately wanting my Maxima's manual controls back.

It's been pretty cold around here lately, especially in the mornings (finally started warming up saturday). So I've been wanting to warm up the car for the morning commute. The problem is that the climate control module and I have different ideas of how that should be done.The Climate Control module thinks that I want it to warm the cabin up to a certain temperature. I don't. All I want is hot air blowing on me. In the Maxima, I would often drive around in the winter with my windows down (I much prefer having at least one window down while driving) and the heater cranked to full heat and dash vents. Kept me warm and I got fresh air.No go in the Q. Instead I get lukewarm air that will, in maybe an hour or so, warm up the cabin to my chosen temperature.

I don't CARE about the temp in terms of degrees. I want warm-to-the-touch air coming out of the vents. Even if I turn the thermostat up to the max at 85 (a stupidly low maximum) I get only moderately warm air at best (and this is with ambient temps at ~65 degrees). Never hot. Never enough to warm ME up...just the cabin.

I have a feeling I'm only going to dislike the climate control more as it gets colder outside. It's a good thing the seat is heated.

Other things I don't like about the climate control:I CAN NOT choose the fan speed with fresh air ventilation mode. As soon as I fiddle with the fan speed, it turns off vent mode and activates A/C (or heater) dependent on the temp setting. And vent mode always turns the blower on too high.

Which brings me to my next complaint: the blower speeds are too high, the variance between them is too great, and there NEED to be more than 4. Blower speed setting 4 is category 5 hurricane stuff. I doubt I'll ever need the fan on THAT high.

Climate control works fine for A/C but is useless for heating. This is exactly what I DON'T need because I hate cold and enjoy heat. I used my A/C maybe half a dozen times this summer...

I wonder if it's possible to swap in a Maxima/240sx manual control in place of the auto? I know the 240 guys swap Maxima auto units into their cars...Or maybe there's a thermostat I need to replace.

[Jesda]

You'll appreciate auto climate control more on a road trip. When you're doing 400 miles at a time, you end up changing regions and climates, and you end up sweating or freezing before you notice and make the adjustment.

Its better to just have the automatic system detect the cabin, sunlight, and ambient temperature and make adjustments accordingly. Small adjustments and constant comfort are where automatic temperature controls shine.

Flush your heater core.

Also, the Q doesn't blow any air at all at first (when its cold outside) because if the coolant is cold at initial startup, it will blow nothing but cold air.

[oldmako]

I agree with you. There are some things better left manual and I think this is one. Plus, the control module is probably insanely expensive to replace when it finally goes.

[maxnix]

The G50 climate control is one of the best. Never a foggy window with it operating and is easily overridden.

Of course, I am talking about the later ones and I am not sure how they differ from earlier.

Personally, I like setting teh temperature and not having to fiddle with the vent and fan settings. With CC engaged, there are about 16 fan speeds.

[wingFeather]

Most humans do not appreciate a vehicle interior that is above 85 degrees or below 65.

But that is only relevant when the system is functioning as designed. Perhaps it is the age & condition of the system that is causing your heartache.

[Q45tech]

Yep! Failure to REBUILD HVAC every 10 years can leave you wanting.

The more modern HVAC with actual replaceable filters might extend fan and evap and heater core lives but do nothing for ac compressors and the rest of system.

Failure to replace fan motors leaves you with incrementially slower and slower fan speed thus the times to react get longer and longer.

Same with AC as both types of freon leak some amount [due to flexline permability] annually and thus the btu transfer rating slowly declines........................every single degree F gets important when you only have a perfect 30F to begin with brand new.

[Q451990]

You can get an extra 5 degrees out of it by setting the trim... check the FSM. I think you could actually override it "full hot" - which is designed for flushing the coolant - but it will get you roasting hot. Also, make sure your thermostat has been replaced in the last couple of years. If not, your coolant may not be warming up fully... not only making your heater less efficient, but keeping the ECU out of "closed loop" and making your car less fuel efficient.

Heath

[Q45tech]

The most common problem we see on 90-96 Q is the worn out leaky [floww thru rubber surround] thermostat. Frustrating to see a car not warming up even in Summer [at idle]. The inside gauge is worthless as you cannot discriminate between 160F and 174F ore even 195F.

The Consult or emulation software is required to see what the ecu says it sees.

A bad thermostat can lengthen warm up by 5-10 minutes in winter if it warms up at all!

[IceCubeFoSho]

Trust me. In Texas, you want the Category 4 Hurricane of A/C blowing on you