Broken Console Button for Power Top
06-22-11, 11:39 AM
#1
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Broken Console Button for Power Top
I've had a chance to repair this fault. Many thanks to forum member Farkas for providing a second hand console HVAC control cluster for a very reasonable price. As per my previous post my power top had become inoperative. The center console button seemed broken with no spring return. I was reluctant to take it apart until I had a replacement since all the HVAC controls and information displays are on the unit as well.
I've had a chance to take it apart now. The power top button is rectangular plastic with very small extensions on the top and bottom. These extensions make contact with spring loaded switches that raise or lower the top. In my case the lower extension had broken right off and was no longer making contact with the switch. I likely could have activated the switch using something very thin between the bottom of the switch and the console.
The buttons are available as a set for a couple of hundred dollars and can be replaced. Should you break one you'll likely be told by a dealer that the entire HVAC control unit must be replaced at a cost of $1500-2000. This is simply not the case.
I've had a chance to take it apart now. The power top button is rectangular plastic with very small extensions on the top and bottom. These extensions make contact with spring loaded switches that raise or lower the top. In my case the lower extension had broken right off and was no longer making contact with the switch. I likely could have activated the switch using something very thin between the bottom of the switch and the console.
The buttons are available as a set for a couple of hundred dollars and can be replaced. Should you break one you'll likely be told by a dealer that the entire HVAC control unit must be replaced at a cost of $1500-2000. This is simply not the case.
Last edited by tamblers; 06-22-11 at 12:21 PM.
06-22-11, 12:38 PM
#2
I've had a chance to repair this fault. Many thanks to forum member Farkas for providing a second hand console HVAC control cluster for a very reasonable price. As per my previous post my power top had become inoperative. The center console button seemed broken with no spring return. I was reluctant to take it apart until I had a replacement since all the HVAC controls and information displays are on the unit as well.
I've had a chance to take it apart now. The power top button is rectangular plastic with very small extensions on the top and bottom. These extensions make contact with spring loaded switches that raise or lower the top. In my case the lower extension had broken right off and was no longer making contact with the switch. I likely could have activated the switch using something very thin between the bottom of the switch and the console.
The buttons are available as a set for a couple of hundred dollars and can be replaced. Should you break one you'll likely be told by a dealer that the entire HVAC control unit must be replaced at a cost of $1500-2000. This is simply not the case.
I've had a chance to take it apart now. The power top button is rectangular plastic with very small extensions on the top and bottom. These extensions make contact with spring loaded switches that raise or lower the top. In my case the lower extension had broken right off and was no longer making contact with the switch. I likely could have activated the switch using something very thin between the bottom of the switch and the console.
The buttons are available as a set for a couple of hundred dollars and can be replaced. Should you break one you'll likely be told by a dealer that the entire HVAC control unit must be replaced at a cost of $1500-2000. This is simply not the case.
Thanks for the update ( glad it worked out OK for you ) and thanks for the info on being able to buy just the buttons.
IMO this is what this forum is all about.
Jerry Baumchen
06-22-11, 01:14 PM
#3
The **** for the top is a high usage button and should have been designed to take so much xxxx cycles. In the line of work I do, we actually supply similar buttons for Toyota, Lexus, etc.. When design flimsy, it could result in this failure mode.
Believe it or not, later year models, if they did not re-tool, are still using the original tools. Therefore you might see failures like these. The **** is a molded plastic and if the tool is worn out, it creates failure points in the plastic part (such as burn, unfill).
I just picked a typical **** laying in my desk:
Believe it or not, later year models, if they did not re-tool, are still using the original tools. Therefore you might see failures like these. The **** is a molded plastic and if the tool is worn out, it creates failure points in the plastic part (such as burn, unfill).
I just picked a typical **** laying in my desk:
06-22-11, 04:13 PM
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I replaced the whole assembly. When that fixed the problem I took the old one apart to see what had failed. As soon as I removed the top piece to expose the buttons the broken piece fell out. The button itself is quite light and flimsy. I would recommend to everyone that you not push on it too hard.
When I first posted on this problem a few weeks ago a replier mentioned that the entire assembly with buttons was available as were the buttons by themselves as a set. It wasn't clear to me until I took the old assembly apart that the problem was simply a broken button and mechanical in nature.
When I first posted on this problem a few weeks ago a replier mentioned that the entire assembly with buttons was available as were the buttons by themselves as a set. It wasn't clear to me until I took the old assembly apart that the problem was simply a broken button and mechanical in nature.
06-22-11, 05:55 PM
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As far as I know the control assembly circuit boards merely send signals to the main computer control unit which is down on the floor behind the radio. The head unit is not country specific. Mine is an American car and has always been
miles and Fahrenheit.
miles and Fahrenheit.
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06-22-11, 07:20 PM
#8
Thanks for the info, mine is also an American car... I was trying to find a way to switch it to Celsius... Deg F don't mean much to me, but I'm getting pretty good at mental convervion. ;-)
06-22-11, 08:36 PM
#9
Re: but I'm getting pretty good at mental convervion
As a much younger man, I spent 15 months in France so I was exposed to metric fairly early on in life. I much prefer metric but US stuff is easier; just experience.
I tell people that 4 C is 40 F, 16 C is 60 F & 25 C is a great day. Anyone fairly good with numbers can usually get the rest OK enough. And who cares if you are one degree off?
Jerry Baumchen
06-23-11, 02:28 AM
#10
Hi yul,
Re: but I'm getting pretty good at mental convervion
As a much younger man, I spent 15 months in France so I was exposed to metric fairly early on in life. I much prefer metric but US stuff is easier; just experience.
I tell people that 4 C is 40 F, 16 C is 60 F & 25 C is a great day. Anyone fairly good with numbers can usually get the rest OK enough. And who cares if you are one degree off?
Jerry Baumchen
Re: but I'm getting pretty good at mental convervion
As a much younger man, I spent 15 months in France so I was exposed to metric fairly early on in life. I much prefer metric but US stuff is easier; just experience.
I tell people that 4 C is 40 F, 16 C is 60 F & 25 C is a great day. Anyone fairly good with numbers can usually get the rest OK enough. And who cares if you are one degree off?
Jerry Baumchen
Thanks, I'll try to remember this.
Regards
Joaquin
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