AC controls not working, 98
 

Hi there, I have a 98 Honda Accord 2 door. I recently had a bear break in the passenger window for some food that was in the back seat :eek:. No Joke. Fortunately, all that he did was break the window and put some claw marks in the door panel.

Last week I replaced both of those myself. The process was pretty simple and pain-free:D. However, the same day my air conditioning controls went out. There is just simply no power that goes to them. The green light signifying which setting the AC is on doesn't work. The only thing that does work is the fan speed knob. Everything else doesn't work.

Other than checking the fuses, I haven't done any work to it since I have NO idea where to start. Any advice? :confused::confused::confused:
Thanks
Scott

Do you have a volt meter and know how to test for voltage and continuity?

Is your accord a 4/6 cylinder; lx/dx/ex; manual/automatic trans?

It's a 4 cyl, LX, manual and unfortunately I don't have those things :(

on my 95 accord, there are 2 screws that go in behind the steering wheel. they point upwards.. then you can pull the panel off that your controls are on.. then you can check whether or not the plugs are plugged in or not...

again, mines a 95 and i'm not sure if the 98's are the same or not, but if so, that would be a good start...

Pickup a volt meter at someplace like wal-mart. The $10 one has the analog needle that can test for voltage and resistance. It will probably cost ~$10 and will help a lot.

And So?
 

What was the ultimate result of this? I'm having the same problems with my wife's '99.

Here is what is wrong.
There is a Resistor in back of the glove compartment that goes into the air flow box. When it fails, it may damage the Heater Control Module (HCM) and the LED lights do not work and all that is left is the Fan Speed. The Resistor is about $85 and the HCM is about $275 new or $80 used. You can replace each unit yourself.
Most Honda or AC techs know this, and the ones with Integrity don't "take you for a ride" for a couple of grand.

This is excellent timing. I just noticed last week that I had no operating lights on my A/C controls. I turned the car off and restarted it and they came on just fine. I thought there might be a relay stuck or something of that nature.

I recently changed the cabin air filters, they are located behind the glovebox. Could that have knocked the resister loose?

Can't hurt to look and be sure everything is plugged in all the way.

Does your '01 have auto HVAC or manual HVAC?

....how did you like the snow we got ?

I've got the manual controls. I'm thinking if the resistor located behind the glovebox is going bad, the fan will not work or will only work in some speeds. I've encountered this in other vehicles. Not sure what would make the AC controls work only some of the time. Going to pull the center console next week and verify all connections are tight.

The snow was stupid. 10 straight hours and not enough on the ground to make a small snowman? Stupid snow.

Yea, the snow was just a mess maker.....I hate the white stuff, just cold.

With manual controls, it could be as simple as the bulbs going.....sometimes they make contact, sometimes they do not.

Is this the "backlight"?

The Resistor is behind the Glove Box. It is secured with 2 Phillips screws. When you look under the GB, turn your head towards the fender side and you will see the plug. Resistors get old and fail over time. This resistor works with your AC Control Module, located behind the 2 Control Knobs. When it fails, you lose everything but the Fan Control. There is a Fan Control Relay in the box under your hood that may also have been damaged. It costs about $20. You need to take out the console plate and unplug everything to get to it. It's much easier than it sounds. Be careful not to crack the console when you pop it out. There is no need to take the whole console out. Once you unplug the 4-way flasher and clock, the console plate can be popped out allowing you to unplug the rest of the wiring.
If you search these threads enough, you will see that this is a common problem. I called a Honda dealer and his first thought was a Compressor failure. Who could of seen that coming?! As you get more miles, the resistor will begin to fail and your LED lights on the AC Panel will flicker. After a while they will not even work.

I know this is a bit of an eye chart.......and with the size this might be viewed at, even worse.

Marky C, could it be the evaporator temperature sensor? Looking at the diagram poorman provided, I don't see a resistor in the power supply line to the ac controls, just the sensor.

There sounds like some erroneous info. in this thread. The blower motor resistor shouldn't affect the lighting on the climate control unit.