jet911

I have the auto heater control option on my '86 Carrera. When I turn the dial to activate the foot well blowers and heat, I hear a squeeling noise coming from the controls. At first I thought it was the foot well blower I replaced last year, however when I hop in the passenger seat to listen as I activate the switch, it is not the blower, but the controls making the noise.

Is there something I can do to quiet the squeel? I'm wondering if the cable may need replacing or ?

Anyone have this issue?

TIA

ron mcatee

How can the switch squeal? There are no moving parts in there. The only problem I have with my automatic switch on my 88 Carrera is that it comes on intermittently, usually on a warm day. It is probably a contact in the switch, which I will check out this weekend.

imcarthur

Inside the console is a servo motor which activates as you turn the heat control. It pushes a rod which moves a metal lever to open your heat flappers underneath.

It whines slightly when you activate it or as the auto heat thermo senses a need etc. I wouldn't describe it as a squeal though.

Ian

ron mcatee

The top cover can be removed to expose the lever and other parts. I guess you could actuate the servo and lubricate it to stop the noise.

imcarthur

You can't really just take the cover off, because there is a short wire that you would never get connected again & the electonics etc are all attached to the console via some screws from the side which you can't get to. Take the passenger seat out - 4 allen bolts - and access becomes easy.

Ian

ron mcatee

Ian, my bad for not giving all the details. yes, you have to remove the passenger seat to get to all the screws and other stuff. I guess I assumed that was evident. sorry.

imcarthur

Spider, it's just fresh in my mind because i tore it all apart twice in the last 3 months . . .

Still have a blower problem though.

Ian

jet911

Ian, Spider,
Thanks for the discussion. One thing that I forget to mention is that the squeel/whine type of noise does quit when the flappers open. I assumed there was a motor in the control box (replacing the manual levers) to push/pull the cable to open/close the flapper boxes. I've heard of the cable tubes being gunked up, etc. I figured it might be the motor over working to push/pull the cables. I guess I will pull the seat sometime (just as I thought), remove the top cover and take a look. I could just live with it as it works fine, just a bit annoying, however when moving parts start making noise, it makes me nervous.

Thanks again gents.

Ellsworth Wente

probably just due to that coffee that got sloshed down there like I found in mine ;-) I was able to take mine out w/o removing the seat. just pull the rubber boot off that surrounds the ebrake lever, take out the 4 screws that hold the console to the floor (think they were torx or allen) then slowly lift it forward and up, moving the ebrake as necessary. then release the snap clips on the arm that attaches the flapper valve lever to the servo motor and snap it of. once it's loose, you should be able to squirt some lithium grease on the servo armature and the little ball/socket ends of the actuator arm. I'd also hit the arm that pulls the flapper cables and crawl under the car and lube up the cables and flappers... The wiring harness to the control had a molex type connector, so you can actually pull the whole thing out. I had to repair mine on the fly once on a winter trip in a wal-mart parking lot. one of the little plastic ball sockets cracked and I had no heat. a paper clip wrapped round and round with needle nose pliers got me home with heat!!!