Honda Car Forum

For the past 6 months or so my heater control knob has become hard to
work and will not go all the way from hot to cold. I can force the
knob over to hot or back to cold and feel the air get warmer/cooler
but it will spring back some when I let go, almost like the cable is
sticking or the damper is being restricted. Has anyone else had this
problem with their Honda? Is the heater control electronic or manual
with a cable? Is there an easy fix to this problem?

"NetMan" <CMJE1234@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:ba9f763e.0310030850.1e8d89b5@posting.google.c om...
> For the past 6 months or so my heater control knob has become hard to
> work and will not go all the way from hot to cold. I can force the
> knob over to hot or back to cold and feel the air get warmer/cooler
> but it will spring back some when I let go, almost like the cable is
> sticking or the damper is being restricted. Has anyone else had this
> problem with their Honda? Is the heater control electronic or manual
> with a cable? Is there an easy fix to this problem?

We discussed an almost identical problem on here just
three days ago. The link is http://tinyurl.com/plzc

Google Groups is a great way to check if something
has been recently discussed on a newsgroup.

Al Reynolds

On 3 Oct 2003 09:50:39 -0700, CMJE1234@hotmail.com (NetMan) wrote:

>For the past 6 months or so my heater control knob has become hard to
>work and will not go all the way from hot to cold. I can force the
>knob over to hot or back to cold and feel the air get warmer/cooler
>but it will spring back some when I let go, almost like the cable is
>sticking or the damper is being restricted. Has anyone else had this
>problem with their Honda? Is the heater control electronic or manual
>with a cable? Is there an easy fix to this problem?

You need to figure what it is that's binding: the water valve, the cables,
the air-mix door or the dial. AFAIK that model is manual with a cable.
I'd start by disconnecting the cable from the water valve (spring clip)
under the hood - it's near the firewall and just where the hot water hose
enters the interior - and see if that frees the dial up. If it does then
check the valve lever for binding; if not, disconnect the cable to the
air-mix door. If that doesn't free things up it's likely a binding cable
or linkage - plastic engineering.:-(


BTW have you had any work done on the interior of the car - such as radio,
CD player or alarm system install? My bet is that soemone leaned on a
control cable and put a kink in it.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message news:<3f7fe426.81239486@news.tellurian.com>...
> On 3 Oct 2003 09:50:39 -0700, CMJE1234@hotmail.com (NetMan) wrote:
>
> >For the past 6 months or so my heater control knob has become hard to
> >work and will not go all the way from hot to cold. I can force the
> >knob over to hot or back to cold and feel the air get warmer/cooler
> >but it will spring back some when I let go, almost like the cable is
> >sticking or the damper is being restricted. Has anyone else had this
> >problem with their Honda? Is the heater control electronic or manual
> >with a cable? Is there an easy fix to this problem?
>
> You need to figure what it is that's binding: the water valve, the cables,
> the air-mix door or the dial. AFAIK that model is manual with a cable.
> I'd start by disconnecting the cable from the water valve (spring clip)
> under the hood - it's near the firewall and just where the hot water hose
> enters the interior - and see if that frees the dial up. If it does then
> check the valve lever for binding; if not, disconnect the cable to the
> air-mix door. If that doesn't free things up it's likely a binding cable
> or linkage - plastic engineering.:-(
>
>
> BTW have you had any work done on the interior of the car - such as radio,
> CD player or alarm system install? My bet is that soemone leaned on a
> control cable and put a kink in it.
>
> Rgds, George Macdonald
>
> "Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

George,
Thanks for the great advice! I did just as you stated and it turns
out I need to replace the water valve (AKA heater control valve). It
is being restricted somehow and is not opeing or closing properly.
Fortunately it looks fairly easy to replace and the cost of the part
is only $35 at AutoZone. Do you have any tricks, suggestions, or
warinings before I take on this task next weekend?

On 6 Oct 2003 05:48:15 -0700, CMJE1234@hotmail.com (NetMan) wrote:

>fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com (George Macdonald) wrote in message news:<3f7fe426.81239486@news.tellurian.com>...
>> On 3 Oct 2003 09:50:39 -0700, CMJE1234@hotmail.com (NetMan) wrote:
>>
>> >For the past 6 months or so my heater control knob has become hard to
>> >work and will not go all the way from hot to cold. I can force the
>> >knob over to hot or back to cold and feel the air get warmer/cooler
>> >but it will spring back some when I let go, almost like the cable is
>> >sticking or the damper is being restricted. Has anyone else had this
>> >problem with their Honda? Is the heater control electronic or manual
>> >with a cable? Is there an easy fix to this problem?
>>
>> You need to figure what it is that's binding: the water valve, the cables,
>> the air-mix door or the dial. AFAIK that model is manual with a cable.
>> I'd start by disconnecting the cable from the water valve (spring clip)
>> under the hood - it's near the firewall and just where the hot water hose
>> enters the interior - and see if that frees the dial up. If it does then
>> check the valve lever for binding; if not, disconnect the cable to the
>> air-mix door. If that doesn't free things up it's likely a binding cable
>> or linkage - plastic engineering.:-(
>>
>>
>> BTW have you had any work done on the interior of the car - such as radio,
>> CD player or alarm system install? My bet is that soemone leaned on a
>> control cable and put a kink in it.
>
>George,
>Thanks for the great advice! I did just as you stated and it turns
>out I need to replace the water valve (AKA heater control valve). It
>is being restricted somehow and is not opeing or closing properly.
>Fortunately it looks fairly easy to replace and the cost of the part
>is only $35 at AutoZone. Do you have any tricks, suggestions, or
>warinings before I take on this task next weekend?

So the water valve lever feels stiff? I'd probably try a bit of
penetrating spray grease, like SuperLube, on it first to see if that'll
free it up. If you have to replace it, you may find yourself having to cut
the hoses off it - there isn't much room there to manipulate with your
hands and it's awkward. Try easing a piece of wire under the hose end and
a spritz of silicone spray to see if that helps ease them off but maybe
better to be prepared with new hose parts anyway.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??