Honda Car Forum

I just purchased a 96 Civic EX Sedan and I have a question about the
defroster.

When I select the front/windshield defroster button on the climate
control, the air only comes out the middle and side vents on the dash.
No air at all comes out the defroster vents near the windshield.
Obviously, that's a problem.

Also, all the other buttons on the climate control show green when
depressed, but the defroster and recirculate buttons show reddish
orange. Is that normal?

The factory radio has been replaced, but everything else is stock and
works perfectly.

Any ideas?

My '94 has the same LED colors as yours, amber for the recirc and
defrost buttons, green for all others.

With the ignition on, ventilation fan off, try pressing each of the
climate control buttons. Do you hear the sound of an electric motor
running for a second or two each time you select a different setting?

You can find the service manual for your car on eDonkey or eMule.

Patrick Hatcher wrote:
>
> I just purchased a 96 Civic EX Sedan and I have a question about the
> defroster.
>
> When I select the front/windshield defroster button on the climate
> control, the air only comes out the middle and side vents on the dash.
> No air at all comes out the defroster vents near the windshield.
> Obviously, that's a problem.
>
> Also, all the other buttons on the climate control show green when
> depressed, but the defroster and recirculate buttons show reddish
> orange. Is that normal?
>
> The factory radio has been replaced, but everything else is stock and
> works perfectly.
>
> Any ideas?

>When I select the front/windshield defroster button on the climate
>control, the air only comes out the middle and side vents on the dash.
> No air at all comes out the defroster vents near the windshield.
>Obviously, that's a problem.

You pushed the wrong button!



>
>Also, all the other buttons on the climate control show green when
>depressed, but the defroster and recirculate buttons show reddish
>orange. Is that normal?

Yeah.

>
>The factory radio has been replaced, but everything else is stock and
>works perfectly.
>
>Any ideas?
>
>

Yeah, see above.



____________________________________
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Yes, I hear the motor running when I select a different setting.

After playing a little, I I discovered something.

All of the buttons and thier actions are reversed.

So, the 5 buttons (#1 being face air and #5 being full defroster), are
lined up like this:

1 2 3 4 5

But their responding actions are like this:

5 4 3 2 1

So, when I press the defroster, I'm actually getting full face air.

Then I press full face air (#1), I get the defroster to work.

It sounds like something is wired backward . . .



> My '94 has the same LED colors as yours, amber for the recirc and
> defrost buttons, green for all others.
>
> With the ignition on, ventilation fan off, try pressing each of the
> climate control buttons. Do you hear the sound of an electric motor
> running for a second or two each time you select a different setting?
>

Patrick Hatcher wrote:
> Yes, I hear the motor running when I select a different setting.
>
> After playing a little, I I discovered something.
>
> All of the buttons and thier actions are reversed.
>
> So, the 5 buttons (#1 being face air and #5 being full defroster), are
> lined up like this:
>
> 1 2 3 4 5
>
> But their responding actions are like this:
>
> 5 4 3 2 1
>
> So, when I press the defroster, I'm actually getting full face air.
>
> Then I press full face air (#1), I get the defroster to work.
>
> It sounds like something is wired backward . . .

Nah... The sub-assembly has been fitted in upside down....

8¬)

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On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 03:32:32 GMT, Randolph <trash@junkmail.com> wrote:

>My '94 has the same LED colors as yours, amber for the recirc and
>defrost buttons, green for all others.
>
>With the ignition on, ventilation fan off, try pressing each of the
>climate control buttons. Do you hear the sound of an electric motor
>running for a second or two each time you select a different setting?

One electric motor only runs the recirculate (behind the glove box)
and all other controls run off another motor (sounds like deep behind
the heater controls).

Bye,
Leon

> Nah... The sub-assembly has been fitted in upside down....

I took the dash apart (as if I were replacing the radio), but I can't
seem to find the motor mechanism when each climate control selection
is made. I can hear it whirring, somewhere down near the firewall,
but I can see where the wires go to . . .

Does anyone have any knowledge as to what exactly I would turn around
to make this thing work right? I don't have a manual (I'm looking),
so any exlploded view charts would be VERY welcome.

TIA.

The motor is sitting at the side of the air handler, up by the firewall,
close to the floor. There is one single motor for the air distribution,
and one additional motor for the fresh / /recirc selection (this one is
behind the glove box somewhere).

At the air selector motor, there is a set of incomplete slip rings to
carry voltage to the motor. When you select a setting, voltage is
applied to one of the slip rings. The motor then runs until the brush
goes off the slip ring, and the motor stops.

I have not actually seen the slip ring arrangement, but one could guess
that the rings are either arranged concentrically on a disc or side by
side on (the inside of?) a drum. Furthermore, if it is a drum, one
might speculate that if someone put the drum on backwards, the function
would be reversed like yours is. This is speculation only, and should
not be used as a substitute for factual knowledge :-)

Please report back when you find a solution!

Patrick Hatcher wrote:
>
> > Nah... The sub-assembly has been fitted in upside down....
>
> I took the dash apart (as if I were replacing the radio), but I can't
> seem to find the motor mechanism when each climate control selection
> is made. I can hear it whirring, somewhere down near the firewall,
> but I can see where the wires go to . . .
>
> Does anyone have any knowledge as to what exactly I would turn around
> to make this thing work right? I don't have a manual (I'm looking),
> so any exlploded view charts would be VERY welcome.
>
> TIA.