Hi folks just noticed today after my cars first long run since buying 6 weeks ago that there is no cool or cold air coming out of vents, it’s a digital type with auto aircon etc in a 64 panda cross diesel. The lights are working and temp seems to adjust but still very hot. Is this a job for a mechanic or auto electrician? A suggestion elsewhere on the forum suggest the heater blend doors ? Is this a straight forward job does anyone know ?
Thanks

Seg10538 said:

Hi folks just noticed today after my cars first long run since buying 6 weeks ago that there is no cool or cold air coming out of vents, it’s a digital type with auto aircon etc in a 64 panda cross diesel. The lights are working and temp seems to adjust but still very hot. Is this a job for a mechanic or auto electrician? A suggestion elsewhere on the forum suggest the heater blend doors ? Is this a straight forward job does anyone know ?
Thanks

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Do you have the climate control set to 'Auto' and the temperature at around 20C? If so, other than from cold, it'd be hard to expect cool air when the outside temp is so low. I think if you set the temp to the lowest value you should enjoy some cool air.

AB100 said:

Do you have the climate control set to 'Auto' and the temperature at around 20C? If so, other than from cold, it'd be hard to expect cool air when the outside temp is so low. I think if you set the temp to the lowest value you should enjoy some cool air.

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Hi I’ve had the ac off mainly it’s hot not matter what I do , just noticed it today as other journeys have been around the doors, I put ac on today and set temp as low as possible on the temp display even on low it’s really warm air, tried auto and everything in between

Seg10538 said:

Hi I’ve had the ac off mainly it’s hot not matter what I do , just noticed it today as other journeys have been around the doors, I put ac on today and set temp as low as possible on the temp display even on low it’s really warm air, tried auto and everything in between

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Turning the fan down really low means it’s more tolerable but it’s still hot air coming out, the lights all appear to be working which makes me think is it something stuck open in heating system? The car isn’t overheating but does seem quite slow to initially heat up first thing

Seg10538 said:

Turning the fan down really low means it’s more tolerable but it’s still hot air coming out,

The car isn’t overheating but does seem quite slow to initially heat up first thing

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Sounds like you have got a broken linkage..
Common issue..awkward repair


Slow to warm.up.. you said it was a diesel

Thats how they are.. Diesel fuel burns cooler..

there was a factory option auxiliary heater..

Or a heated screen and seats



I notice you asked in the heater repair thread if it was easy for a local place to fix...

Yes.. if you are local to Winchester

varesecrazy said:

Sounds like you have got a broken linkage..

Common issue..awkward repair





Slow to warm.up.. you said it was a diesel



Thats how they are.. Diesel fuel burns cooler..



there was a factory option auxiliary heater..



Or a heated screen and seats







I notice you asked in the heater repair thread if it was easy for a local place to fix...



Yes.. if you are local to Winchester

Click to expand...

Hi thanks is the broken linkage a mechanical piece or is it a Electrical type repair , can my local mechanic fix ?
Thanks

The standard failure is a stiff flap overstressing a plastic link

The fix involves adding a stronger pivot linking the flap to its control motor

Its a mechanical repair.. in a very awkward location.

Genuine FIAT fix is well over £1000

Winchester specialist is sub £200

varesecrazy said:

The standard failure is a stiff flap overstressing a plastic link



The fix involves adding a stronger pivot linking the flap to its control motor



Its a mechanical repair.. in a very awkward location.



Genuine FIAT fix is well over £1000



Winchester specialist is sub £200

Click to expand...

Crikey!

Seg10538 said:

Crikey!

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Thanks for your help is it in footwell do you know ?

Seems to be a common problem with auto climate control. The motor that moves the internal flaps inside the heater box to let air through, or bypass round, the heater fails. Or the plastic engineering the motor is trying to turn has failed. Either way, the general answer seems to be its a real pain to fix - often requiring the entire dash to be removed if a dealer does it.

Use the very powerful 'Search this forum' tool and you'll find previous posts. (Note: not 'search this thread' as that will only look at this particular question. Go to the Panda home page (https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/) and look towards to upper right corner for 'search this forum'. Search for 'climate' an you'll find various previous posts.

Seg10538 said:

Thanks for your help is it in footwell do you know ?

Click to expand...

Yes

500 panda and punto all have the same issues.. well covered on here

Use SEARCH icon on the forum

Its located differently for PC or mobile

Herts Hillhopper said:

Seems to be a common problem with auto climate control. The motor that moves the internal flaps inside the heater box to let air through, or bypass round, the heater fails. Or the plastic engineering the motor is trying to turn has failed. Either way, the general answer seems to be its a real pain to fix - often requiring the entire dash to be removed if a dealer does it.

Use the very powerful 'Search this forum' tool and you'll find previous posts. (Note: not 'search this thread' as that will only look at this particular question. Go to the Panda home page (https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/) and look towards to upper right corner for 'search this forum'. Search for 'climate' an you'll find various previous posts.

Click to expand...

Great thanks

varesecrazy said:

Yes



500 panda and punto all have the same issues.. well covered on here



Use SEARCH icon on the forum



Its located differently for PC or mobile

Click to expand...

Thanks very much I’ll just add this to the non functioning b&me issue !

varesecrazy said:

Sounds like you have got a broken linkage..

Common issue..awkward repair





Slow to warm.up.. you said it was a diesel



Thats how they are.. Diesel fuel burns cooler..



there was a factory option auxiliary heater..



Or a heated screen and seats







I notice you asked in the heater repair thread if it was easy for a local place to fix...



Yes.. if you are local to Winchester

Click to expand...

Hi again I’m wondering if you can give me the details of the place in Winchester so I can speak to them? I’m up in the North east maybe they can give me some tips without dash removal

Seg10538 said:

Hi again I’m wondering if you can give me the details of the place in Winchester so I can speak to them? I’m up in the North east maybe they can give me some tips without dash removal

Click to expand...

People have asked..

But as its his developed technique.. you can see why its not being broadcast

TBH.. there are plenty of other peoples fixes on here just use SEARCH for a flavour

varesecrazy said:

Sounds like you have got a broken linkage..

Common issue..awkward repair





Slow to warm.up.. you said it was a diesel



Thats how they are.. Diesel fuel burns cooler..



there was a factory option auxiliary heater..



Or a heated screen and seats







I notice you asked in the heater repair thread if it was easy for a local place to fix...



Yes.. if you are local to Winchester

Click to expand...

Hi again I’m wondering if you can give me the details of the place in Winchester so I can speak to them? I’m up in the North east maybe they can give me some tips without dash removal

varesecrazy said:

People have asked..



But as its his developed technique.. you can see why its not being broadcast



TBH.. there are plenty of other peoples fixes on here just use SEARCH for a flavour

Click to expand...

Ok thanks

If things different, you'd get 50mpg going down to Hampshire for repair. I'd go. Air con needs regassing too probably. Needs leaving on permanently.

Seg10538 Basically the heater unit is a large box, and goes into the car before just about anything else. This means just about everything has to come out again to access it, and is why labour bills are so high for heater repairs. Air goes into the box from outside, and comes into the car through the various vents. As the air comes in, it always goes through the air con matrix (think ‘radiator’ ) in the box (even if air con turned off). It then is either directed through the heater matrix, or past it, or a mix of both. This is done by a plastic flap inside the box. With manual controls, the flap is moved by a Bowden cable (like a bike brake cable) that physically pushes the flap (via a couple of plastic cogs and levers). With the auto climate, instead of that cable there’s a small motor which turns the cog. The cog has a square that engages with a square peg on the end of the flap, and it’s that square peg that cracks and breaks. I assume the guys in Winchester have found a way to repair that plastic part in situ.

This piece in CarBuyer is about the previous model Panda, but the heater is unchanged between the models and usefully it shows the specific plastic part quite clearly. It’s the rectangular end of the heater flap where it fits into the white cog that breaks. https://www.carbuyer.co.uk/news/150591/watchdog-panda-owner-loses-cool-over-new-heater-costs. If you look at the part here https://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Product&ProdID=25286&...RAQ0QUBHn6wYDtmVhfShB0WxBrZalpZUaAndYEALw_wcB (it’s the same in 500 as it is in the Panda) you can see the hole the peg engages in. In the CarBuyer photo, the snapped black part is in that hole.
If you can remove the motor (in the drivers side footwell) and then devise a way of repairing the end of the flap, you’ll have fixed it. Some earkier posts refer to embedding a small metal square peg into the plastic by heating/melting it b