# Ac temp problem--what part?



## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

A fellow member, RoadIron, sent me the following question.

''My latest issues is an Air Conditioning matter. I'm being told by my local Nissan service department that I have a malfunctioning "A/C Auto Amp", which is why my A/C only blows cold air when I have it set to the lowest temp setting, and hot at every other temp setting above the lowest. It will not adjust temperature any longer. They told me this part will cost $1451.54, which I just laughed at, and proceed to start looking for a used or aftermarket A/C Auto Amp part on eBay, RockAuto, etc. etc.

Unfortunately, I cannot for the life of me find anything out there. I can't even find a picture of this part when I do a google image search. I see references to it in A/C system diagram schematics. But that's about it.

Have you had any dealings with this part or this issue as yet?''

I think he is being taken for a ride by whichever dealer he has been dealing with. I was guessing it was the fan control amp for climate control versions. Was looking at the ac section of the service manual, and I can't figure out what they are talking about. Anyone have any ideas that could help.


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

No photo yet!!!


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

From browsing thru the AC section, the A/C auto amp and the fan control amp are very different things.

The Auto amp is some kind of computer/LAN hub, but I couldn't see a picture of where it is located or what it looks like. That said, there are wiring diagrams that show the color coded wires that connect it to various sensors. The sunload sensor, for example, has orange and blue/yellow wires that seem to connect directly to it. I know where that sensor is, perhaps you can trace them back?

Correction: now that I've looked at the labels on that picture Otomodo has posted, then the whole control panel is basically the auto amp. If the dealers want $1400, then I'd gladly pull one at junkyard for you for half that price


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## chadn (Jan 28, 2010)

There is a pretty detailed trouble shooting section in the service manual. Section ATC. 

It walks through different systems and how to verify if they are functioning correctly or not. 

It could be a faulty sensor, faulty central control, faulty air mix door motor, etc... Hard to say without doing all of the diagnostic work.

Here are all the components in the automatic a/c system.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Thanks guys. I had not twigged to the idea that it was part of the ac system control knobs. Nice to know they are worth their weight in gold. 
Even better to know that MikeHJ's spirit of generosity is on display again, though with maybe a hint of capitalist savy this time, lol.

What I took from my quick take was that there was a self diagnosing procedure that I would like to think the dealer would have done, but it also seemed to me like Chadn pointed out, that a faulty signal from something like an in cabin sensor would affect the system.

Assuming its been properly diagnosed and the auto amp micro computer is the issue, I am wondering if this is the kind of thing that might be repairable, because if not you would want to find a used from a wrecked x trail, and hope the yard does not base its price on a sizeable fraction of the dealer price. Swapping it out would be easy, maybe a 15 min or less job. An ebay search may be in order.
Cheers everyone.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

Yup can be found on ebay. Still 168 +100+ shipping from Germany, but hopefully that gives a bit of baseline price for a used one from a wrecker here.


http://www.ebay.ca/itm/climate-cont...ash=item58f5477404:g:3ckAAOSwhMFZst5V&vxp=mtr


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## otomodo (May 23, 2008)

quadraria10 said:


> I am wondering if this is the kind of thing that might be repairable,


Nobody wants to repair anything anymore. 
Last summer I went to inspect a machine 6h away from home. My boss wanted to buy it, it had only 80h of work on it(10 years old) The drive was worth it (Porsche cayenne hybrid) so was the machine. 
The thing is when the tech came in to calibrate the computer, the touch screen had a few non touch spots.
Diagnostic : faulty computer, must change computer( it s a complete unit touch screen) 10 000$ part. 
The computer geek came in to configure the network, took a look at it and found a used part for 200$ .


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I hear you Otomodo. Funny thing I have an older bi-energy furnace with a problem in its circuit board for the hydro component, the Tunisian furnace tech told me no problem having the circuit board diagnosed and repaired in his home country, but he did not have a clue who might be able to do such a repair here. Nor do I ...


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

quadraria10 said:


> Thanks guys. I had not twigged to the idea that it was part of the ac system control knobs. Nice to know they are worth their weight in gold.
> Even better to know that MikeHJ's spirit of generosity is on display again, though with maybe a hint of capitalist savy this time, lol.


I actually was in an XTrail in a u-pull place just a couple of months ago to pull a blower assembly. I wanted to do the bearing swap on my squeaky fan so I thought I would practice on a wreck before I trashed my own dash. The wreck I was working on had climate control. I checked so that I knew that the fan resistor in the blower assembly was the graduated type instead of the 4 setting one.

Had I known the dealer wanted $1400, I would have grabbed the control panel from the dash and put it on ebay 

I"ll bet it is still in the wreck.

Most u-pull places have a flat rate pricelist: a dash heater control is the same price manual or climate control. About $16 plus tax


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

I am going to have to phone a dealer to confirm the price. It seems more than over the top. What is it with Nissan Canada when it comes to pricing parts for the X trail. Admittedly its one of the better Nissan vehicles they have sold, but whoever has been responsible for setting part prices for it has been more than a little greedy. So much so that I have almost made it my duty to try and save people money. 

MikeHJ-- that may not be so crazy an idea. You may want to grab some lock actuators, heated seat switches, headlight assemblies, rear wiper motor and so on. If you don't I might just try lol. Where was that u pull place again--Kanata???


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

quadraria10 said:


> MikeHJ-- that may not be so crazy an idea. You may want to grab some lock actuators, heated seat switches, headlight assemblies, rear wiper motor and so on. If you don't I might just try lol. Where was that u pull place again--Kanata???


There is one in Kanata (Standard Auto Wreckers), others in Nepean, Gatineau and Cornwall (Kenny U-Pull). They all post their vehicle inventory online, some even post a picture (so you can see if it was in a front end collision)

I've always just gone, pulled the part I needed and left. Now I'm thinking that next time, I may just go with a shopping list.


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## X-hale (Apr 17, 2017)

There's a huge Kenny U-Pull at 1798 Boulevard Maloney E, Gatineau. It's quite far out of town. Phone#1-844-536-6987


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## MikeHJ (Mar 7, 2017)

X-hale said:


> There's a huge Kenny U-Pull at 1798 Boulevard Maloney E, Gatineau. It's quite far out of town. Phone#1-844-536-6987


Not crazy about the $2 lot entry fee at Kennys, but their yards are well organized with free wheelbarrows available. Their website is very good: searchable inventory list for all of their locations and a picture of each vehicle. No guarantee the part you want is still on the car, but the picture can save you from wasting a trip (wrong color or a front end crash, etc.)

Gotta say, I've seen a few X Trails in nice shape and wonder why they were junked.


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## quadraria10 (Jul 6, 2010)

''Gotta say, I've seen a few X Trails in nice shape and wonder why they were junked.''

Well I know two people who got rid of theirs because of high repair costs. I can actually imagine a scenario where a bad crank sensor leads to a no start, a stumped tech, claims of needing to replace the ecu, and then they factor in the need for new tires and maybe something like a new rear wiper motor---and in the face of 2000+ repair they pull the plug.

Or it fails emission testing, needs new cat manifold, 02 sensors, starting to show signs of rust, suspension parts will need replacing, and it has over 250,000 same deal as before.

Most likely scenario though is neglect to change fluids on time, overheating....

Last I looked at Kenny U pull they had no X trails in Gatineau or Ottawa. And now back to watching CNN and hoping.


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