From digest.v6.n745 Sun Jun 8 10:34:38 1997
From: "Scott Hillstrom" <sdouglas_at_giga.com>
Date: Sat, 7 Jun 1997 08:31:32 -0500
Subject: <e30> <A/C> Fix

It's averaging 95 degrees here in Monterrey, Mexico. A/C is a must. My A/C had an intermittent problem on my 85' 325E, sometimes it would work (indicated by the blue a/c button light) and sometimes not (usually when it's really needed). The problem I had was an incomplete circuit. On the vent control for the floor (lowest slide switch) there is a contact/PC board that will close the circuit when moved to the right - a/c on- (not sure of this function, since it won't help with a fogging window in the rain - any answers?). You can see this board by looking through the hole above the ashtray and the bottom of the A/C controls. After taking the whole gearshift console out and the plastic barrier between the glovebox and the center console, I found the wires that plug into the contact/PC board for the slide vent by reaching through the side of the glove box BEHIND the dash. One is a Green and Brown wire and the other is White. Caution: there is a plug of two wires that is visible from the hole - these are not the ones you are looking for they are for the temperature switch. I unplugged the wire connector and found the contacts were really corroded. I could have sanded the contacts with a lot of effort and would have never reached the contact/PC board to clean the contacts there (well, not without taking out the whole center console), I just stripped and crimped the two wires together - A/C works just fine. After tracing the wires a little bit more, and knowing what colors I needed, I could have managed the whole project without taking a part any of the dash. Through the hole under the center console (between the ashtray and the A/C controls), you can feel/see a bundle of wires wrapped in that sticky cloth wire crap, uh, wrap, if you follow the length of the bundle from left to right, you can feel/see the two wires that get incorporated into that bundle from the slide switch. There is enough room to cut, and crimp through the hole. I cannot see any problems permanently crimping these two wires together, because if you want a/c push the a/c button, if not turn it off. The slide had a park that when in the extreme left position, it did not contact with anything and turned the A/C off. Like I said, I don't know why those silly German engineers incorporated the A/C controls into the floor vent switch, there was some logic I'm sure, but here in Mexico, all I want is the A/C blowing in my sweaty face. The usual disclaimers apply.