C5 Climate Control dim/dark display fix
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Correct, the outer row is 1 - 16, you've got it!
The display board is held into the faceplate by the rear portion of the case, no screws...
Let me know how your test turns out. I use an ESD safe hot air gun when re-flowing the SMD resistors for the display, usually there is suffiecent solder there to work with. It appears to me that the problem is a cold solder joint versus an insufficient amount of solder...
Tim
The display board is held into the faceplate by the rear portion of the case, no screws...
Let me know how your test turns out. I use an ESD safe hot air gun when re-flowing the SMD resistors for the display, usually there is suffiecent solder there to work with. It appears to me that the problem is a cold solder joint versus an insufficient amount of solder...
Tim
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 163
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
It was the resistors just as Tim said. I pressed on them while the unit was plugged into the car and the display started to come back. So this time my friend used a 40 watt iron and some good 'ol lead-based solder.
Just held the iron on one corner of the resistor for a second or so, tapped the solder wire against the iron tip to get it running, returned the iron to the corner, and set the wire on the other corner of the resistor -- the solder flows towards the heat in a nice bead along the edge of the resistor. All of these movements have to be performed very quickly to avoid overheating the board or any components, and to avoid using too much solder. Have fun when the 241's go sliding all over the board.
I'm going to practice on some old junk before I work on the power door lock problem.
Thank you all for the help and this great fix. Now, onto the locks, lumbar bags, rocking seats, and key fobs.
Just held the iron on one corner of the resistor for a second or so, tapped the solder wire against the iron tip to get it running, returned the iron to the corner, and set the wire on the other corner of the resistor -- the solder flows towards the heat in a nice bead along the edge of the resistor. All of these movements have to be performed very quickly to avoid overheating the board or any components, and to avoid using too much solder. Have fun when the 241's go sliding all over the board.
I'm going to practice on some old junk before I work on the power door lock problem.
Thank you all for the help and this great fix. Now, onto the locks, lumbar bags, rocking seats, and key fobs.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Cool beans! 
Yeah doing it that way can be a three hand job, like you said if you tap one end and the other side is loose, away it goes like a damn hockey puck! I do alot of these as well as LED mods so I bought a soldering station with a desolder gun, a Hot Air gun as well as a precision pencil sodlering iron all adjustable... The hot air gun makes it MUCH easier!
One thing to keep in mind for the future, I believe the solder used by the manufacturer contains silver and adding a different type of solder may create problems in the future, which could be compounded if he used a flux core eutectic tin/lead solder which is the defacto solder for everyday work. Flux is corrosive and must be removed with alcohol after reworking the components. So keep an eye on it if you can...
Tim
Yeah doing it that way can be a three hand job, like you said if you tap one end and the other side is loose, away it goes like a damn hockey puck! I do alot of these as well as LED mods so I bought a soldering station with a desolder gun, a Hot Air gun as well as a precision pencil sodlering iron all adjustable... The hot air gun makes it MUCH easier!
One thing to keep in mind for the future, I believe the solder used by the manufacturer contains silver and adding a different type of solder may create problems in the future, which could be compounded if he used a flux core eutectic tin/lead solder which is the defacto solder for everyday work. Flux is corrosive and must be removed with alcohol after reworking the components. So keep an eye on it if you can...
Tim
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Just the Center Display Screen. If you have bulbs burnt out you need to replace all 14 at the same time, trust me on this... All of them!
Here are good replacements;
http://www.mcmaster.com/#1505k414/=270i54
Another more permanant and customizable option is to swap the stock incandescent bulbs with LEDs, but I may be biased!
Tim
Here are good replacements;
http://www.mcmaster.com/#1505k414/=270i54
Another more permanant and customizable option is to swap the stock incandescent bulbs with LEDs, but I may be biased!
Tim
Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 4,564
From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
just found this thread. looks like i'll be attempting to do this mod this weekend. is a cold solder iron necessary or would a hot one @ 15w be ok?
what am i actually doing to those 241 chips? re-attaching them to the board?
what am i actually doing to those 241 chips? re-attaching them to the board?
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
15 Watt with a very fine point would be perfect... I use a Hot Air reflow gun and do not need to add solder, there is enough there, it's just a "cold" joint and subject to cracking and failing...
I suggest that you get some of the new water soluable flux and put a light coat on all the joints and then hit em with the iron. HOLD down the chip while reflowing it so it doesn't go scooting across the board.
HTH
Tim
I suggest that you get some of the new water soluable flux and put a light coat on all the joints and then hit em with the iron. HOLD down the chip while reflowing it so it doesn't go scooting across the board.
HTH
Tim
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Night Owl for life
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 24,724
Likes: 4,564
From: Bugs Bunny should'a made a left turn here
15 Watt with a very fine point would be perfect... I use a Hot Air reflow gun and do not need to add solder, there is enough there, it's just a "cold" joint and subject to cracking and failing...
I suggest that you get some of the new water soluable flux and put a light coat on all the joints and then hit em with the iron. HOLD down the chip while reflowing it so it doesn't go scooting across the board.
HTH
Tim
I suggest that you get some of the new water soluable flux and put a light coat on all the joints and then hit em with the iron. HOLD down the chip while reflowing it so it doesn't go scooting across the board.
HTH
Tim
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I'm not sure RS has it or not, I would think a larger store should stock it... If you can't find some it's no big deal, use regular flux and clean the area afterwards with rubbing alcohol.
Hold it down with a screwdriver or something... and run the iron up and down the joints on each side kinda like painting it. You want to get the solder to flow all through the joint. I'm not a fan of the "Cold" Iron which actually heats up to a temp much higher then some components can handle...
FYI the Cold iron DOES in fact heat up very hot, it just does it instantly and cools down very quickly... There's not a lot of control with it at all. Stay away from it IMO...
Tim
Hold it down with a screwdriver or something... and run the iron up and down the joints on each side kinda like painting it. You want to get the solder to flow all through the joint. I'm not a fan of the "Cold" Iron which actually heats up to a temp much higher then some components can handle...
FYI the Cold iron DOES in fact heat up very hot, it just does it instantly and cools down very quickly... There's not a lot of control with it at all. Stay away from it IMO...
Tim
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 211
Likes: 1
From: Leawood, KS
I just bought my 03 ZO6 a week ago and had this problem. I thought I'd remove the unit and send it in to ABSfixer but the more I read about it I decided I'd try it myself. Guys, this is an easy fix. I haven't soldered since college (10+ years).
Radio Shack grounded 15w iron $10.99
R/S 62/36/2 Rosin Core Solder $4.00
I've never pulled a dash or any part of it before. I took my time and the whole job took me about an hour and a half. It feel good to have done it myself. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and a big thanks for the pictures.
Radio Shack grounded 15w iron $10.99
R/S 62/36/2 Rosin Core Solder $4.00
I've never pulled a dash or any part of it before. I took my time and the whole job took me about an hour and a half. It feel good to have done it myself. Thanks to all who contributed to this thread and a big thanks for the pictures.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: St Peters Missouri
Worked for me!
I had recently purchased an '02 convertable and the climate control unit would dim and I would tap it until it brightened again...eventually this didn't work anymore. I found this thread, followed the directions exactly, and the CCU now works perfectly. Thanks for the excellent thread!
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 74
Likes: 0
From: DEXTER NM
Wow, you guys just saved me a ton of money!.....
Where there was darkness, now there is LIGHT!....
What really amazes me is how many of us have experienced this fault, and yet why hasn't GM recalled and fixed a known issue like this?
It's obvious this problem was "pre-existing" and not the fault of the user, right?
Many thanks again!
Where there was darkness, now there is LIGHT!....
What really amazes me is how many of us have experienced this fault, and yet why hasn't GM recalled and fixed a known issue like this?
It's obvious this problem was "pre-existing" and not the fault of the user, right?
Many thanks again!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
Wow, you guys just saved me a ton of money!.....
Where there was darkness, now there is LIGHT!....
What really amazes me is how many of us have experienced this fault, and yet why hasn't GM recalled and fixed a known issue like this?
It's obvious this problem was "pre-existing" and not the fault of the user, right?
Many thanks again!
Where there was darkness, now there is LIGHT!....
What really amazes me is how many of us have experienced this fault, and yet why hasn't GM recalled and fixed a known issue like this?
It's obvious this problem was "pre-existing" and not the fault of the user, right?
Many thanks again!
There are several on EBay that offer HVAC repair services as does supporting vendor JW Motoring...
Tim
Last edited by tstar; Nov 7, 2009 at 12:31 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I think I have ONE on my desk at work... You need to figure out what the resistance of it is. Then you can order one from a company like Digikey. Radio Shack may have them. I know a local electronics supply house will have them by the package. They usually come 10 in a pack
