Diagnostic Easter Egg for Climatronic
#1
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Diagnostic Easter Egg for Climatronic
I was at the dealer yesterday and my technician taught me a secret sauce diagnotisc procedure...
If you have a factory installed Climatronic unit, you can perform a climate control system check, diagnosis, and reset of registers...
Press and hold the "Defrost" and "Recirc" buttons together, and release only when the lights on both buttons start to flash back and forth between them. This procedure starts a system self-diagnosis of all components, sensors, etc., and then resets all the settings to the appropriate normals. He explained all this to me in technospeak, but I didn't catch all the details. The test runs for about 15-20 seconds, then the lights stop flashing as all returns to normal.
Apparently, with use the system "settings" get changed. and can become out of sync, including settings for "Tunnel Mode," on and off trigger points for the compressor, etc. My tech said it should be done twice a year or at least at every A or B service. (yea, like all techs are trained, or remember to do this...)
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
If you have a factory installed Climatronic unit, you can perform a climate control system check, diagnosis, and reset of registers...
Press and hold the "Defrost" and "Recirc" buttons together, and release only when the lights on both buttons start to flash back and forth between them. This procedure starts a system self-diagnosis of all components, sensors, etc., and then resets all the settings to the appropriate normals. He explained all this to me in technospeak, but I didn't catch all the details. The test runs for about 15-20 seconds, then the lights stop flashing as all returns to normal.
Apparently, with use the system "settings" get changed. and can become out of sync, including settings for "Tunnel Mode," on and off trigger points for the compressor, etc. My tech said it should be done twice a year or at least at every A or B service. (yea, like all techs are trained, or remember to do this...)
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
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#3
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by tommy
Yeah, but does this roll back the odometer? :p
Yeah, but does this roll back the odometer? :p
Geez, I start a serious thread and our resident liberal conspiracy theorist chimes in... (hehe, just having fun, dude)
This easter egg actually works. Or at least the flashing lights work...
#5
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by nov0798
not to flame, butthis has been posted numerous times over the last year or so.
not to flame, butthis has been posted numerous times over the last year or so.
https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...ht=climatronic
#7
Administrator
Originally posted by silberrosa
It is the same as those which have been posted before. Also, it is Thermotronic NON climatronic. It seems everyone gets this one wrong.
It is the same as those which have been posted before. Also, it is Thermotronic NON climatronic. It seems everyone gets this one wrong.
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#8
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by silberrosa
It is the same as those which have been posted before. Also, it is Thermotronic NON climatronic. It seems everyone gets this one wrong.
It is the same as those which have been posted before. Also, it is Thermotronic NON climatronic. It seems everyone gets this one wrong.
BTW, I searched all forums on the term "Thermotronic" also, and have found no duplicates to this topic.
#9
Out Of Control!!
MB-BOB, what happens if you hold the two buttons while driving backwards in a tight circle??
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
#10
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Thread Starter
Originally posted by revstriker
MB-BOB, what happens if you hold the two buttons while driving backwards in a tight circle??
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
MB-BOB, what happens if you hold the two buttons while driving backwards in a tight circle??
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
#11
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Originally posted by revstriker
MB-BOB, what happens if you hold the two buttons while driving backwards in a tight circle??
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
MB-BOB, what happens if you hold the two buttons while driving backwards in a tight circle??
I think this will change the outside temperature to whatever your Climatronic setting is.... Comes in handy when it's cold outside.
#12
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Re: Diagnostic Easter Egg for Climatronic
Originally posted by MB-BOB
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
I wonder if the same (or similar) procedure has to be done with cars equipped with an "analog" unit, after all they use most of the same hardware - the primary difference being the extra fan on the factory equipped Climatronic cars. Seems like from what your tech told you that the hardware components would still need to be reset just as frequently, no matter which version (analog/digital) the headunit is.
#14
Senior Member
I was at the dealer yesterday and my technician taught me a secret sauce diagnotisc procedure...
If you have a factory installed Climatronic unit, you can perform a climate control system check, diagnosis, and reset of registers...
Press and hold the "Defrost" and "Recirc" buttons together, and release only when the lights on both buttons start to flash back and forth between them. This procedure starts a system self-diagnosis of all components, sensors, etc., and then resets all the settings to the appropriate normals. He explained all this to me in technospeak, but I didn't catch all the details. The test runs for about 15-20 seconds, then the lights stop flashing as all returns to normal.
Apparently, with use the system "settings" get changed. and can become out of sync, including settings for "Tunnel Mode," on and off trigger points for the compressor, etc. My tech said it should be done twice a year or at least at every A or B service. (yea, like all techs are trained, or remember to do this...)
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
If you have a factory installed Climatronic unit, you can perform a climate control system check, diagnosis, and reset of registers...
Press and hold the "Defrost" and "Recirc" buttons together, and release only when the lights on both buttons start to flash back and forth between them. This procedure starts a system self-diagnosis of all components, sensors, etc., and then resets all the settings to the appropriate normals. He explained all this to me in technospeak, but I didn't catch all the details. The test runs for about 15-20 seconds, then the lights stop flashing as all returns to normal.
Apparently, with use the system "settings" get changed. and can become out of sync, including settings for "Tunnel Mode," on and off trigger points for the compressor, etc. My tech said it should be done twice a year or at least at every A or B service. (yea, like all techs are trained, or remember to do this...)
Before the mod crew asks the obvious question, this easter egg works only with factory installed and configured Climatronic units (I assume with all MB models so equipped). Refits of Climatronic head units to non-climatronic equipped cars likely will not work, obviously because the components behind the bling-bling Climatronic unit are not Climatronic. Try it at your own risk.
I did this and the "Flashing Lights" never went out till i turned the key off and took the key out?
Does this mean i have a problem?
Thanks,
Dave
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I just want to point out that none of this climatronic / thermatronic nonsense matters. *EVERYONE* has climatronic or thermatronic, whatever you want to call it. This is a misconception that I constantly see on these forums. Those with the knobs instead of the LCD screen still have the same fully automatic climate control system which works in the same way. There is a short list of differences such as: lack of sun sensor, lack of charcoal filters, and single fan setting rather than dual fans. But it is still dual zone.
This procedure works on any W203.
This procedure works on any W203.
Last edited by acr2001; 12-18-2008 at 01:41 AM.
#18
Super Member
I've got a 2005 with the "manual knob" style A/C. Does this work for me too? I currently don't have my car, so I haven't gotten the chance to experiment. My A/C system seems out of sync sometimes, so maybe this will help...
#20
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Not true. You need to look at the differences between the the 230/240 and the 320 systems. There are four more stepper motors in the 320 system and passenger and driver footwell and fresh air are routed independently.
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My point is, both systems still have the same computer behind them driving the same functionality with the mentioned exceptions. A lot of people seem to think the 230/40 system without the screen isn't automatic or something.
The trick this entire thread is based on works on both systems, so the first post is wrong about that.