In The Dark - Help!

[Guest Dave TDI]

I wonder if anyone has experienced of could shed some light (excuse the pun) on the following problem!

 

I have a new shape 1.9 Zetec 115 diesel Galaxy.

 

I noticed the other night that the bottom half of the center console (the area under the radio/cd player) seems to be dead! The radio illuminates and works.

The three control knobs apart from the fan speed one seem not to have any function i.e. turning the heating or cooling control knob the air temp remains on cold and turning the vent positioning control the air remains blowing on the windscreen.

The three buttons under the control knobs, the air conditioning button, the recirculating internal air button and the rear air conditioning control button seem to have no function and also do not illuminate when pressed.

Is there a fuse or relay feeding this area or could it be a printed circuit problem?

 

Thanks for taking the time to read this and thanks in advance for any help/assistance

 

Dave TDI

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Not sure off hand if dials are electronic rather than linked by cables to controls. Have you checked fuses yet?

[Guest nimrod]

all the switches and knobs on this panel are electrical switches, they electronically control motors that operate the flaps on the air handling unit, it could a case of the plug on the back of the unit has dropped out or off the air handling unit or the loss of earth cable?

I believe there are two or three plugs on the back of the unit and the fan speed switch is a seperate unit so it may explain why its still working?

[Dave-G]

I had this on my last zetec, 'twas a dry joint on one of the plugs behind the panel,

 

It would shift if i (say...) came off a kerb too quick

 

either remove the panel and flex the looms....or whack the side of the console smartly...you'll find it quite durable :(

[Tigger]

Hope the air bag does not pop out?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Should be OK - the fuel cut-off (FCO) and part of the airbag warning system should be under the lhs front seat (ie front passenger seat in rhd cars). Activates at over 16g but you'd be surprised how much a local sharp shock generates - remember the FCO activating on the Fiat Brava/Bravo which made national TV some years ago, when passengers slid the seat against its end stops when the car was in motion?

[Guest Dave TDI]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I have been very busy and not had time to post a message or even attempt to corrrect the fault.

I did try giving the center console a swift sharp whack but it did not spur it back into life or the air bag!

It looks like I will have to get to the back of these switches.

Is it correct that I will need to take the radio out to obtain access?

I did check the fuses before posting the orginal message and they seem ok (I pulled the lot out and tested). I found the description (marking) of the fuses on the back of the pull down door confusing.

 

Look forward to any additional comments

 

Dave