1997 Cadillac Climatrol

Mike Owens

PCS Member
Apparently the Climatrol unit has expired in my 1997 Superior Cadillac coach. I am told by local mechanics that new is available for around $1000 and rebuilt is available for not much less than that!!! I have no fan in the system for heating and cooling the cab. Any ideas???
 
Without knowing what part is bad its tough to give any advise. From my end it sounds like your "mechanic" my not in fact know what he is doing. Problems with these systems can be as simple as a broken vacume line, module, control panel etc. To make a statement from GM its $1000.00 IS JUST STUPID. There are 48 parts for these cars on Ebay now and a world wide network of salvage yards that can be checked carparts.com being one. Plus I am sure there are local salvage yards with 97 Cadillacs BUT you have to know what you need. Get more info and I will try to help.
 
ok Mike so you know its the "controller" so check out the yards in your area and ebay and see whats out there. I'm pretty sure you can get one from somewhere for well under the said price. Do you drive the coach everyday ? if not park it and start looking It would be a cold day in hell before I spent that kind of money without checking around.

just my 2 cents
 
one can jump the hot wire from the fan to get it back till you can find the part. controller described a lot of parts the fan speed controller the temperature controler in this one it can be all in one in a solid state device. if you know the exact controller you need to locate one will spend a bit of your time. but you might be money up front to have the caddy dealer check it out and let you know the exact part you need if your man can't do that. we as a publick are kind of put with our backs agents the wall on a lot of this stuff. your mechanic may not have the test equipment to pinpoint the necessary component to be changed and is only looking at the major brain box as being wrong. not to say he is incompetent he is in the same boat as you and me. now way to pinpoint the one piece that can be changed. but it makes one wonder if 20 years from now people will be able to drive a old car. 40s 50s and 60 type stuff yes but 90 and up maybe not. shame to have a nice car with a solid state device that is obsolete that can't be fixed around
 
I think Ed has a good point go to a Cadillac dealer as they have the test equipment to pin point the problem. Dont authorize repair just find out what is needed and supply part number.This will be good so long as they do not consider a 97 an antique .You sure can qualify them on this point before you sign a shop order.mechanics as a group tend to go nuts with these systems no matter what brand. Another point is check and see if you are getting mode change example door movement for AC out AC outlets defrost on W/S etc. As ED points out you can unplug fan motor run 12 volts direct to motor to run it and check mode change (Warning connect 12 volts tp motor when its unplugged from circut DO NOT allow back feed to system). More people have spent big bucks for repairs on these systems with mechanics who go on the replace parts till it works theroy then the bottom line was a vacume hose was off.
 
As ED points out you can unplug fan motor run 12 volts direct to motor to run it and check mode change (Warning connect 12 volts tp motor when its unplugged from circuit DO NOT allow back feed to system). More people have spent big bucks for repairs on these systems with mechanics who go on the replace parts till it works theory then the bottom line was a vacume hose was off.

yes the shot gun approach to electrical problems. can be a expensive go round. but as Peter just explained they do stuff on these "newer to me" cars that unless you work with them you are not aware off. they do things with current just because they can. I gave up working on a new car when I discovered that I could not put a relay in to kick my fog lights on with the high beam in a 05 car. they were switching the ground to switch from low to high beam not the power. makes sense that they use feedback from the fan to determine if they need more cool or less fan speed to achieve set temp . give me cable controls and a simple fan switch any day .

one can authorize a repair up to a certain amount with the dealer also. but it's going to cost you a set fee to find out what is wrong seams like it's always a 100 bucks now days.
 
Best thing to do is buy a factory specific shop manual , even if you can not do your own repairs it will give you invaluable insight into the operation of the system you are trying to repair . Some things are a simple repair even on newer cars . Use the appropriate flow chart and you might be able to fix it your self. Shop manuals have more than just mechanical repair info , body info ,build codes etc . :my2cents:
 

Attachments

  • DSC02989.jpg
    DSC02989.jpg
    33 KB · Views: 139
Like others have said take it somewhere else. Ive had ones that I was told the controller (or head unit) was bad, and took it somewhere else only to find a $20 relay fixed the problem.
 
1997 Climatrol

Thanks to all of you for your well intentioned and much appreciated advice. This car is our daily funeral coach for my 3 chapels. I bought it new in 1997 and it has been an excellent vehicle. Only 2 major issues in all of these years, the air shocks and now the Climatrol controller. I will do some research on finding a new built part, my coach dealer advised against a rebuilt part, his experience has been that it can come back and bite you know where...
Again, I get far more from this group than my dues cost...
 
Back
Top