a/c control panel problem

If everything in the control panel shuts down (including the clock) then you might have a current flow problem at the "hidden fuse" in the front trunk. Do you know if it has ever been upgraded?

 

The electonics inside are not very complex, if there is a malfuncion, I would think that an electronics repair guy could easily make short work of it - at a tiny fraction fo the $2000+ you mention.

 

Its a fuse, not a fuse box, Check this out http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=140004715&postcount=26
If that doesn't help out do a Forum Search for "Hidden Fuse"

 

I believe the picture in the attached link shows a RHD car. If your car has left hand drive, the "hidden fuse" is on the passenger side of the front trunk, under the trunk liner, on the side of the air inlet box to the heater. As shown in the picture, it's the front one, rated at 30 amps, and originally it's a blade fuse, but the fuses and fuseholders have a tendency to melt under the heavy current draw. The approved repair is to replace the fuseholder with a cylinder-shaped unit with gold contacts, as used in high-amperage stereo applications.

It's easiest to get at if you remove the entire trunk liner, but it IS possible to reach it by lifting up the rear corner portion of the trunk seal, and then the rear corner of the liner. Yes, it's a stupid place to put an important fuse, and no, that fuse isn't listed in the owners handbook with the other fuses and relays.

By the way, the control panels are indeed very hard to find, and they are indeed very expensive. I've read that problems in the circuit boards have been found, and can be repaired by someone skilled with a soldering gun. The circuitry may be "not very complex" to someone used to working on electronics, but let's just say that it's not a toaster, and there are NO diagrams available, and it sure looks complex to me!

 

Jeff:

I always enjoy your posts. Relevant and complete.

 

+1.

IMHO, Miltonian is one of the great assets to FChat.

 

Look who's talking.

 

Thank you for the kind words!

 

If you end up needing it fixed my car audio repair shop can have a look at it... We have been able to fix 3 out of 4 as it depends on if someone has already tried to fix it....

Scott