Jaguar S-Type Climate Control Problems

jeffsl

For anyone else that may have a damaged/defective Air Conditioning Climate Control Module in a Jaguar S-Type, here are some guidelines and solution(s)...

Symptom(s):
1. Driver and/or passenger vent(s) blow(s) hot/warm air, even when the controls are set to max cold (or any other level). This may occur on just the driver side, just the passenger side, or both sides, and even intermittently.

Causes:
1. Only the Heater Valve (or "Coolant Control Valve") is defective. After some time, corrosion and vibrations cause this component to fail, either mechanically and/or electrically (i.e. internal short).
-or-
2. Heater Valve + Climate Control Module are defective. When the Heater Valve dies or begins to die, it eventually takes the Climate Control Module with it to the grave.
-or-
3. Only the Climate Control Module is defective. Assuming the Heater Valve is good, this particular scenario is unlikely to happen.

Why the Heater Valve gets damaged:
Corrosion - not enough anti-corrosion additive in the coolant, or harsh weather conditions, or just old age? Vibration?

Why the Climate Control Module gets damaged:
There is no protection circuitry in the Climate Control Module to protect itself against damage due to failure at the Heater Valve.

How to diagnose:
1. Check the fuse for the Heater Valve. It may be labeled as "Coolant Control Valve" in the owner's manual.
2. Check the connection to the Heater Valve. Is the connector loose/corroded? Is the Heater Valve corroded? The S-Type is an always-hot-fuse system, which means that one wire to the Heater Valve is always "hot" (+12V), and it needs the other wire(s) to ground to chassis in order for the internal solenoid valve to work. Replace the Heater Valve first. If you have replaced the Heater Valve, but still experience the above symptoms, the Climate Control Module has probably been damaged already.
3. It is probably not the The Evaporator Discharge Temperature sensor(s) under the dash, but check them anyway.
4. If the dealer has replaced everything else besides the Climate Control Module for you already, then the last piece of the puzzle is probably the Climate Control Module. Gotta replace or fix it!

What I can do for you:
You send me your Climate Control Module (complete unit, inside the casing with front faceplate). If you cannot remove it from the vehicle yourself, I recommend that you have a qualified technician do the removal and later re-install for you. I will diagnose it at no additional cost to you (besides what you paid for shipping to me). Once I have confirmed the presence of repairable damage, I will give you a reasonable quote for the repair including return shipping back to you. Not only that, I will modify your module with protection circuitry that will prevent it from getting fried again in the same way (the next time your Heater Valve dies). If you happen to have the old Heater Valve ("Coolant Control Valve"), I can bench test that as well, but it is usually not repairable when the internal and sealed coils are damaged. Send me an e-mail to discuss your particular case: jaguarclimatecontrol@gmail.com

jaymzs

I believe you may be talking about the heater valve which opens and allows water to flow into the heater core, its probably vac operated. You will have to ask a mechanic.
Should be cheap and easy. They gum up on all cars after awhile.

I'm saying this because your air still works, its just your heat. The valve is only partially open.

peter2002

Thanks for your imput - Please note the air con DOES NOT work.

Regards Peter

stypejag

Thanks Jeffsl, this is exact problem on mine 05 s-type, I took it to dealership and found out the heater valves were bad, and leaking some coolant from one of the valve, got that changed and replaced with new heater valves, I thought that would fixed the problem, but the dealer tech came out and told me the Climate control module also bad, and they wanted $1195+tax for it, this is after I spend $285 on the heater vales and $220 on labor. I will contact you shorty once I take out the Climate control unit.

jomama3

Same problem with heater, started blowing hot air out passenger side vent
with semi cool air on drivers side. Dealer wants two hundred to look at the
car. Can anybody assist with instructions to get access to the motor control
valve?. And control panel?

peter2002

Had the same problem - It took Jaguar a little time to work it out - Over a day !! - Two split wires presumably to the censors / valves !! - Control valves were ok - They charged £185 incl VAT - which wasn't bad by their standards - Personally, they should have diagnosed problem quicker.

jomama3

Hi and thanks for your help!

Do you know if they removed any of the dash components.

jeffsl

It may be a good idea to let the dealer (or a good jaguar mechanic) diagnose it. If you can use a multimeter i can give you some instruction with how/where to diagnose. e-mail me at: jaguarclimatecontrol@gmail.com

jeffsl

peter2002,
wiring problems are some of the hardest problems to diagnose. happy to hear that you got it fixed.

stypejag

Guys,

For those having same problem as I, give Jeff a try. I sent my climate control to him last week and got it back 2 days later, put it back in the car that same night, turn on the air cond, cold air on all the vents, problem solved after 2 months of holding back from $1200 dealer cost.

Jeff, you did great, really appreciated your help.

K.C.

ivey2

I am having the same problem with the "bubbling/gurgling" sounds immediately after the car is shut off. I saw the suggestion about the air lock but wondered if anyone has been able to get theirs eliminated by that fix.

dehya

Hello, i have a 2001 Jaguar S type that needs the front 2 left and right side lower ball joints replaced. I am thinking of ordering the parts from MacAuto parts (part number XR8041215J). They only sell the ball joints and not the vertical link. The dealerships only sell the ball joints with the vertical link, however I was able to find the ball joints without the vertical link. I was wondering if anyone had a similar problem and if it possible to replace just the ball joints without the vertical link? How can I do this and do you know if the parts from Mac auto parts are any good?

Mr_Shiftright

How did you determine that the ball joints need replacing?

You are allowed .8mm play in them. You raise the vehicle and put a jackstand under the lower suspension arm. Then wiggle the wheel at 12 and 6 o'clock and have someone note the play in the ball joint.

Also be aware that there was a recall on this car for loose ball joints because the joint nuts were not tightened to proper spec. You might get away with tightening them if they haven't been hammered too badly.

modart

I have a 2004 S type 4.2L with dual climate control. The Passenger side is stuck on heat. A local shop replaced the heater control valve which looks like a dual acting valve. I am guessing that it controls hot water to split cores one for the driver and one for the passenger. The valve does not look new so maybe they did not replace it like they said.

There are the following 3 Lines of data on the side of the valve:
1 147 412 175
2R8H – 18495- AC
090716 .B



My question is does the heater control valve regulate the heating temperature by turning on or off the flow of hot water to the coils. If so, then I should be able to apply 12V to the solenoid on top the coil and shut off the flow to the side of the core that is stuck on heat, or is the heat regulated by diverting air flow of the hot air to the outside of the car by some sort of vent damper. I have also read that there are some evaporator temperature sensors that fail and wont send the 12V to the valve. They are supposed to be easy to change and only cost about $20.00. I tried to remove one of them and could not get it out. Is there a special tool that is needed?

Thank You

dennis@modart4u.com

jeffsl

Hi Dennis,

New valves should look "brand-spankin' new" and shiny. Let's hope your replacement valve is actually good. (don't worry, we can figure that out...see below for test procedure)

Unlike some other vehicles, the S-Type doesn't use a mixing door for AC/heater temperature control. All AC air always travels through the heater core.

*IMPORTANT* Do not blindly apply 12V to the valve's terminals. The valve control is an active ground setup. On a dual valve, the middle terminal is always Hot +12to14V, while the outer 2 terminals are either floating or grounded.

The Climate Control Module sends a ground "signal" to the valve(s), which closes it and impedes the flow of hot water/coolant to the heater core under the dash. For intermediate temperature settings, the module constantly cycles the signal to control how cold the AC blows out the vents. "Lo" temperature setting keeps the valve closed. "Hi" setting keeps the valve open. The problem with this is that as the heater valve ages (i.e. corrodes), it starts to pass more and more current back to the module. Even if the heater valve still works in that state, the board and components in the module, which aren't designed to handle this situation, end up getting literally fried by the high current. So, this heater valve control circuit just stops working, and the valve defaults to full open.

The evaporator temperature sensors -can- be -a- cause of such problem, but in most cases I've seen, this isn't where the problem comes from. To remove, just pull..harder. They are tight.

Chances are, the old valve had already damaged your module. So replacing the valve, although a step in the right direction, didn't completely solve the problem.

If you can use a multimeter to take voltage, current, and resistance measurements, you can follow my test procedure below to help us determine if the valve and/or module are good or bad:

1. Run the engine.

2. Set the controls to max "Lo" for both driver and passenger sides.

3. Confirm that the air is still blowing hot (take note which side blows hot or if it's hot for both driver and passenger sides).

4. Disconnect the plug from the valve and take voltage measurements at all 3 contacts in the plug. The middle contact should read 14v or so.

5. Take resistance measurements at the 2 outer contacts in the plug (measure between each contact and a chassis ground). The 2 outer contacts should read close to 0 ohms.

6. Jumper the middle contact in the plug to the middle contact at the valve. Jumper one outer contact in the plug to the corresponding outer contact at the valve using the multimeter to measure current. Be careful that you don't short anything with the middle contact in the plug (it's always hot +12v-14v). Repeat the measurement at the other outer contact after disconnecting the first outer contact (don't disconnect the middle contacts yet). Each measurement should read 0.9 to 1.1amps. If the measurement in step 5 showed a much higher resistance than 0 ohms, then the current measurement will not give a proper result.

7. With the middle contacts still jumpered between the plug and valve, jumper an outer contact on the valve to a chassis ground, while using the multimeter to measure current. Check to see if any vents blow cooler air during this grounding process. Repeat the measurement at the other outer contact and check the vents again.

8. Reconnect the plug to the valve.

9. Shut off the engine.

10. Report the results back to Jeff. e-mail to: jaguarclimatecontrol@gmail.com

Once we confirm that the module is bad, then you can decide if you want to pay a 4-figure sum to the dealer for a new module (only to have it die again when the valve goes bad again), or have me:
1. Repair the damaged module.
and
2. Upgrade the valve control circuit to protect against damage caused by a dying valve in the future.

Jeff.

vdsea25

Background:
I have a 2005 Jaguar 4.2 S-type. In Aug 09, my AC starting blowing hot air out the driver's vents and cool air out the passenger's vents if I closed the vents on the driver's side. Took the car to an air conditioning specialist and they told me it was the heater control valve that needed to be replaced for a total of $900. I delayed repairs why I tried to find the part on the internet to do the replacement myself. Not too long afterwards I noticed coolant leaking. I eventually had the heater control valve and the auxillary water pump replaced. No change to the A/C. Took the car to the dealer to find out the Climate Control module was shot and replacement would be $1,800+.

Solution: Two weeks ago I trusted the post from Jeffsl and sent my module to him for repairs. In less than 2 days he had it repaired and ready for return to me. I reinstalled the module and I've got my cold air back. That was the BEST $275 (I paid $25 for insurance) repair ever!! :shades:

If you're having A/C issues, give Jeffsl a try @ jaguarclimatecontrol@gmail.com thanks Jeff!!!

eduk

I have a 1999 S-Type 3-liter.

When it rains hard, the inside of the windows get damped very fast.
I have to put the blower to HIGH and after some minutes the damp disappears.
During winter, defrosting the window took many minutes. It really take a long time to get warm air blowing.
Sometimes the airconditioning blows a stinking air into the cabin.
The air is not getting cold when it should do and and not getting warm when expected.
However, sometimes, I hear a clicking noise, and it looks like the airco start working. At the same time this stinking air is back..
But the next moment it does not work at all.
There are no leaks.
So, what can be the problem. Is it the A/C module of a fuse?

calipso64

I had the same issue on my 2007 S type R...was lucky enough that it was still under warranty. Apparently the issue is common enough that a bulletin was sent out to the dealers ( # JTB00066 TSB. ?) . It turns out that the mysterious sounds comes from defective defrost recirculation door actuator servo motor (at least in my case) ...took dealer a good 3-4 hours to swap. So far so good...no more gurgling.

andy1974

Hi ,
I own a s type jag 2001 model...its only got 44,000 kms on it and runs brilliantly...recently i went overseas and when i came back found that the heater only blows air but the air is not hot so it does not warm the car...can anyone sugest what may be wrong with it/
Cheers
Andy

andy1974

Hi ,
I own a s type jag 2001 model...its only got 44,000 kms on it and runs brilliantly...recently i went overseas and when i came back found that the heater only blows air but the air is not hot so it does not warm the car...can anyone sugest what may be wrong with it?
Cheers
Andy

jamal25

Hey Jeff how r u? I am having trouble with my AC. I have a 2005 Jaguar S-type. I took it to the dealership they said I need a AC Control Module, which costs $1600. Please help me if you can.

Jamal

Mr_Shiftright

First thing I'd check is your coolant level.

sdem

Late build 2002 4.2L. Winter here, start car, takes ages before heat finally starts blowing. At random time, strange noise, sounds a little like when you just start to release foot brake on wet discs, then flow stops totally and restarts a few minutes later, usually. Very strange. Also initially no fan activity at all, even if manual mode is engaged. Can turn off unit, and back on, no change. I bought second hand a year ago and don't recall this type of behaviour then.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

jaymzs

Yes I had a 04 4.2:L, they replaced what I remember was a heater control valve, not the control panel. That rattle, if it sounds like a gurgle once in a whileand a rattle other times , Well They replaced the vents in the center control , I knew it wasn't that! Comes and goes.
with or without the fan on. I believe howerver its an air bubble in the cooling system I heard you could burb from below. BMW , same thing. Love the car but got rid of it since they couldn't find the squeal in the tranny, Yes that new FX tranny crapped at 70k . It was reprogrammed repeadily and fluid changed at least 4 times, never help.
I think I had all the quirks, and didn't expect them being an 04 and all

eduk

My problem is solved.

Problem was electronical.
The relais responsible for the AC in the fusebox under the motorhood was coroded and the contact points were burned in.
This is replaced (18 euro).

Furthermore the space between the magnetic plates on the airco pump was too big and was bought closer to each other.

Hope this will be of any help for you.

katmandu3

Jamal: We had the same problem with our 2004 s type. Dealer wanted $1600 for part. I bought it on Ebay for $85 and paid the dealer to install it. You might want to check it out.

johnny_lee

Hey Jamal, the dealership gave me the same quote on the module, plus even more for the service. Mine was blowing hot on the driver's side. I google'd for the problem and found this website: jaguarclimatecontrol.com
There is a lot of good information there. I followed their step-by-step module removal instructions and got mine out in 15 minutes with no cursing. I had actually bought another module on ebay and found out it had the same problem, only it was hot on the passenger side instead! Go figure. Anyhow, I just sent my module in to them in hopes of getting it repaired. Crossing my fingers...

cc1965rip

I was wondering how you like your 2001 Jag. I am about to purchase one & am leary. Never owned one before. What do you think?

bloggins

I have a 2003 Jaguar S-Type and the check engine light has been on for a bit. The first time I had a problem it was the coolant reservoir. I had that replaced after ordering the item from Ebay and having it put in. I have been hearing a noise that sounds like trash or a piece of plastic underneath the car but when I checked it was nothing there. All sounds seem to be coming from the left front side somewhere. I took my car to my repairman and thought that the check engine light was on due to needing spark plugs and an air filter. My car only has 62,000 miles on it and I really like it. My repairman told me that it is misfiring or that is what the computer is reading. He didn't have a Jaguar software and he wished he knew someone that did. He told me to drive it and see if the spark plugs were all it needed. He erased the code and the light went off. My car was due for inspection and it passed. I need to change my oil, but it isn't bad, but will do on next week. Well to my surprise 2 days later my check engine light came back on and the Restricted Performance light came back on, which goes on and off at times and when it does there is no accelerated speed. I do know that often times my coolant light comes on saying low coolant, but when my husband checks it isn't really low but needs some coolant put in. Would anyone happen to know what is wrong. Have you had this experience with your Jaguar. I don't have the specific code but will check by Autozone for the code and let you know. Please help.

tgrantham357

Does anyone know where I can find an AC ECU for a Jaguar S Type 2003 4.2 V8 for the LOW LOW (cheap price)?