Question about replacing HVAC controls...

[chuckk_]

Hey guys - I appreciate all the help on my sometimes silly car questions. I bought my 2002 SE in June 2010 for $3200 and it's been a complete boondoggle. Had I not done some of the repairs myself with the aid of this forum, I would've easily matched that initial price in repair costs within the first 18 months of owning the car (though I'm still closer to matching it than I'd like to be).

Next project: the light behind the HVAC control panel burnt out.

It's not a big deal, but just to end the hassle of turning the dome light on to see what the buttons are when I'm driving at night, I'm gonna replace it.

I know it's a pretty cheap-and-easy thing to replace, but I'm curious - is upgrading to the "separate climate" HVAC controls as simple as "plug-and-play" with the new control panel? Or is that something that was only available on the SSEi and would require lots more "behind the scenes" parts?

As always, thank you for the help.

[00Beast]

You can send it to harofreak00 for new bulbs, his turnaround is really good.

There is much more to the digital climate control than the control panel itself. The whole HVAC assembly is different, along with the modules and wiring.

[chuckk_]

00Beast - thanks for the quick answer!
That makes sense. I figured swapping out the control unit and instantly getting digital/separate climates was too good to be true. And, as much as I'd love to have harofreak00 refurbish the one i have, I'm not in a position to drive around Wisconsin in December without heat for any amount of time - even if the turnaround is quick.

And besides, it looks like I can score a used one on eBay for under $30.