Are you having climate control issues on your Honda Accord, and do you want to know how to reset it as the first step of troubleshooting? You’ve come to the right place, for we have researched this question, and we have the answer for you.
Reset the climate control of your Honda Accord by following the simple steps below.
- Turn the engine of your car off.
- Place the car key in the second position, turning your Accord on.
- Locate the “Defrost” button and the “Off” button.
- Press and hold the “Off” button and the “Defrost” button.
- Wait for the light to blink five times to complete.
Let’s talk more about the climate control system on your Honda Accord in the succeeding sections.
Read on!
Reasons Why Climate Control Fails
All modern cars have air conditioning, but not all have climate control.
An air conditioner will keep your car cool in the warm summer months, the same as a climate control system. Unfortunately, this is where the similarities end.
A car AC will not be able to keep you warm in winter, while a climate control system can.
The climate control system of your Honda Accord is like the HVAC system in your home. It is responsible for cooling the air when it is warm and for warming the air when it is cold.
However, instead of having only one system that can do both, the climate control system in your Accord relies on different systems in your car to work.
Sometimes resetting the climate control of your Honda Accord will fix some of the electronic issues in the system. However, if the reset did not fix the issue, you will need to identify why the climate control failed.
So, what causes a climate control system to fail?
Faulty Or Failing Control Module
The “module” part of its name could be confusing. Some might think that it is another minicomputer inside the Accord with a special function.
Instead, the climate control’s control module is the collection of buttons and dials that you see on your Accord’s center panel. Most of the time, the assembly of buttons and dials includes all the necessary electronic hardware to control the heating and cooling components of your climate control system.
However, if the control module starts to fail, it may stop responding expectedly.
In most cases, the failure of the control module is due to regular wear and tear. Daily use of your Accord and regular adjustment of the climate settings contribute to wear and tear.
Wear on the control module can take the form of loose dials, broken buttons, unresponsive settings, and erratic behavior. You can try a climate control reset to get the module to respond correctly once more, and in some cases, it would work. Unfortunately, only a replacement can resolve any physical issues.
Failing Sensors
If the control module is still functioning properly but you’re getting erratic results from your climate control system, then the problem could be a failing sensor.
A basic climate control system will have at least two sensors. One sensor is responsible for checking the external temperature. Another sensor is responsible for monitoring the temperature inside the cabin.
Additionally, more complicated climate control systems will have more sensors. Multiple sensors can be inside the cabin to make sure that there is even heating or cooling. There could be a separate sensor for monitoring the heat from the sun and how it affects the cabin temperature and another to check the individual body temperatures of the occupants.
These sensors provide information to the climate control system to determine the optimum strength and temperature of air coming from the vents.
Unfortunately, a faulty sensor can make faulty readings and send inaccurate data to the control module. The wrong data can throw off the calculations of the control module. With the wrong calculations, the temperature inside the cabin quickly deteriorates.
How to fix the sensor issue?
A failing sensor will require a bit of troubleshooting to identify which sensor or sensors are failing. This means that professional mechanics have a better chance of finding the failing sensor.
Unfortunately, sensors are not serviceable. This means that the only way to fix it would be to replace it with a new working sensor.
Faulty Blend Motors
A blend motor—or blend door actuator, or simply blend actuator—is a type of actuator that controls the flow of air inside your Accord. It has a plastic casing and gears.
When you adjust the dial to increase or decrease the temperature (or increase or decrease airflow), the dial sends a signal to the blend motor. Depending on the signal, the blend motor will reposition the doors inside the vent so that the air coming out will match the setting on the dial.
A blend actuator also redirects the necessary airflow to facilitate defrosting. A secondary blend motor will also control other vents inside your Accord.
Like all other motors, the blend motor will burn out over time and become less reliable. When this happens, it will not be able to route airflow properly and make it seem like the climate control system is not working properly. There will be inconsistent airflow and temperatures inside the cabin.
One of the symptoms of a faulty blend motor is a knocking or clicking sound from the dash close to the area where you have the control module. The sound can be constant from the moment you start your car, or it can be intermittent.
How to fix a blend motor issue?
The only way to repair a faulty blend motor is to replace it with a new one.
Replacement will involve the removal of the dashboard, and this can be too much for some DIYers. Book an appointment with your local mechanic to replace the blend motor and fix this issue.
Coolant Issue
The coolant of your Accord is also a component of the climate control system.
Hot coolant from the engine flows through the heater core, which looks like a radiator. The heater core has fins of copper or aluminum for better heat conduction.
A fan pushes air through the fins of the heater core to bring warm air into the cabin and raise the temperature.
If your climate control is no longer generating warm air, then the problem could be the fan or the cooling system of your Accord.
If you’re experiencing hotter than normal engine temperatures, it is a good idea to check the coolant level of your Accord to make sure that you are not running low on coolant.
A problem with the cooling system of your Accord leads to a bigger issue than just a problem with your climate control. A low coolant level will lead to your engine overheating.
Have a mechanic check your cooling system, especially if you regularly lose coolant. If there is a sweet smell inside your cabin when you turn on the heater, then there is a coolant leak.
Clogged Cabin Air Filter
The cabin air filter gets rid of dirt particles, road debris, and pollen from the air going to the climate control system.
However, like all filters inside your Accord, the cabin air filter will eventually become clogged. When the cabin air filter is clogged, there will be limited airflow going to your climate control system. This leads to problems with your climate control system.
Check the user manual of your Accord to get the location of your air filter. If it is too dirty, use your vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt and debris on your cabin air filter.
If airflow did not improve, then it is time to replace the cabin air filter.
Low Refrigerant
The refrigerant is one of the reasons why your climate control system produces cool air. It moves through your car’s AC system—like your home AC system—to produce cool air. However, if the refrigerant level is low, then the climate control system will no longer be able to cool the warm air inside the cabin. This is the likely root cause of the problem if your climate control can no longer produce cool air.
Bring your Accord to a mechanic or a car AC specialist to look for leaks in your AC system. The refrigerant level of your Accord should not drop unless there is a leak. The mechanic should seal the leak first before recharging the refrigerant.
Clogged Condenser Or Evaporator
The evaporator and the condenser are also components of the AC side of your climate control system.
The condenser is like a small radiator that you’d see near the actual radiator of your Accord. It is responsible for releasing the heat from the refrigerant and bringing it back to a liquid state.
The evaporator, on the other hand, is responsible for releasing cool air into the cabin through a fan.
If there is a blockage in the pathway of the refrigerant going through these two components, then the AC will not work properly. The AC system depends on the refrigerant’s ability to quickly change state from a liquid to gas and vice versa.
Bring your car to a mechanic to fix the blockage.
Conclusion
Resetting the climate control system of a Honda Accord is only the first step. If this fails to correct the issue, then identifying the cause of the problem will be the next step.
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My temp up button stopped working and I thought I needed to replace the entire control unit.
This fixed my issue – thank you so very much!