V/S70 - Why you clean the cabin sensor

[scot850]

I have mentioned that the cabin sensor should be cleaned from time-to-time. Some may wonder why I harp on about it and here is a good example of one that has probably never been cleaned in the cars' life until it ended up in the junkyard at 190,000 miles or so:

Cabin sensor

You can see the wad of hair/dust/whatever which is clogging the fan motor. This is the end of the sensor that sits behind that little grille in the middle of your dash near the ECC unit. In the background you can see a round ring. It is a rubber cap that sits in the end of the unit you are looking at. When you remove the sensor it usually gets stuck in the back of the dash. You need to remove it and re-fit to the sensor before re-installing it! Careful you don't drop it as it will end up down inside the dash requiring the center console to be removes to extricate it! (How do I know............ )

Cabin sensor thermocouple

Look at the end of the thermocouple bead. It is totally covered in dust. This will not be able to sense correctly if at all as the fan that draws the air over it at the back of the sensor is stuck!

I usually clean with IPA/rubbing compound, cotton buds and a small artists brush. After cleaning I spray a little silicon oi on the fan bearings and then spin it up with a air-line nozzle on my compressor.

Don't forget to refit the rubber seat!

Neil.

[scot850]

And I can tell you this is a long way from the worst I have seen!

Neil.