I had this happen this morning. I'll be trying to pull the dash apart tonight, and hopefully I can at least do a temp fix like you did.

Did you find out anything further?

 

Temp Knob

The problem for me was the "piano wire" that pushes and pulls when you turn the selector, walked off.

Pending on how handy you are it's a PIA to walk back on, the little metal square goes in first, then I used an "L shaped" pick that mechanics use to walk it back on. Looks like the "Real fix" would be to replace the housing piano wire housing that goes to heater core control (i am guessing).

To get at it this You Tube video helped me, it was titled "2009 TOYOTA COROLLA AC CONSOLE KNOB REPLACEMENT"

If you don't have one, I would get an "L Shaped" pick tool...sometimes they come in a pack of 4 with different shapes. It's not mandatory that you have one, but when you have the dash all apart, the car is undriveable,,,

I fumbled thru it the first time (45 min?),,, so I would give yourself time,,,I had to do it again and Maybe it took me 10min,,,

Once I fixed it the first time,,,it walked off again fairly quickly,,,so for the winter I kept selector from 12 0'clock position (Floor) to defrost and it did not walk off once...when things warm up and I need A/C - I will put it on chest/dash output and leave it there,,,it seems the more you move it back and forth the more it want to walk off

Anything else, let me know

 

I just had this same problem, the only thing I would add is that I think the cause of my problem was that cable, which looks like the older style yellow, red, and whit av cables for your tv was coming apart where it enters the control knob. The three parts were starting to seperate which I think allowed the cable to get some slack and walk off it's track. I taped the heck out of it with electrical tape and also put a small screw in where that square thing goes just to hold it there if the cable gets loose again. also, once I was done my knob moved easily again when it was hard to move before it broke. I've been using it for a few days now and no problems yet, fingers crossed!

 

Fixed!

I just had this problem. Both ends of the cable were shredded apart. The other end was a little hard to get to but not impossible. All work was inside the car and unscrewing some fasteners that holds the motor fan in place (fan motor blocks the other end of that cable. You will have to move the fan motor enough to take the gear cable side off from the vent assembly). I took the torn cable and took it to a local toyota dealer and got a new one for $40. ~2 hour repair for me. e/m me if you need some help: creticusgg@gmail.com

 

Fixed! I just had this problem. Both ends of the cable were shredded apart. The other end was a little hard to get to but not impossible. All work was inside the car and unscrewing some fasteners that holds the motor fan in place (fan motor blocks the other end of that cable. You will have to move the fan motor enough to take the gear cable side off from the vent assembly). I took the torn cable and took it to a local toyota dealer and got a new one for $40. ~2 hour repair for me. e/m me if you need some help: creticusgg@gmail.com

I hav a been trying to figure out where the other end of this cable goes forever. Are you able to share some detailed info on how to get to non knob side?

 

Hi,
Same thing happend to me today, the temp control knob is not working.
I took apart the dashboard and saw the two cables there unrapped.
Tried to put them back in their place(in the rail and then that little block inside he's slot)
But it keeps falling apart Everytime i twist it.
Am i doing it wrong ?

 

Did you ever solve it? We were thinking of finding a flat screw that might hold the cable in place, or melting the plastic around the cable.

 

check to see if the end of the cable housing is starting to split apart which makes slack around the knob, that was my problem. I taped mine back together to tighten it up and screwed a screw into the knob to hold that block in even if it gets slack again. It's still working for me after almost a year. The other option is to replace the cable.

 

That's what I did except I used electrical tape instead of melting the cable, and get a screw also just to make sure the cable stays in place in case the cable ever loosens up again. Still working fine after almost two years.

 

Thanks, will try it!

 

Mine has its tight days... thinking its on its way out... any pics available of the fix?

 

Here's my pic of my failed attempt (#2) using a two-part epoxy to cover up the pin. Didn't last my daughter more than a week... My "Next attempt" plan is to use a screw to make sure it doesn't come out this time. Hot glue, or just melting the plastic around it would work too. Maybe this weekend if she stops by.

There is obviously a position the dial can be put in that creates sufficient slack that the brass block (holding the two wires together) can easily pop out... Hope this helps.

 

I'd grab a used one from the junk yard. This way you don't risk breaking it again. Probably going to be under $30.

 

A used one? Why? Just buy a new one for $38.00 at the dealer and install.

 

Sorry, I didn't take any pics of my fix. It does sound confusing but it will all make sense when you open it up and see for yourself.

 

That's what I did. Also, see where the black coating on your cables is a bit shredded and separated where it enters the white housing? That is where the extra slack is coming from that is allowing things to come apart. Fix that with some electrical tape, hot glue, etc.

 

My fix didn't resolve the problem (the epoxy is still holding) - for exactly the reason you mention - the frayed wire was still slipping up thru the channel from where it enters the plastic housing. So, I zip tied it in a few places to keep the wires from slipping out of the channel. So far it is holding.

 

My fix is still going strong! Is the screw you added not enough to hold the cable in it's track when the other end loosens up?

 

No... because of the frayed wire, one of the wires slipped right up the open channel at the base. I expect that the 4 zip strips (expected overkill here) will stop that from happening again.

 

Anyone have a part number for the new cable?