My truck currently has the manual A/C and heat controls, is it possible to swap the manual unit out for the electronic one? Would I just have to replace the control panel itself, or is there more to it?

Thanks
Paul

 

Have you been in a truck that has it and tried it out?

I think I remeber someone on here that has done it, you might try doing a search until someone that has done it replies.

I personally hate the auto A/C!

I miss the old manual kind that I had in my Ranger.

 

I hate the automatic A/C as well. I would rather be in total control of my temperature, fan speed, and air flow routing. I had an '02 Lightning before my Screw, and I miss the HVAC system on the L almost as much as the torque.

Well...not quite that much, but I do prefer manual to automatic. So does my wife. Are we the exception here?

CW

 

I have EATC and it works excellent but I can override the temp, fan speed and vents manually if need be

 

Yea I love my electric AC. Its easy to bypass the auto setting, and get it to do whatever a manual does.

 

For those who can't figure out how to change the settings (other than the temp) need to read the owners manual. I had the manual climate control in my '05 and must say that I am much happier with the automatic temperature in my '06. I can take total control of the system like I did in my old truck if I want, or I can set it to 68 degrees and let the system do the rest of the work, keeping me perfectly comfortable.

As far as switching out, I think it can be done, but will require a fair amount of work. There is a temperature sensor to the right of the steering wheel (under the message center switch), if you aren't sure what I am talking about, find a pic of a truck with the automatic temperature. I posted the Ford wiring diagram book for the 2005 F150 which should work for the '04 and '06 as well (but I won't guarantee it). Do a search for my name and you should find it.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

Those of us that do not like it know well how to over-ride it; which means it is not a truely auto system. Which is why we don't like it.

If it's so automatic and great , why do we have to press the recirculate button every time we restart the truck?

 

Ummm....ok, just because there is a manual override doesn't mean it isn't automatic. I set mine to "Auto" and leave it and it automatically takes care of the temperature.

I am not 100% sure how Ford designed the system, but it is very possible they did this on purpose. Typically the air outside is cooler than the air inside when you first get in. If it's 100 degrees outside, your truck is probably sitting at 120 degrees, or hotter! Your truck will cool faster if you draw in the cooler outside air (even though its really hot) before swiching over to recirculate mode (after the cab cools down a bit). I haven't tested this theory to see if it is what happens on our trucks, but I know Ford mechanics (and I am sure the engineers) are aware of these temperature conditions. My dad was a Ford mechanic for 20+ years (now a shop foreman for the dealership), he is the one who advised me to draw outside air in with my old truck to cool it down faster and then switch it to recirculate. If they built these that way then this truly is an automatic, and smart, cooling system.

 

I like the auto control but why is it when it's 90+ and I turn the ac on in auto the fan doesn't run at full speed???? I have to subcool in manual then I'll put it back in auto when I don't need so much air. I have never seen my fan run at full speed in auto.

I also have to put it in recirculate to help on hot days, WHY?????

I do like auto controls. I don't have these problems in my bonneville my wife drives.

Somebody from ford needs to talk to somebody from gm.

 

I do know my truck runs the fan at full speed. I can get in and start my truck, for about 5 seconds it starts at low speed, then kicks right into high speed if it's hot enough.