Help! AC switch stuck

Hi all,

My AC switch failed a while back and I tried to replace it by matching the Bosch part number on eBay. While it fit it doesn't work and now it won't come out. I've got an OEM one to install and would love any tips. The plastic is broken from using needle nose pliers to grab it and pull but I think there are a couple tabs that I'm not seeing in the back. The red V for clarity...

 

Did the switch Arc the pins together .

The fit that tight ? I never saw one stuck the bad .

I am not sure if pulling the the whole control out will help.

 

Pull out your radio and try to push it out from below. If no luck there remove the whole control unit a few inches and try from the side/back

 

I see four screws that are holding the unit in place, correct? Three on the right and one that's recessed on the left behind the red V. It should just be friction holding the switch in there, yeah?

 

I sure hope not. Given that it didn't actually turn on the AC I won't rule it out.

 

Switch is just held in by friction, mainly via the connector pins. I can remove mine by just grabbing the switch with some pliers so I’m. It sure why your is so stuck!

I believe you have to take the whole center bezel off to get to where you remove the stereo and control unit. There are two screws above the ash tray, and the ones you see in your pic

 

Success! At least getting to the back side of the switch housing. Yeah, it's dirty in there... Ten years of burning man playa dust and 414k miles of everything else.

There is a tab on top in the back that keeps the wires in the socket in place and pressing that helped loosen the switch.

Now to out it back together and see if the switch actually works. That left hand recessed screw was tricky to remove without it falling behind the panels.

 

Success!!

I am now an expert in removing and reassembling the center console because you can do it right the first time or you can do it right the second. Or in my case, third.

I had the two screws that held in the ash tray bracket and only one screw (I'm missing one in the left facing down) on the center console. The console has tabs on the bottom and clips everywhere else so pressing down on the vent cutouts and pulling out did the trick. See one of the pics where it's leaning away from the console. The emergency flasher button is still attached when you remove it so don't pull it away until you unclip that plug.

Also if you need to drive anywhere you won't have turn signals with the emergency switch disconnected.

While I was in there my bulb behind the temp controls was burnt out (thus the driving to get a new one). It's a 12v 1.2w tiny bulb that will glow amber if you don't reuse the green tint "condom" from the previous one. A 90 degree needle nose plier set really helped getting the bulb out of the housing.

Finally got everything back in and one of the screws from the ashtray bracket wouldn't go in. Turns out the mounting screws for the console and the ash tray bracket look the same BUT THEY ARE NOT!

Lights work, turn signals work (I actually forgot to reconnect that plug the first time), but still no AC.

Check the fuse! Mine was blown. Replaced the 10A and the lower light on the AC switch lit up and the AC kicked on! Hooray!

Whew. Thank you all for your help and suggestions.

 

PS, this thread helped with removing the console:

https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/how-do-i-remove-my-radio.70732/#post-643827

Post #7 at the bottom had the answer.

 

Nice job! Hopefully you cleaned and greased all 4 of the Climate Control leavers/cables

 

DOH..... I'll add that to the list. Now I know how to get in there though