Car & Truck HVAC Controls & Control Units

Car and Truck AC Heater Controls

Air conditioning and heating controls allow you to maintain or adjust the cabin temperature of a vehicle. There are many options available when you need to find replacement controls or need to make an upgrade. Here are some questions that may come up when selecting car and truck AC heater controls for your car heater.

• Automatic temperature control. Some consoles will allow you to set a specific temperature for the cabin. This feature is tied to an indoor temperature sensor that controls the fan speed and adjusts the heating and cooling temperature in the car. Thus, the air conditioning is automatically set.
• Defrost. These buttons activate the front and rear heater elements to de-ice the windshield and rear window.
• Zone controls. Some HVAC controls will allow you to set a different temperature for either the left or right side of the vehicle. Some will have a third and fourth zone to handle the rear of the car.
• Chair controls. If your car is equipped with heated seats, you can activate the different seat zones by pressing these buttons. Activating the chair controls will turn on the heater for that particular seat.

• Get information on the make, model, and model year of your car. This will help you with finding air conditioning and heating controls that are compatible with your car. You can also use the VIN to find this information as well.
• Select a brand. If you prefer to use an OEM control panel, you will want to choose from those manufactured by the same company as your car’s manufacturer. You can also choose from aftermarket and unbranded replacement options.
• Select a style. Some controls allow you to customize the lighting of the buttons or will have different trim options that can match the interior of your car.

• OEM controls. Original equipment manufacturer controls are produced by the same company that manufacture the parts installed in the car factory. Sometimes a car manufacturer will have a separate company produce OEM parts for their vehicles. OEM parts are built using the same types of materials and specifications as the original parts.
• Aftermarket controls. These are produced by third-party companies that manufacture AC and heating control panels for different car models. Some aftermarket panels will have different features.

• Dials. This type of switch can be turned to the right or left to change the speed of the fans that blow from the radiator or cooling system. Some dials are also used to adjust the temperature of the interior.
• Push buttons. These buttons allow you to turn the various systems on and off. Pressing them once may activate the system, while pressing it a second time will disengage the system.
• Touchscreen. Some AC and heater control systems feature a small LED screen that allows you to press on the screen to make adjustments to the temperature.