1999 M3 Convertible Climate Control Problem

[cessnapilot]

hope you guys can help with this.

My climate control system has started shutting down at random. Well when I say shutting down I should say locking up. The fan shuts off and I cannot change anything on the display. It is like it was running on windows or something. After shutting off the car when I start it back up the panel is dead and will not turn on. After pushing the button at random it will come back to life and work fine. I have check all the fuses and found nothing. What should be my next move. I think I would rather shoot myself in the face with a pellet gun then go to the dealer so any help would be great.

Thanks

[Jeron]

There are two common problems: final stage resistor and climate control board capacitor. Yours is the latter.

http://www.macadamizer.com/bmwfix.html

[cessnapilot]

Thank you very much for you help on this.

[Bijan]

Where is the location of final stage resistor on a 92 325i (E 36)?

[Jeron]

E36 final stage is over the tranny tunnel on drivers side footwell.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3349096

[Reachr]

My 1999 M3 had the climate control possessed and turning on/off, heater/AC whatever it felt like freezing on and then going blank or just have lights on and digital display missing... crazy stuff. Changed that capacitor Richard Swope talked about in his BMW guide for replacing this cap. Now I still have one issue.....the unit is always on when I start the car....I can turn it off, but than restart the car and boom back on again. Anyone have that happen to them?