Ok, let’s see, where do we begin with this project? Perhaps with an introduction and scope of the project.
Introduction
Nissan, like many other automakers, have taken advantage of advancement in technology and engineering to bring convenience and comfort to its consumers. One area in the auto industry that has seen its share of improvement is the climate control system, i.e. temperature control. Nissan has offered for quite some time a standard or upgrade option, depending on the car model and trim, for in-vehicle temperature control.
There are two types of temperature control, manual and automatic. The manual temperature control (MTC) is the type where you are in full control of the system. The feedback to the system is controlled by a person making changes to the temperature setting.
The automatic temperature control (ATC) is the type where you set a temperature setting and the system automatically senses the local environment to control the system. The feedback to the system comes from a number of sensors that the ATC uses to maintain control over the temperature setting. Remember, we are talking about temperature control.
So, which is a better system? That is really a personal preference question. Both systems controls in-vehicle air volume (blower), air temperature control (slider or setpoint), and air distribution (air mix and discharge) quite well.
Scope
The scope of this project has to be defined. We don’t want to set expectations too high or unattainable.
Who is this project geared for?
In it’s most basic form, if you have a manual temperature control system that looks similar (or somewhat similar) to this,
…then you are in.
Some trim line of the ’93-’97 Altimas offered ATC. Count yourself in again.
The ’98-’01 Altimas didn’t seem to have an ATC option. But you might be able to retrofit one. So you can cautiously count yourself in.
The ’02 – newer Altimas. You guys shouldn’t be in these forums
. Sorry, you guys have a totally different and better system that is like a mini–multiplexed local area network (LAN) type of system. You can count yourself out.
What is the project’s goal?
To convert you over to an Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) system similar to this,
We would also like to,
• Keep the most wiring and hardware that is already in place.
• If possible, shoot for a dual-system where you can swap in a MTC or ATC with minimal rewiring.
• And lastly, enjoy and learn something from this project.
