Aftermarket A/C panel, help!
 

Hello! I'm new to this forum, I hope this is the right place to ask for help with my problem.

I've got a Volvo 850 that has installed an awful aftermarket A/C panel (no idea why would anyone do that, but it's there :confused-smiley-013). Now I bought an original working panel with the idea to replace it, but when I took it out I saw the connectors were all different! Here are some pictures to describe the situation.

This is the panel the car has

http://i68.tinypic.com/2qdd5ed.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/23ws4jl.jpg


And the one I bought is like this one with the green connectors.

http://i63.tinypic.com/vfcpzp.jpg

http://i68.tinypic.com/am3yo1.jpg

As you can see the connectors are completely different and I have no idea what the heck they did with the installation in the past... anyone has ever seen something similar? It looks like they've changed the wire harness, but I'm not sure :speechless-smiley-7

What would you do in my situation?

Thank you in advance.

Very odd, looking at the first pictures it doesn't look like the wiring has been cut and rejoined, unless it's hidden.
The new control panel you have is for a car with auto climate control. don't think it will work if your car has standard heating a/c control, the difference being the 'auto' on the fan speed switch, standard should have 0-1-2-3-4 speeds, IRRC

Hello thank you for your answer. The car had auto climate control from the factory, I can see it in the documents (still have the invoice).

And no hey haven't cut anything, I followed the wires until they go under the glovebox, there they're connected to some relays and other things. I would guess they sold this aftermarket panel with its own wire harness?

I really don't know how to fix this mess :speechless-smiley-7

Sounds to me like your best bet is to visit a scrap yard with a car that has climate control, take it apart and remove all the climate harness until you get back to something you recognise on your own car - quite a faff, but it should work?

Like you, I can't think of anything else - odd eh?

This may sound bizarre, as you say the original paperwork shows the car had auto climate control from the factory. The only climate control fascia I've seen similar to the one in your photo was of an early 850 Volvo factory kit that I believe was available as a Volvo factory fit or aftermarket accessory in the nineties.

The original should have a Volvo part number on it and it maybe that a dealer can find a later part number or compatible part. Failing that can you not refurbish the original? It is often just a case of using switch cleaner or propyl alcohol to clean up many older controls before reflowing soldered joints.

I do remember seeing a photo of it on a US aircon retrofit kit website some years ago when I was looking to upgrade a non aircon 850 - the kit was over a £1000 at the time! Needless to say, it wasn't fitted!

Hey, I assume it came out with the original panel, not with that one in the pictures which looks like a cheap replacement or something. Maybe the original part was expensive at the time, I have no idea actually... and I don't want to refurbish it because it is simply horrible looking.

I'll keep reading your opinions, thank you all for responding. I will also start visiting scrapyards and see what I can find, as one of you suggested. It would help to see an unmodified installation.