How to Add Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) to a Manual Temperature Control Truck

[crash68]

Sorry if this was already answered, I just couldn't find it.
I have a 2013 with the 8.4 mtc and I see that the "conversion" harness is mentioned. Do I need that if I already have the stock 8.4 or does this atc mod only work if I switch to the 2018 screen?
I would like to actually jump straight into dual atc like I saw in another post, but those instructions were for going from single zone atc to dual. Not from mtc to dual.

If you already have the 8.4, you just need the two harnesses from M² Mods to add the temperature and humidity sensors, there is an optional solar sensor for the dash also. You can order both sensors from AllMoparParts.com which is a forum vendor. Yes there is only one temperature sensor used in the dual zone set up. That will get you to the point of having single zone ATC.
You might want to try that before committing to ripping the dash apart to replace the HVAC air box module. The only thing you gain with the dual zone is the separate adjustment for the passenger side.
I changed to the single zone ATC and more than happy with how it works.

 

[BadAppleDeadHorse]

Awesome!
Thank you for the quick and concise answer.
I got confused when they were mentioning the radio swap along with this.
The reason I'd like to go with the dual zone is because the girlfriend is always wanting the ac to be much colder than I like. Sometime I think she would be happiest living in a refrigerator..

 

[Ricks Ram]

Awesome!
Thank you for the quick and concise answer.
I got confused when they were mentioning the radio swap along with this.
The reason I'd like to go with the dual zone is because the girlfriend is always wanting the ac to be much colder than I like. Sometime I think she would be happiest living in a refrigerator..

I installed the Dual Zone ATC for the same reason. My wife usually likes her side much warmer than me. I also enjoy doing stuff to my truck. I originally did the Single Zone ATC and as stated it works well. The Dual Zone works great too and having a separate temp control for the passenger side is a nice feature. Installing the Dual Zone ATC isn't what I would call ripping the dash out but it is alot more involved. There are videos on YouTube that show how to remove the dash that I reccomend watching before you decide to attempt the upgrade plus you will need to have your A/C system evacuated and recharged. None of it is really that difficult if you take your time. I think three of us have done it now it they all work fine. It's one of those things that after your done you think hey that wasn't bad. A lot of it would depend on your comfort level and how much of a DIY guy you are. The write up @STecoD did has a lot of good info in it. If you decide to give it a shot and you have any questions just post them on the ((Adding Dual Zone ATC to a Tradesman) thread and one of us that have done it will try to answer any questions you may have.

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[BadAppleDeadHorse]

I installed the Dual Zone ATC for the same reason. My wife usually likes her side much warmer than me. I also enjoy doing stuff to my truck. I originally did the Single Zone ATC and as stated it works well. The Dual Zone works great too and having a separate temp control for the passenger side is a nice feature. Installing the Dual Zone ATC isn't what I would call ripping the dash out but it is alot more involved. There are videos on YouTube that show how to remove the dash that I reccomend watching before you decide to attempt the upgrade plus you will need to have your A/C system evacuated and recharged. None of it is really that difficult if you take your time. I think three of us have done it now it they all work fine. It's one of those things that after your done you think hey that wasn't bad. A lot of it would depend on your comfort level and how much of a DIY guy you are. The write up @STecoD did has a lot of good info in it. If you decide to give it a shot and you have any questions just post them on the ((Adding Dual Zone ATC to a Tradesman) thread and one of us that have done it will try to answer any questions you may have.

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Thank you as well.
It will probably be a little while before I attempt this.
I will check out those videos.
Also, I'll probably just go ahead and do the single zone first before jumping straight into the dual zone.
I'm very comfortable with diy and electrical/wiring. In fact, this whole project scares me very little I'll probably just make my own harnesses even. Its messing around with mechanical components under the hood that makes me start to worry.

 

[Steve Tokash]

May be a stupid question but where does the rest of the harness run? I see on the first page it plugs into the sensor but what about the rest of it? Also is the humidity sensor a necessity? I would like to do this but i dont care enough about it to start tearing stuff apart and running wires. Also whats the cost of the harness?

 

[Ricks Ram]

May be a stupid question but where does the rest of the harness run? I see on the first page it plugs into the sensor but what about the rest of it? Also is the humidity sensor a necessity? I would like to do this but i dont care enough about it to start tearing stuff apart and running wires. Also whats the cost of the harness?

It's not s matter of tearing the truck apart. It's a pretty simple install to add the single zone ATC. If your truck is a 14 or newer 1500 you will need the humidity sensor. The 2013 1500 and 2500 and 3500 trucks from 13 to 18 don't require the humidity sensor. The harness itself is easy to install. You will also need the alfa tool to enable the single zone ATC code. Might take you 30 minutes or so to install.

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[Mpgrimm2]

Post 3 has a link to our directions and or vendor section with pricing (pt1 $125 & pt2 $60). If your getting an 8.4 conversion harness from me, part 1 is $25 built into the harness.
Humidity sensor harness schematic for part 2 is not posted. 1500's without the humidity sensor end up with the HVAC compressor clutch engaged continuously anytime the truck is running. It's supposed to cycle on/off based on the h. sensor signal.

M² Mods.

 

[Steve Tokash]

So ill need pt1 if im understanding correctly, i have a 14 2500 and it already has the 8.4 radio. So ill just need the temp sensor and the harness plus alfa which i already have and thats it?
Why doesnt the 2500 have a humidity sensor just out of curiousity? Also i noticed in some of the earlier pages people were loosing the ram themes for their radio after this is that still a thing or does alfa fix that?

 

[crash68]

So ill need pt1 if im understanding correctly, i have a 14 2500 and it already has the 8.4 radio. So ill just need the temp sensor and the harness plus alfa which i already have and thats it?
Why doesnt the 2500 have a humidity sensor just out of curiousity? Also i noticed in some of the earlier pages people were loosing the ram themes for their radio after this is that still a thing or does alfa fix that?

The 1500 uses a variable compressor where as the 2500/3500 don't use a variable compressor. Order the temperature sensor harness from M² Mods and the temperature sensor from @AllMoparParts.com
Easily done in under an hour and remember to make sure radio shows the dual zone temperature control before switching to single ATC.

The people having issues with loosing the ram theme is with AutoEnginuity not AlfaOBD.

 

[Steve Tokash]

Great stuff thanks. Ill reach out when im ready to order parts.​

 

[BadAppleDeadHorse]

So, I finally got around to installing the ATC to my truck. I ordered the sensor, clip and pins before I ever even looked behind any panels and even made my cable and crimped my pins. When I went to install it, I realized the two wires that I was supposed to add to the harness were already there. I looked under the panel below my steering wheel, and there was the clip for the sensor just waiting for me.
So, if anyone who has a 2013 big horn with a stock 8.4 MTC should only need the temp sensor. ( Maybe true of other models also)
So, all I needed to do was plug it in and use alfa obd to change the settings first to dual, then to single.
Also, Ghost if your reading this, I figured out a trick in alfa that you could add to your alfa thread:
After you change a setting, to avoid the 5 min wait time, you can press and hold the physical temp up and temp down buttons for 5 seconds to enter the engineering menu. Then scroll down to RESET RADIO and click that. (Not "factory reset", just "reset radio"..)
It takes a min to reboot, but it's better than just blindly waiting for it to do it on its own.

 

[Sergio Perez]

So, I finally got around to installing the ATC to my truck. I ordered the sensor, clip and pins before I ever even looked behind any panels and even made my cable and crimped my pins. When I went to install it, I realized the two wires that I was supposed to add to the harness were already there. I looked under the panel below my steering wheel, and there was the clip for the sensor just waiting for me.
So, if anyone who has a 2013 big horn with a stock 8.4 MTC should only need the temp sensor. ( Maybe true of other models also)
So, all I needed to do was plug it in and use alfa obd to change the settings first to dual, then to single.
Also, Ghost if your reading this, I figured out a trick in alfa that you could add to your alfa thread:
After you change a setting, to avoid the 5 min wait time, you can press and hold the physical temp up and temp down buttons for 5 seconds to enter the engineering menu. Then scroll down to RESET RADIO and click that. (Not "factory reset", just "reset radio"..)
It takes a min to reboot, but it's better than just blindly waiting for it to do it on its own.

I can confirm that on my 2014 3500 slt lonstar with MTC, the plug for the temp sensor is there.

 

[eldude83]

Hey guys, I asked this question in another thread (Alfa OBD) but it may have been over looked or maybe not the right topic.

Anyway, Does anyone know which setting in Alfa ODB turns on the “rear defrost” soft button on the 8.4 AC screen?

Thanks to @Mpgrimm2 with M2Mods I recently upgraded to an 8.4 RA3 with ATC. Everything works great except I don’t have the rear defrost soft button on the 8.4. The area it should be in currently shows blank. I do have rear defrost in the truck and I can’t figure which setting it would be in Alfa OBD. Can some one point me in the right direction? Thanks


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[Mpgrimm2]

I don't have any suggestions on this one currently...

How did you activate it before the Ra3 upgrade? With the button on the bezel correct (controls outside mirror heaters also)?
Not many people actually have this option to even compare BCM settings.

If the is something, it would take a csm setting to get a button on the screen (if supported) and a another setting somewhere.

May also need to identify what year/PN 8.4 radio you have, SW version, and year/model of your truck

M² Mods.

 

[eldude83]

You are correct, before i installed the RA3 I would turn it on with the button on the bezel. And the new 8.4 bezel currently has a button on it also, so I am able to turn it on with that.
But then my OCD kicks in and I’m wondering why my soft button is not there. lol

My truck is a 2014 1500
RA3 P/N 68249986AJ (MY2016?)
Software version: 17.43.01


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[clifford15]

You are correct, before i installed the RA3 I would turn it on with the button on the bezel. And the new 8.4 bezel currently has a button on it also, so I am able to turn it on with that.
But then my OCD kicks in and I’m wondering why my soft button is not there. lol

My truck is a 2014 1500
RA3 P/N 68249986AJ (MY2016?)
Software version: 17.43.01


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Was your original setup 4sp or 7sp fan?
Did you upgrade the hvac module?

 

[eldude83]

Was your original setup 4sp or 7sp fan?
Did you upgrade the hvac module?

7 speed fan originally and yes I had to upgrade the HVAC module to go from an RA2 to an RA3 w/ ATC. I’m not sure of the HVAC module P/N.


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[Mpgrimm2]

You are correct, before i installed the RA3 I would turn it on with the button on the bezel. And the new 8.4 bezel currently has a button on it also, so I am able to turn it on with that.
But then my OCD kicks in and I’m wondering why my soft button is not there. lol

My truck is a 2014 1500
RA3 P/N 68249986AJ (MY2016?)
Software version: 17.43.01


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Well, that radio appear to be out of a 2015 or 2016 Dodge Charger, Challenger, Chrysler 300.... see
eBay 68249986AF.

The mounts are different also. Did you have to modify the mounts?

If the menu button is an option on the ram units, it may not be on a different vehicle line.

M² Mods.

 

[eldude83]

Well, that radio appear to be out of a 2015 or 2016 Dodge Charger, Challenger, Chrysler 300....

The mounts are different also. Did you have to modify the mounts?

If the menu button is an option on the team units, it may not be on a different vehicle line.

It came out of a 2016 Cherokee and it bolted right in, it had the same mounts as the RA2 I took out.

As far as I know it has the same setting menus as other radios I have seen in this forum.


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[clifford15]

On the CLIMATE window, top row, the right soft buttons are FRONT and BACK. The back just works the mirror heat in mine.