Recirculate button replacement

[Lee 93]

I posted this in the technical forum but haven't received a reply so I thought I'd try here.

 

The recirculation button on my '06 Legacy 2.5i isn't working. When I push it in to engage the recirculation feature, it doesn't "click" and stay in place. When I push the button in and hold it in with my finger, the light goes on, but as soon as I release the button, the light goes off and outside exhaust gases and odors come into the cabin.

 

Does anyone know if the recirc button itself can be replaced or do I have to buy a whole unit for the ventilation system?

 

Thanks for your help!

[sigmafour]

Likely you will need to replace the entire assembly because that button isn't sold separately. It's going to have a tiny bit of plastic which swings in and out of a channel on the switch mechanism operating against a spring - that plastic has either popped out, worn out or is broken. While it's different it's a similar idea/mechanism employed in a ball point pen with the push button at the top -

 

Now if you really wanted you could try and fix it yourself but it may be a fruitless endeavor given how fiddly it will be not only to get completey out of the car but to get down to the button mechanism itself and you will have to do a bit of disassembly and maybe even de-solder the switch from the board (I don't know for sure) but some of us around here get excited to do these things... you may just prefer to find a replacement part at a junkyard. Sorry mate I don't have better news -

 

wedge a matchstick in there to keep it in.

[Lee 93]

Thanks for the info, sigmafour! It seems like the easiest and quickest way is to wedge something in between the switch and the console to keep the switch engaged. Thanks!