I got my 2003 SLE last year. I love this thing! I've had the usual issues with LED'* burning out, oil sender, fuel sender, etc. which I've seen the topics on here how to fix but the AC issue is strange.

First, I never knew that there was another setting on the dash comfort control panel besides "Auto" because it has always been in Auto since the day I got it. I problem is that I cannot turn the AC or Heat on manually. If I needed AC or heat I had to use outside air and that only works if you are going 55+ mph. All winter with no heat and all summer with no AC....

This year I really wanted to address this problem. At first I suspected the blower, but to my amazement, a couple days ago I found that if the car reads that it is 90+ degrees, with will turn on the AC and the blower cranks out serious ice cold air....but if it isn't 90 degrees or so, it won't do anything. So it'* not the blower.

I cant get the Comfort Control unit to get out of "Auto". Do I need another Comfort Control Unit or what?

that is certainly odd. i have a spare hvac unit in my parts pile.

you may also just need to clean or replace you ambient air temp sensor located by your hood latch.

what happens when you adjust the ***** for driver and passenger? also what happens when you hit the mode button?

Good Question. If I press Mode, nothing happens, it still says "auto". If I adjust the ***** for driver/passenger it responds appropriately,by adding heat or cold but it still just stays in auto. I think that the main problem is that it is always in Auto, and so it is always taking into account the air temp. I read the manual about the difference between manual and auto. Auto takes into account the air temp and makes adjustements based on your setting. Manual obviously leaves you in complete control but I just can not access manual.

I would think that it was the "manual" button itself, but let'* say that I turn on the air by turning the driver **** down to 60 degrees (full min temp), since I'm always in Auto, if the temp is hot enough, I will get cold are. I can manually adjust the fan setting while in auto. I usually press "AC" next, and then "Recirc". All three of these would then be displayed "Auto" "AC" and then the "Recirc" Led is on. If I press manual, "AC" is gone and "Recirc" Led is off, but I'm still in auto!

sounds like the problem is with the unit itself.