Every once and a while the temp display on my climate control flashes right after I start the car. I adjust the temp setting down and it stops blinking. What is this or why does it do this?

Ummmm.....which car?

Unless it'* a 93 or older ECC, you have to have the dealer tell you the answer to that question.

You can't do self-diagnostics after 1993.

Ah yes, I forgot about my sig. It'* on my '96 Bonneville SLE. It has the digital/push button thermostat controls. The temp setting flashes. I usually have it set to 74. I tap it down to 73 and it stops flashing and lets me contol the vents and blower speed.

Take it to the dealer and have the ECC checked. Simply guesswork on our part until you do. Just the same as a check engine light. We have no possible way of knowing.

If you're not up to that, the only thing you can do is verify function of some of the mix doors. But there'* alot of other factors involved that could set the fault.

One thing to add is check the wiring going to the external temp sensor by the hood release. Merely verify the wiring doesn't look chafed or nicked.

Otherwise agree with willwren

The guess factor aside, could this be simply from extreme cold. I live in the country and it right now the temps are single digit at best. That'* the only thing I can think of because it is a very occasional occurance (only 2 or 3 times so far) and it has never done this before. Eh. As long as it keep working eventually, it doesn't really bother me.

True..it could be that a connector somewhere isn't making perfect contact in that cold.

The HVAC programmer contains self-diagnostics. When a fault is detected, the dispaly panel will flash indicating a diagnostic trouble code (specific to the HVAC programmer) has been stored. These codes can be read and cleared only with a "Tech" scanner.

But there is some good news...

If you don't want to take it to a dealer or you don't have access to a scanner that is capable or reading and clearing the HVAC codes, then...

Any codes in the HVAC programmer memory are cleared AFTER 50 drive cycles without a reoccurance of the code.

Having said that, if you get hot and cold, and the air is coming out of the vents that you selected, at the fan speed you want, you don't HAVE to fix it.

Do a search on "ECC" in the 92-99 Mechanical section for more detail.