You MISSED the point, which is....this is my channel, my videos, and I talk as much as I want. Get...over...it. Maybe you would rather pass the time sitting to write a check while somebody else repairs your truck instead of you. You got this help for free Mr. Impatient, be glad you did.
Thank you for this video. I already had to replace the blend door actuator (passenger side), and there are a lot of videos on that, but not a lot that explain the drivers side one. This will help me diagnose my issue - I bought a 1997 Suburban 5 months ago and the air comes out all 3 locations no matter which selection is chosen. It will “favor” the selection that matches the control switch, but still comes out the other two locations. This video helped me figure out that the door is probably just tipped a few degrees the wrong way, so that it’s not fully capping off the other two. Now to go figure out if that’s actually the case!
I'm glad to help! It has shocked me how many people seem to be having problems with these. However, it's an easy fix after you understand what those little troublemakers do.
Excellent video. More information than I found in all others combined. I've changed out the blend door actuator and can now select hot or cold air. Did have to disconnect battery for 15 min and let it "learn" new actuator. Mode actuator is next. 02 Escalade.
It sounds like you either have issues with the mode door actuator, or, sometimes, the mechanism of the door itself can act up, so check those carefully. That's the deal that's by your gas pedal foot. The other one you mention behind the ashtray area is the blend door, and that one controls the temp. So, no need to mess with it unless you can't get COLD or HOT air. Thanks for watching.
Spot on bro! I replaced my control panel when this happened. I went to adjust the AC on afternoon in my 99 Tahoe and it got stuck on defrost. I fiddled with the knob and push in a bit and it finally worked again. So when it did it again a few weeks later and DIDN'T ever get off defrost, I figured the control was bad. I tried the "turn the key to accessory mode a few times, remove the key to reset the system" with no luck, disconnected and reconnected the battery with no luck as well. Got a used control panel of eBay and it functioned the same as the original. So, I was in the forums, etc. and was looking at the different actuators. I knew it wasn't the blend b/c the temp was fine, so I went to my local pull-a-part, removed one off a similar model, spent 5 minutes unhooking the old one and installing the new one and tada!!!!! Now get heat on my feet! 15 degrees the other day and my face was on fire while my feet were on ice! They run about $40 new for my Tahoe and the Pull-a-part sold it for $18 with environmental fees and tax included. Yours is the ONLY video I could find on the MODE door actuator and I'm very appreciative. I'd have never known where to find it or how to approach the job. Thanks! Everyone make sure you pay attention to the 7/32" nut size. That back one is IMPOSSIBLE to remove without one! Ha. Cheers!
Really helpful and well explained The mode door on my '98 Silverado has been slowing going bye-bye for a couple of years and I wasn't sure what was causing the issue. Thanks to your video, I know what the problem is and how to make repairs with relative ease. And, your price information was right on-$39 at a local auto parts dealer! Appreciate the well-done tutorial! :-)
Before you replace the actuator, check the flaps and make sure one of the springs that are hooked to the actuator isn't enabling a sticky flap. A new actuator didn't fix my problem until I unstuck the flap.
I am new at posting comment so forgive me as i learn.The syndicated brothers car/talk could not help a lady with that knocking noise. It still occurs as you walk away from the car.or just fooling around with the control system knobs and features.Any way your video enabled me to have her guns loaded when dealing with the service righter,they messed her around so much she did not have the extended warranty But the coded the repair and G M ate it near 1k in the book.Thank you so much with all yado
Awesome ! my 95 started blowing on the freaking floor a few weeks ago..lol, didn't know about these actuators. Now I know it's the problem. Head'n to parts store now. thx
Same, here Followed this to the tee and fixed my problem in just a few minutes. Thanks for this video. I have a 98 Tahoe that did the same thing earlier this week. I had no idea what was wrong and considered taking it to the dealer until I saw this. Thanks Man.
Great vid dude. I haven't had to look at a heater actuator since the old vacuum actuation valves were the common problem. I Haynes manuals don't even mention the actuators. This is a great service to your fellow gear heads!
thanks so much for the fast reply... its great to have helpful guys like yourself here on the internet... thanks again.i will look into it this coming week.
thank you sooooo much for this video!!!! had nooooo idea what so ever what controlled were the air went .... didnt even know what to type to look for lol... just googled some stuff like blower motor some how ran across your video>>> watched it .. ran to orileys ... bought the part .. put it in.. worked great!!!!!...... great video man!!! thank you!
A con grads on your sell of the house.This video and another on my daughters 2009 was a great help on her having her gun loaded when the top servo (outside to recirculate)top one the hardest to get to.Funny once you here that continuous knocking sound by design to let the any door entry to occur without a too airtight cab.An ac/delco rep told us in about early 90`s on those think like mid 70`s truck doors was so hard to shut you could pop the glass out.He said they would still honor that recall
I love working on car HVAC systems. This seems like something people will screw up a lot on. Good video, now I know if I ever have to deal with one of these. Which I might because the floor vent on our Bonneville stays partially open at all times. Not going to mess with it now, though. I like these early/mid 90's Chevy trucks. I was thinking about getting one when I get a truck, you seem to like them and have had a couple.
I had the recirc door motor strip on mine. That was a pain to get to. I think there was some writeup about a way to remove it from under the dash. Its sandwiched against the firewall bad. I still have it only screwed on with one fastener as the top fastener is REALLY hard to get to.
Blend door controls hot or cold...your problem sounds like the mode door actuator which is the one I replaced in this video. Rule about not running them detached from the box still applies.
You're welcome. The most difficult part of the blend door motor is getting access to loosen the bolts. You may have to end up removing the ashtray and/or power outlets.
If my heat doesn’t work. (Flushed heater core it’s good) that mode door could be my problem? The one by the ash tray moves when I turn the knob. But the one by the gas pedal only moves sometimes. Is the one by the gas pedal have anything to do with the heat?
On one of these trucks? I had one do that, and it turned out to be a problem with the blend door not closing all the way. That's the one right at the heater core above the passenger foot area. You can pull the cover off and look up at it easily. It might also be the actuator for that door as well. After I repaired it I had scorching hot heat, but I sure froze until then.
Thanks so much for the help. I have been trying to figure this out for some time. I really appreciate it. Good job, my kinda easy to understand mechanic.
You can actually pull your glove box and cut a square hole into the plastic box itself to see if your blend door is actually working, just seal it back up afterwards. When you look inside you can see it lift up and down, down is cool up is heat. I hit mine too hard by accident when I was listening for it to close thinking it may be jammed while I heard and seen it turning. The actuator on my 95 suburban is behind the right side of the ash tray which is blocked by the dash and a PIA to remove. Regardless, i now have heat somehow and my door is working without having to remove the actuator.
My blend door actuator went out in the middle of hot and cold selection. The AC would not blow very cold and then winter hit and froze my ass off because no hot air. That flap door was not closed to allow heat to be drawn from the heater rad. Took that lousy bulky plastic cover off the bottom and the actuator was wedged close to the carpet floor. It did not cost me anything to repair the actuator. I took it apart for inspection. The main diode, a 1N4004 was faulty. I just happen to have one in my parts supply to swap out. Next main task was to realign the gears in the actuator. Took forever to get it indexed again. Finally got it like it suppose to be and installed it. Works perfect again. A pain in the ass was to put back the large bottom cover.
My 06 Pontiac Torrent had the blend door stuck on air conditioning. The blend door actuator is a electric motor Where the Motor shaft plugs in was a flimsy plastic socket that was broken. Think of a plastic socket wrench. I'm amazed it lasted as long as it has. I have a extra heater ordered. I have a 93 Subaru Legacy that's not junk. If its really cold I will drive it.
Yes. They are known to burn up and when that happens they either burn up partially or all the way. The way to diagnose this is to use a good digital multimeter on the correct scale(usually 20v) and disconnect the connector at the actuators. With the key on and the HVAC controls being operated, you should see voltage changes at the connectors. If you don't then you can be pretty confident the panel is DOA. Check G M parts direct.
Thanks for thr video. I have a '98 and it seems like the whole thing went kaput at the same time - lost the blower motor and resistor circuit for speed control, temperature control works, door actuator doesn't function properly so I can't get the main front vents to blow and now my AC is stuck on so I unplugged under the hood at the AC compressor. I guess I'll also need the door actuator like you showed and maybe a control panel as well.
superturboawesome1 That's some bad luck...the problems aren't surprising but usually GM designs it so they happen at regular intervals instead of all at once.
Thanks for the descriptive video. Very helpful. when you said shut the HVAC down in addition to shutting off the ignition to replace the actuator door, did you mean shutting it down by the switching it off or removing the fuse for HVAC?
Yes. It should apply to all GM trucks from '88 through to the last old-body Tahoe/Suburban. Make sure you heed the warning about having the actuator mounted on the box before activating it.
No no....there are a total of three different, distinct actuators. There is a blend door actuator, a mode actuator and a fresh air/recirc actuator. So, when you go to get the part, ask specifically for a mode door actuator. Remember that "mode" controls WHERE the air comes out at.
Hannah, on the dual control climate controls, if one side still blows cold and the drivers side blows hot, you need to replace the actuator that is for the drivers side. It is actually just to the right of the transmission hump under the dash. I need to replace one in my truck, but I've been told it is a half hour job.
old video but great information on the last step to get my heating and cooling control working again , i only thought there were two of these gizmo's and hopefully it the one by the steering wheel that needs replacing as mine is doing the same thing. the part stores are crazy prices i ordered mine from amazon $22. bucks i hope this finally fixes everything .
I have an 01 Buick Century with a bad air diir actauator. I;ve been working on getting it out for two days. Nightmare tight spot work on. For a tall woman with a small upper body theres no room to work. I dont know how mechanics do it. Thanks fo rthe useful info.
Oh yeah...they are go out at one point or another. Are you talking about the actuator that's sort of above the passenger floorboard area? That should be the bland door..regulates the temperature. It's either that or the recirc actuator.
If you pull the actuator and run it through controls and it moves too far why cant you just stop it, move it back the other direction until it lines up the way you tool it off?
Thanks a million! And did you say that the 'Blend' Door and the 'Mode' door are the same part? So if i go buy a mode door and they sale me a blend door I shouldnt worry? thanks in advance!
On my truck I hear a vent door opening and closing on its own. I havent had a close look yet but I think it's the second one you mentioned above the glove box. I hope it's that one that's acting up? My AC works but not well because of this issue Great info. Thanks very much.
I have a very similar truck. What do you think it could be if the air flow seems to be weak as compared when the truk was newer. I have changed the blower, I have gotten the new ac control unit. and the air flow seems weak. I know you mentioned on this video that the door actuator problem might occur if you have air flowing in the wrong place. I do have the air flowing in the right place but just weak. Any other things I could check???
Hello, I have a 1998 Tahoe that I am having a similar issue on. The heat only blows at the floor. When I move the selector I can see the mode actuator move but a very small amount. Not enough to make a difference in where the heat is directed. I can manually move the door to get the heat to flow from the defrost vents. Is it a normal issue when these actuators go bad to only move a little bit? Thank you for all of your knowledge. Cold weather without a defroster makes the wife an unhappy camper!
You just helped me fix my HOT!! Wife ☀️😡😰Ever since we bought our 98 Yukon it's been blowing hot all year! Not anymore thanks to you it's ice cold❄️⛄️ 😅
You need to check the panel to find out whether it's sending voltage signals to the actuators first. You use a volt meter on the disconnected harness at the actuator. Don't remove the actuator and let it hang while you see if it works..that gets them out of calibration and then for sure you have to replace it.
Thanks a lot, I am diagnosing my heating issues right now and I am pretty sure it is the blend door, but I have a question. So when I shift from inside circulation to out side air I hear everything shifting and working fine. Is that what the blend door does? How do I check if it is the blend door or something else. I didnt quite understand what part you where referring to that sits underneath the controls on the dash board.
Great video. Question: In 2005 GMC Sierra, when heat is on, the driver's side vents blow cold & the passenger side blows hot, is this caused by the same actuator you replaced? This problem only occurs when temps get below 30 degrees. After the truck gets really warm something kicks in and the heat starts blowing on the driver side. Sometimes I drive for an hour before it blows hot.
Well in these instances, you go back to whatever you did that changed the way something worked. In this case it was the blower motor...so I would revisit the installation and make sure you didn't make a minor mistake or overlook something.
Mode actuator is by gas pedal, temperature actuator is pretty much above the ash tray (hidden) and blend door actuator is passenger side way back by the firewall
Replaced all three of them on my Chevy impala with the part from the parts store. Problem I found is the parts store sell the generic actuator, I had to order OEM from Delta to get a part made for my car.
GREAT video!! my 96 Z71 blows hot air ALL the time. my drivers side actuator rotates fine, the 1 under dash, passenger side, barely moves when I change temps; do you recall how much travel the gear should have? mine moves from maybe 12 o clock to 1 o clock. THANKS!
my truck switches from def to floor fine and blows good but it wont get hot..Out side hoses are hot si I:m assuming the blend door is stuck? or the blend actuator is out? so I should get the BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR right?
Mine only coms out the defrost and a little out the top vents all the time no change nuthing on the floor what do I have to replace and where is it located thanks
my 2004 Chevy SUV has the dual controls where the driver side will suddenly blow Screaming hot air in the summer, (when you need AC). it sounds like my issue might be the "blend door" - does that sound like a good guestimate to you?
@gazzellanorm Ah. Well just remove the appropriate actuator(on a full size it is the one mounted front and center) and use something like strong tape to hold the shaft in the right spot. Remember to not operate the new actuator until it is mounted to the HVAC box and don't turn the actuator by hand.
when you said shut the HVAC down in addition to shutting off the ignition to replace the actuator door, did you mean shutting it down by the switching it off or removing the fuse for HVAC?
Did yours have a SLOW engagement of the change over from the dash defrost vents to the upper front vents? Mine does it, The flapper door is slow to change and when it does it goes "SLAP"
My 97 and 98 air re-circulation motor is mounted to the side of the blower motor housing under the right side of the dash. It should be the same for this truck and not way in the dash. Hopefully this helps.
I have a question. What if you have hot air seaping out of drivers side vents, defrost and dash, and the rest of the vents are working right. Which actuator needs replacing?
Most likely the panel. I would confirm system charge and also see if a command is being sent to the compressor to turn on during the times that it isn't responsive before you spend the money for a control panel. You may also be able to repair the panel yourself.
Hello, I have a 1998 K1500 and recently replaced my heater blower fan. Since doing so, the defrost does not blow very hard on the passenger side, probably only about 25% of what it did before changing out the motor. All other functions work great and normally. Just the Defrost is having this issue. Any ideas of what would have caused this and what I can try to repair? I did notice that the rubber cover that encloses the blower was a real pain to get back on after replacement. Thanks!
Do you have a video showing the replacement of the blend door actuator on the passenger side behind the cigarette lighter and ashtray? Need to know how to disassemble. Thanks in advance. 1997 GMC Sierra K1500
If you can't control where the air is coming out of (mine was always blowing out the face vents) check the vacuum tubes under the hood: a 7/32" line comes off top of engine and heads toward ABS module, then splits into two 5/32" lines- one goes through firewall, one goes to charcoal canister nipple in front driver fender area- hard to find. These vacuum lines get dry-rot, then your cabin air direction controls, controlled by the vacuum lines, go kaput.
i had same problem and my actuator behind cigarette ligher was bad ,, all the mechanical parts worked but i open it up and one of the wheels and axles was split in half thanks
I have a 99 same body style as yours. My ac works but doesn't get very cold. The freon levels are normal. Do you think it's the blend door going out that's mixing warm/cold air? Also there's a intermittent click every 30secs near that area.
You can test them with a 9 volt battery positive to terminal terminal 5 negative to terminal 7 if it doesn't run jump 6 & 7 with positive that will reset it
Thanks man! Sometimes my truck will stay on the floor and not come our then vents and have to wait like 5 mins and a tap on the dash makes it come kit the Pannel
@gzqgtq Those use a more sophisticated HVAC system than this truck does, but generally it's going to either be a control head issue or an actuator, and with it working after a while I would hazard a guess that it's something wrong with the control panel.
also i noticed another actuator on the right side, passengers side, near the blower. what does that actuator do, and could that be my problem ? that one looks hard to replace. thanks for any help you can offer. like i said, sometimes it will be fine for a week or more. thanks
Hey man great video. My K1500 only blows hot air on the face/dash board position. Anytime I move the air to another position, the blend door opens as the direction door is changing position....What should I be looking for as a problem?
My 99 C3500 AC works very well initially but seems to quit blowing altogether whenever I start up a hill. Once I have leveled off for a while it comes back on. It acts as if there is a vacuum leak somewhere but can't seem to locate it.
My 02 Suburban has a similar "issue". When I direct the flow to feet/floor it's all fine. If I direct the flow to dash or dash PLUS floor I can hear a door clunk noise as if the door is "trying" to move & moves for a while then falls back out of position. Does that sound like the same issue? Thanks. Mine is NOT dual climate control or the electronic control where you set temp & it does the rest. It is almost identical to yours only 2002. :)
You MISSED the point, which is....this is my channel, my videos, and I talk as much as I want. Get...over...it. Maybe you would rather pass the time sitting to write a check while somebody else repairs your truck instead of you. You got this help for free Mr. Impatient, be glad you did.
11 years later you’re still helping people, and at 15 below zero with no defrost working this has been very helpful. Thank you.
I have been driving without ac for almost 6 years.
How bless you.
Well done, Tyler. You helped me out and your prohibition regarding 'testing' it while unmounted was a thoughtful warning.
Thank you for this video.
I already had to replace the blend door actuator (passenger side), and there are a lot of videos on that, but not a lot that explain the drivers side one.
This will help me diagnose my issue - I bought a 1997 Suburban 5 months ago and the air comes out all 3 locations no matter which selection is chosen. It will “favor” the selection that matches the control switch, but still comes out the other two locations.
This video helped me figure out that the door is probably just tipped a few degrees the wrong way, so that it’s not fully capping off the other two.
Now to go figure out if that’s actually the case!
I'm glad to help!
It has shocked me how many people seem to be having problems with these. However, it's an easy fix after you understand what those little troublemakers do.
Excellent video. More information than I found in all others combined. I've changed out the blend door actuator and can now select hot or cold air. Did have to disconnect battery for 15 min and let it "learn" new actuator. Mode actuator is next. 02 Escalade.
It sounds like you either have issues with the mode door actuator, or, sometimes, the mechanism of the door itself can act up, so check those carefully. That's the deal that's by your gas pedal foot.
The other one you mention behind the ashtray area is the blend door, and that one controls the temp. So, no need to mess with it unless you can't get COLD or HOT air. Thanks for watching.
Very helpful
Spot on bro! I replaced my control panel when this happened. I went to adjust the AC on afternoon in my 99 Tahoe and it got stuck on defrost. I fiddled with the knob and push in a bit and it finally worked again. So when it did it again a few weeks later and DIDN'T ever get off defrost, I figured the control was bad. I tried the "turn the key to accessory mode a few times, remove the key to reset the system" with no luck, disconnected and reconnected the battery with no luck as well. Got a used control panel of eBay and it functioned the same as the original. So, I was in the forums, etc. and was looking at the different actuators. I knew it wasn't the blend b/c the temp was fine, so I went to my local pull-a-part, removed one off a similar model, spent 5 minutes unhooking the old one and installing the new one and tada!!!!! Now get heat on my feet! 15 degrees the other day and my face was on fire while my feet were on ice! They run about $40 new for my Tahoe and the Pull-a-part sold it for $18 with environmental fees and tax included.
Yours is the ONLY video I could find on the MODE door actuator and I'm very appreciative. I'd have never known where to find it or how to approach the job. Thanks!
Everyone make sure you pay attention to the 7/32" nut size. That back one is IMPOSSIBLE to remove without one! Ha.
Cheers!
Thank you so much. Just trying to right a wrong, lol.
Really helpful and well explained The mode door on my '98 Silverado has been slowing going bye-bye for a couple of years and I wasn't sure what was causing the issue. Thanks to your video, I know what the problem is and how to make repairs with relative ease. And, your price information was right on-$39 at a local auto parts dealer!
Appreciate the well-done tutorial! :-)
Thank you very much.
Before you replace the actuator, check the flaps and make sure one of the springs that are hooked to the actuator isn't enabling a sticky flap. A new actuator didn't fix my problem until I unstuck the flap.
Just changed mine on my 97 Z71. This video was very very helpful.
Thank you sir.
I am new at posting comment so forgive me as i learn.The syndicated brothers car/talk could not help a lady with that knocking noise. It still occurs as you walk away from the car.or just fooling around with the control system knobs and features.Any way your video enabled me to have her guns loaded when dealing with the service righter,they messed her around so much she did not have the extended warranty But the coded the repair and G M ate it near 1k in the book.Thank you so much with all yado
This is exactly whats wrong with my truck...thanks for the simple video...saved me tons of money
Awesome ! my 95 started blowing on the freaking floor a few weeks ago..lol, didn't know about these actuators. Now I know it's the problem. Head'n to parts store now.
thx
Same, here Followed this to the tee and fixed my problem in just a few minutes. Thanks for this video. I have a 98 Tahoe that did the same thing earlier this week. I had no idea what was wrong and considered taking it to the dealer until I saw this. Thanks Man.
Great vid dude. I haven't had to look at a heater actuator since the old vacuum actuation valves were the common problem. I Haynes manuals don't even mention the actuators. This is a great service to your fellow gear heads!
thanks so much for the fast reply... its great to have helpful guys like yourself here on the internet... thanks again.i will look into it this coming week.
I'm glad you explained the difference in all three motors. I'm needing to order one but didn't know what to call it. Thanks.
thank you sooooo much for this video!!!! had nooooo idea what so ever what controlled were the air went .... didnt even know what to type to look for lol... just googled some stuff like blower motor some how ran across your video>>> watched it .. ran to orileys ... bought the part .. put it in.. worked great!!!!!...... great video man!!! thank you!
A con grads on your sell of the house.This video and another on my daughters 2009 was a great help on her having her gun loaded when the top servo (outside to recirculate)top one the hardest to get to.Funny once you here that continuous knocking sound by design to let the any door entry to occur without a too airtight cab.An ac/delco rep told us in about early 90`s on those think like mid 70`s truck doors was so hard to shut you could pop the glass out.He said they would still honor that recall
Thank you very much for this video!! Now I know what's wrong with my ac!! Will be fixing it this weekend.
I think this was a very well done demonstration and explanation of what and what not to do . thank you
since you pointed out that both actuators are the same i was able to swap them around and determine that tje conyrol unit was bad. tjanks!
Thank you so much! My son now has AC and Heat and is no longer stuck on defrost!
I love working on car HVAC systems.
This seems like something people will screw up a lot on. Good video, now I know if I ever have to deal with one of these. Which I might because the floor vent on our Bonneville stays partially open at all times. Not going to mess with it now, though.
I like these early/mid 90's Chevy trucks. I was thinking about getting one when I get a truck, you seem to like them and have had a couple.
10yr old video is a lot of help. Thanks
Wish I found this sooner. I have the same truck and you explains a lot of possible problems and how to fix them.
I was about to pay 800$ to a repair shop. Bought this part at Autozone and it worked
I had the recirc door motor strip on mine. That was a pain to get to. I think there was some writeup about a way to remove it from under the dash. Its sandwiched against the firewall bad. I still have it only screwed on with one fastener as the top fastener is REALLY hard to get to.
I rigged it for the summer, running a toggle switch to the ac compressor relay. Worked like a charm! lol
Blend door controls hot or cold...your problem sounds like the mode door actuator which is the one I replaced in this video. Rule about not running them detached from the box still applies.
Great video. Lots of helpful information. You answered every question I had and now I'm ready to tackle this little job.
bossmack187 Awesome. It's quite easy.
You're welcome. The most difficult part of the blend door motor is getting access to loosen the bolts. You may have to end up removing the ashtray and/or power outlets.
If my heat doesn’t work. (Flushed heater core it’s good) that mode door could be my problem? The one by the ash tray moves when I turn the knob. But the one by the gas pedal only moves sometimes. Is the one by the gas pedal have anything to do with the heat?
It has to move more than that. That one is the blend door actuator. If you remove it and work the blend door by hand you'll get cold or hot air.
On one of these trucks? I had one do that, and it turned out to be a problem with the blend door not closing all the way.
That's the one right at the heater core above the passenger foot area. You can pull the cover off and look up at it easily. It might also be the actuator for that door as well.
After I repaired it I had scorching hot heat, but I sure froze until then.
Thanks so much for the help. I have been trying to figure this out for some time. I really appreciate it. Good job, my kinda easy to understand mechanic.
I thought something was stuck in mine because my truck sat up for a while when I blew the motor. It pays to watch youtube videos Thanks for the info
You can actually pull your glove box and cut a square hole into the plastic box itself to see if your blend door is actually working, just seal it back up afterwards. When you look inside you can see it lift up and down, down is cool up is heat. I hit mine too hard by accident when I was listening for it to close thinking it may be jammed while I heard and seen it turning. The actuator on my 95 suburban is behind the right side of the ash tray which is blocked by the dash and a PIA to remove. Regardless, i now have heat somehow and my door is working without having to remove the actuator.
My blend door actuator went out in the middle of hot and cold selection. The AC would not blow very cold and then winter hit and froze my ass off because no hot air. That flap door was not closed to allow heat to be drawn from the heater rad. Took that lousy bulky plastic cover off the bottom and the actuator was wedged close to the carpet floor. It did not cost me anything to repair the actuator. I took it apart for inspection. The main diode, a 1N4004 was faulty. I just happen to have one in my parts supply to swap out. Next main task was to realign the gears in the actuator. Took forever to get it indexed again. Finally got it like it suppose to be and installed it. Works perfect again. A pain in the ass was to put back the large bottom cover.
My 06 Pontiac Torrent had the blend door stuck on air conditioning. The blend door actuator is a electric motor
Where the Motor shaft plugs in was a flimsy plastic socket that was broken. Think of a plastic socket wrench. I'm amazed it lasted as long as it has. I have a extra heater ordered. I have a 93 Subaru Legacy that's not junk. If its really cold I will drive it.
Yes. They are known to burn up and when that happens they either burn up partially or all the way.
The way to diagnose this is to use a good digital multimeter on the correct scale(usually 20v) and disconnect the connector at the actuators. With the key on and the HVAC controls being operated, you should see voltage changes at the connectors.
If you don't then you can be pretty confident the panel is DOA. Check G M parts direct.
Thank you so much. I hope to get my truck back in correct repair.
Thanks for thr video. I have a '98 and it seems like the whole thing went kaput at the same time - lost the blower motor and resistor circuit for speed control, temperature control works, door actuator doesn't function properly so I can't get the main front vents to blow and now my AC is stuck on so I unplugged under the hood at the AC compressor. I guess I'll also need the door actuator like you showed and maybe a control panel as well.
superturboawesome1 That's some bad luck...the problems aren't surprising but usually GM designs it so they happen at regular intervals instead of all at once.
Thanks for the descriptive video. Very helpful. when you said shut the HVAC down in addition to shutting off the ignition to replace the actuator door, did you mean shutting it down by the switching it off or removing the fuse for HVAC?
Yes. It should apply to all GM trucks from '88 through to the last old-body Tahoe/Suburban.
Make sure you heed the warning about having the actuator mounted on the box before activating it.
No no....there are a total of three different, distinct actuators. There is a blend door actuator, a mode actuator and a fresh air/recirc actuator.
So, when you go to get the part, ask specifically for a mode door actuator. Remember that "mode" controls WHERE the air comes out at.
Hannah, on the dual control climate controls, if one side still blows cold and the drivers side blows hot, you need to replace the actuator that is for the drivers side. It is actually just to the right of the transmission hump under the dash. I need to replace one in my truck, but I've been told it is a half hour job.
old video but great information on the last step to get my heating and cooling control working again , i only thought there were two of these gizmo's and hopefully it the one by the steering wheel that needs replacing as mine is doing the same thing. the part stores are crazy prices i ordered mine from amazon $22. bucks i hope this finally fixes everything .
I have an 01 Buick Century with a bad air diir actauator. I;ve been working on getting it out for two days. Nightmare tight spot work on. For a tall woman with a small upper body theres no room to work. I dont know how mechanics do it. Thanks fo rthe useful info.
Oh yeah...they are go out at one point or another. Are you talking about the actuator that's sort of above the passenger floorboard area? That should be the bland door..regulates the temperature.
It's either that or the recirc actuator.
do you know how to put it back into index, because mine is out of index....thank you great video...
Thanks for the quick reply . I'm going to buy the two I can get to..I think the top is working fine
Artie
If you pull the actuator and run it through controls and it moves too far why cant you just stop it, move it back the other direction until it lines up the way you tool it off?
Thanks a million! And did you say that the 'Blend' Door and the 'Mode' door are the same part? So if i go buy a mode door and they sale me a blend door I shouldnt worry? thanks in advance!
On my truck I hear a vent door opening and closing on its own. I havent had a close look yet but I think it's the second one you mentioned above the glove box. I hope it's that one that's acting up? My AC works but not well because of this issue
Great info. Thanks very much.
I have a very similar truck. What do you think it could be if the air flow seems to be weak as compared when the truk was newer. I have changed the blower, I have gotten the new ac control unit. and the air flow seems weak. I know you mentioned on this video that the door actuator problem might occur if you have air flowing in the wrong place. I do have the air flowing in the right place but just weak. Any other things I could check???
@WhoSaidTyler Thanks. I will check both. If the price is right for the parts, I may just replace both.
Hello, I have a 1998 Tahoe that I am having a similar issue on. The heat only blows at the floor. When I move the selector I can see the mode actuator move but a very small amount. Not enough to make a difference in where the heat is directed. I can manually move the door to get the heat to flow from the defrost vents. Is it a normal issue when these actuators go bad to only move a little bit? Thank you for all of your knowledge. Cold weather without a defroster makes the wife an unhappy camper!
You just helped me fix my HOT!! Wife ☀️😡😰Ever since we bought our 98 Yukon it's been blowing hot all year! Not anymore thanks to you it's ice cold❄️⛄️ 😅
Awesome! No more 460 air conditioning.
La
You need to check the panel to find out whether it's sending voltage signals to the actuators first. You use a volt meter on the disconnected harness at the actuator. Don't remove the actuator and let it hang while you see if it works..that gets them out of calibration and then for sure you have to replace it.
Thanks a lot, I am diagnosing my heating issues right now and I am pretty sure it is the blend door, but I have a question. So when I shift from inside circulation to out side air I hear everything shifting and working fine. Is that what the blend door does? How do I check if it is the blend door or something else. I didnt quite understand what part you where referring to that sits underneath the controls on the dash board.
Great video. Question: In 2005 GMC Sierra, when heat is on, the driver's side vents blow cold & the passenger side blows hot, is this caused by the same actuator you replaced?
This problem only occurs when temps get below 30 degrees. After the truck gets really warm something kicks in and the heat starts blowing on the driver side. Sometimes I drive for an hour before it blows hot.
Well in these instances, you go back to whatever you did that changed the way something worked. In this case it was the blower motor...so I would revisit the installation and make sure you didn't make a minor mistake or overlook something.
Mode actuator is by gas pedal, temperature actuator is pretty much above the ash tray (hidden) and blend door actuator is passenger side way back by the firewall
Replaced all three of them on my Chevy impala with the part from the parts store. Problem I found is the parts store sell the generic actuator, I had to order OEM from Delta to get a part made for my car.
Thanks for the info my just started blowing to the floor and the defrost. Going to get one now and change it. Thanks.
What is the part name? Mine is doing the same
GREAT video!! my 96 Z71 blows hot air ALL the time. my drivers side actuator rotates fine, the 1 under dash, passenger side, barely moves when I change temps; do you recall how much travel the gear should have? mine moves from maybe 12 o clock to 1 o clock.
THANKS!
my truck switches from def to floor fine and blows good but it wont get hot..Out side hoses are hot si I:m assuming the blend door is stuck? or the blend actuator is out? so I should get the BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR right?
Mine only coms out the defrost and a little out the top vents all the time no change nuthing on the floor what do I have to replace and where is it located thanks
Thank you for making this video. It was very helpful.
my 2004 Chevy SUV has the dual controls where the driver side will suddenly blow Screaming hot air in the summer, (when you need AC). it sounds like my issue might be the "blend door" - does that sound like a good guestimate to you?
@gazzellanorm Ah. Well just remove the appropriate actuator(on a full size it is the one mounted front and center) and use something like strong tape to hold the shaft in the right spot. Remember to not operate the new actuator until it is mounted to the HVAC box and don't turn the actuator by hand.
when you said shut the HVAC down in addition to shutting off the ignition to replace the actuator door, did you mean shutting it down by the switching it off or removing the fuse for HVAC?
I’m jealous of that un-cracked dash.
Did yours have a SLOW engagement of the change over from the dash defrost vents to the upper front vents? Mine does it, The flapper door is slow to change and when it does it goes "SLAP"
Thanks for the instructions, gonna give this a try on my 01' Sierra this week. hope it works
Very helpful especially for ordering the part. How and what kind of lubricant would you use if the door needs it?
My 97 and 98 air re-circulation motor is mounted to the side of the blower motor housing under the right side of the dash. It should be the same for this truck and not way in the dash. Hopefully this helps.
Thanks for the video it was very helpful with changing my 02 Tahoe mode actuator.
That actually helped... I need to check out my nephews truck blend door actuator.
I LOVE this video, thank you soooooo much. But I have other problems and need to talk to you about it (about the actuator)
I have a question. What if you have hot air seaping out of drivers side vents, defrost and dash, and the rest of the vents are working right. Which actuator needs replacing?
Ok, thanks. I understand the procedure, just can't seen to get any tools on the bolts to remove the actuator. Its a tight area.
Most likely the panel. I would confirm system charge and also see if a command is being sent to the compressor to turn on during the times that it isn't responsive before you spend the money for a control panel.
You may also be able to repair the panel yourself.
Hello, I have a 1998 K1500 and recently replaced my heater blower fan. Since doing so, the defrost does not blow very hard on the passenger side, probably only about 25% of what it did before changing out the motor. All other functions work great and normally. Just the Defrost is having this issue. Any ideas of what would have caused this and what I can try to repair? I did notice that the rubber cover that encloses the blower was a real pain to get back on after replacement. Thanks!
Do you have a video showing the replacement of the blend door actuator on the passenger side behind the cigarette lighter and ashtray? Need to know how to disassemble. Thanks in advance. 1997 GMC Sierra K1500
No, i didn't have to mess with it, but there will be a big video coming up on another one of these with multiple HVAC issues. Stay tuned.
If you can't control where the air is coming out of (mine was always blowing out the face vents) check the vacuum tubes under the hood: a 7/32" line comes off top of engine and heads toward ABS module, then splits into two 5/32" lines- one goes through firewall, one goes to charcoal canister nipple in front driver fender area- hard to find. These vacuum lines get dry-rot, then your cabin air direction controls, controlled by the vacuum lines, go kaput.
i had same problem and my actuator behind cigarette ligher was bad ,, all the mechanical parts worked but i open it up and one of the wheels and axles was split in half thanks
I have a 99 same body style as yours. My ac works but doesn't get very cold. The freon levels are normal. Do you think it's the blend door going out that's mixing warm/cold air? Also there's a intermittent click every 30secs near that area.
You can test them with a 9 volt battery positive to terminal terminal 5 negative to terminal 7 if it doesn't run jump 6 & 7 with positive that will reset it
Thanks man! Sometimes my truck will stay on the floor and not come our then vents and have to wait like 5 mins and a tap on the dash makes it come kit the Pannel
Great video man. Thanks for all the info in one place!
Man thank you for the info , I had the same problem and after watching your video I fixed it !!! I live in Florida so air conditioning is a Must
@gzqgtq Those use a more sophisticated HVAC system than this truck does, but generally it's going to either be a control head issue or an actuator, and with it working after a while I would hazard a guess that it's something wrong with the control panel.
also i noticed another actuator on the right side, passengers side, near the blower. what does that actuator do, and could that be my problem ? that one looks hard to replace.
thanks for any help you can offer. like i said, sometimes it will be fine for a week or more.
thanks
Hey man great video. My K1500 only blows hot air on the face/dash board position. Anytime I move the air to another position, the blend door opens as the direction door is changing position....What should I be looking for as a problem?
My 99 C3500 AC works very well initially but seems to quit blowing altogether whenever I start up a hill. Once I have leveled off for a while it comes back on. It acts as if there is a vacuum leak somewhere but can't seem to locate it.
My 02 Suburban has a similar "issue". When I direct the flow to feet/floor it's all fine. If I direct the flow to dash or dash PLUS floor I can hear a door clunk noise as if the door is "trying" to move & moves for a while then falls back out of position.
Does that sound like the same issue?
Thanks.
Mine is NOT dual climate control or the electronic control where you set temp & it does the rest. It is almost identical to yours only 2002.
:)