Hey all! 2004 Monte with the dual zone climate control. Just bought the car and the drivers side air seems to be always warm. I tried the recalibration process and go nowhere. SO, I replaced the drivers side actuator and calibrated. Still no love. However, I have noticed if I jack around with the drivers side slider, I can get it to go to cool for a short while, but it eventually goes back to all hot or somewhere close. I noticed that the passenger side has a "clicking" sound from the slider (not the actuator) and the drivers side sometimes does that same ratcheting clicking noise, but other times the slider doens't seem attached to anything inside the control unit. Do these things fail? Has anyone else had this issue? Any way to test besides spending $35 at the yard for a different one?

 

My '04 had an issue with the driver side was always hotted then the passenger side. I never had actuator noises. Eventually I had to replace the evaporator core and by accident, found the source of the issue. Inside the HVAC module, there are two flappers that the actuators control. The one was rather TIGHT fitting on it's pivot points! I used a light grade sand paper to remove a small bit of material on the nub/shaft of the flapper (so it's fit was not super tight). I also smear a tiny amount of Vaseline on it to server as a lube for smoother gliding as the actuator controlled it.

In my case, the problem is resolved. Based on how tight it was, I am sure eventually it would have damaged an actuator.

It's very time consuming, as you have to remove the entire dash. I don't know of any alternative way to get access to it. Plus, the way the HVAC module is designed, you have to break some heat welds to open it up and then source your own screws to re-assemble.

 

Yeah, I don't think my problem is with the door itself being tight. It will move by hand when I had the actuator off. The problem seems to be that the controls don't command the actuator correctly. Fooling around with the slider does change the temperature sometimes so I'm leading towards that. Is there any other part of the system that can fail?

 

Unfortunately, I don't know of any other parts other than the actuator or the hinge set up I mentioned. Anything else is wiring or electrical related (HVAC control panel, maybe a BCM).....

 

Replaced the controller on the dash and everything works great! Took the old one apart and found the drivers slider was broken inside. Not the best design in my opinion. Looks like a tiny piece of fiberglass with 3 fingers that touch a copper track.

 

Awesome to hear you got it fixed! Good find on the slider!