Below you can search and find your area locations that sell Dorman Products. All rights reserved. However, the cars air-conditioning system is quite complex and something else might be causing your problem and you will need to check it. You want to make sure that the motor is moving properly. Locate an automotive stethoscope (do NOT attempt testing WITHOUT one! Once completed, the alterations are under the dash panel in the foot area and are not visible. The motor attaches to the blend door using two different connector schemes depending on the model year as shown in the second picture. (if the motor is broken, we can help with a replacement). For example, let's say that you set it so that the A/C only blows air towards your face. Therefore, any repairs will require disassembling the entire dashboard. Theres a good chance it caused the old actuator to fail in the first place. Autozone for example has a lot of third-party blend door actuators on stock, and they can be as cheap as $25. Some common obstructions include pens, toothpicks, small toys, and bubble gums. If you dont want to buy aftermarket parts and prefer to buy OEM for peace of mind, then you can save money by replacing the blend door actuator yourself. At this point you may be able to confirm the problem by tapping on the heater case with a flat-tip screwdriver or something similar while listening through your stethoscope; if it starts buzzing, this confirms that any of the parts/assemblies you just tested and their respective electrical connections are bad. It will usually make either a droning or squeaking noise. This noise usually happens when you turn on the air-conditioning system and make adjustments to the settings. 8 Best Racing (Bucket) Seats for Daily Driving in 2022, How Much Oil Does a 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel Engine Hold? It should take no more than an hour of your time to do this job. If they fail simultaneously, then you will need to replace all of them. When those 2 minutes are up, turn the ignition off, and then on again. Also, if it turns out that the non-OEM part is just as expensive as the OEM part, then youre better off buying OEM anyway. If either of these methods fixes the problem, then you wont need to replace the blend door actuator. That being said, here are faulty blend door actuator symptoms: As mentioned, the blend door actuator has several gears inside to operate the blend doors. However, it should last the cars lifetime and its one of those car parts that rarely goes wrong. Or, somewhere near the glove box. Then the actuator will adjust the blend door accordingly. The usual symptom is an inability to effectively control the temperature of the HVAC system. Granted, the actual steps will defer depending on the make and model of your vehicle. The answer is NO, a blend door actuator cannot be repaired. It can however be replaced. Some bad blend door actuator symptoms are consistent with other A/C-related issues. "text": "Actuators, in the case of blend door actuator symptoms, is basically a small motor. Put that fuse back in soon thereafter, and turn the ignition back on. "@type": "Question", It is usually held in place a plastic clip that can be pulled out to allow the plug to be pulled free of its socket. We provide support via email or phone if required. If you can, its a great quick fix for an air conditioner with little or no airflow coming from the vents. You can learn more about the workings of a blend door actuator in the video below. Its a fairly simple job and it takes no more than a couple of hours to do at most. The fix is really easy and MUCH preferable to disassembly of the entire dash and engine cooling systems. When the blend door actuator arm on certain Jeep vehicles breaks, the dealer only offers the replacement as part of the complete air box assembly, which costs hundreds of dollars and requires several hours of labor to replace. Heres how to replace the blend door actuator yourself: You can watch the video below to learn more about how to replace the blend door actuator yourself. Application Summary: } If you have a bad relay, simply replace it with a new one. "acceptedAnswer": { Factor in the labor cost, youre looking at a total of around $375 to replace a Toyota Camrys blend door actuator. Remove the glove box by pulling it out and then up to disengage it from its retaining knobs. Leave it running for 15 seconds, and see if your blend door actuator is working properly again." Turn the ignition back on and leave it be for 2 minutes. When this actuator fails, it can no longer move the blend door to turn on recirculate mode. Although that might be a good thing since they probably wont want a free ride from you anymore. When you adjust the settings in your A/C system, such as the temperature and the airflow, the signals will go through the actuator. Otherwise, it wont work and youre going to have to buy another one that actually fits. Thus, they can be somewhat confusing to track down. This should activate your A/C units relearn mode. On average you can expect to pay around $150 for the actuator itself. Recalibrating the blend door actuator is surprisingly easy. Crank up your engine enough so that it gets about as warm as it does when you drive around (during hot weather) or turn on your defroster (during cold weather), but make sure it doesnt actually start blowing hot air! NOTE: If tapping produces no change in noise level followed by clicking, then an internal door has opened up due to increased thermal expansion, meaning the actuator needs replacement. However, keep in mind that you will need to make sure that the part youre buying fits your car. "mainEntity": [{ However, if your car has multi-zone climate control, then your car has more than one actuator in the air-conditioning system. Be careful not to damage any of these clips because if you do, your entire A/C system will blow warm air (and pretty much act like your heater is jacked up). Together, they work to control the direction of your cars air conditioning units airflow. In most cars, the blend door actuators are located around the lower dash area. But if you find it too uncomfortable, we recommend changing it. This is normalit usually only lasts for a few seconds. },{ Product returns are accepted within two weeks for a full refund(minus shipping). The heater core itself has no effect over where air flows through the vents; thats all handled by the doors. Next, locate and remove the A/C fuse for 1 minute. This will be an inconvenience and driving will be uncomfortable. Motor Verso is an automotive website; for car enthusiasts, run by car enthusiasts. However, they all work towards physically actuating and exerting an action or force. The blend door controls air flow through either the AC evaporator or the heater coil, or any combination in between. As mentioned, blend door actuators usually last quite long as long as there are no manufacturer defects. More often than not its usually located at the lower dash panel or glove box. The blend door is controlled by the actuator, and its the system that diverts and controls the airflow. In general, you can expect the total cost to be no more than $400. The blend door actuator is probably something youve never heard of in a car. As for luxury and performance cars, they shouldnt cost that much more. To blow heat into the cabin, the blower motor sends air through the heater core and on through the dash vents. button to check. "acceptedAnswer": { Do not cut or damage anything! Remove the actuators wiring connector. However, the method above usually works for GM vehicles, and the process for other cars is usually quite similar. Most cars will have either one or two actuators, but your car may have more of them if it has the ability to control the temperature in different zones or multi-zone climate control as carmakers often say. Use the In most cars, the blend door actuator will recalibrate the position of the door every time you turn on the ignition. Get regular updates on new innovations and repair tips. Your cars AC isnt working right, and you think the Blend Door Actuator might be to blame. These tools have been tried and tested by our team, they are ideal for fixing your car at home. Blend door actuators fail frequently on some vehicles, but not in others. Dorman Products is a proud member of the following aftermarket organizations: Never miss a new solution. Theyre not visible unless you open your dashboard and you dont really notice it working because they work fine most of the time. The broken plastic door is removed and replaced with the HeaterTreaterTM. This kit replaces the plastic door and axle with stainless steel components that can withstand the force and will last longer than the Cherokee. For example, if your cars air-conditioning suddenly starts blowing hot air even though the heaters off, then thats usually a sign of a low refrigerant level. Therefore, any repairs will require disassembling the entire dashboard. All work is done from the passenger side foot well, and no disassembly of the dash or evacuation of the AC system is required. These can sound like squeaking or grinding noises. On some automotive systems (typically older ones) instead of hearing a buzz, you will hear a click. When this happens, people usually notice fog forming on the windows as well as ice building up much faster than normal which makes sense if you dont have a defroster working at all. You should hear a click when its installed. To date we have achieved that goal and have no intention of letting up. Meanwhile, re-directing all that airflow from the main A/C unit to the respective vents that'll blow high up into your face." This is because water vapor that passes through the blower fan and evaporator will freeze as it reaches the deicer grid located in front of the AC evaporator core. Within it lies several gears and an electronic system that controls the motor. We recommend checking your owners manual or with online owners forums to find the correct procedure for your car. Also, you should buy non-OEM products that have a warranty whenever possible. On Chrysler/Ford vent type systems, check inside the passenger compartment for a vacuum hose running from inside the dash to near where the actuator is installed on top of the plenum (noted below). Furthermore, without defrosting working properly, you can also experience an increased amount of ice buildup on your windows during the winter. You will probably have to switch back and forth between using your right ear and your left ear since you are working by yourself up on top of your plenum. "name": "Where Is The Blend Door Actuator Located", Once all 8mm bolts have been removed, carefully pull back on the HVAC assembly just a little bit and then disengage the black plastic sleeve from its metal retaining clips by prying a flat blade screwdriver between them and pushing down until they pop off. This piece is held in place with 4-10mm bolts depending on year/make/model vehicle. Manual blend doors are pretty much always found on heater cores (where they restrict airflow to some or all of the vents when turned open), and sometimes there can be an issue where these doors get stuck in position so air only comes out of one vent no matter what position theyre set to. The issue with the system is that the drive motor has a wider range of motion than the movement of the door will allow. Much like other components in a car, there are third-party manufacturers out there that make blend door actuators for your car. Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on: Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. "@type": "Question", Actuators, in the case of blend door actuator symptoms, is basically a small motor. A blend door actuator replacement cost is $120 for the part plus $100 to $150 labor depending on where you go. In a vehicle's heating and cooling system, the blend door actuators help control the air temperature from the vents, and direct air to selected vents. These blend door actuators are almost always found within the dashboard. A blend door recalibration may also help eliminate the problem and you wont need to replace the entire actuator. A blend door actuator usually has a small motor inside it to operate the doors, but the HVAC is controlled by an electronic control unit (ECU) that uses vacuum lines and electrical connectors to move the blend doors. You should see an area about 6 wide by 3 high behind where the glove box used to be which has HVAC printed on it which stands for Heater, Ventilation, Air Conditioning. If you see any of the blend door actuator symptoms we mentioned above, you likely have a blend door actuator problem. Phone: 1-866-933-2911 Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. So, if you noticed that your heater started to blow warm air after running the car for 30 minutes, this was most likely due to your blend door actuator failing. It's a very simple process. Sometimes the blend door just needs a recalibration or its just a faulty relay that costs no more than $15 to replace. The blend door actuator is akin to a small motor that controls the positioning and movement of the corresponding blend door. Actuators also work towards moving around powered seats, rolling up and down the windows, or propping open the rear liftgate." As mentioned, its a fairly simple job and theres little risk that you might break something else. For example, if your car suddenly diverts airflow to an area (such as the footwell) even though you didnt ask for it to do so, then theres a good chance you have a problem with the blend door actuator. Remove the air filter assembly by removing the two retaining screws you will see once you peer up into this area. The actuator motors may also make a noise if they've failed, but this isn't always the case. The average cost for a HVAC Blend Door Actuator Replacement is between $115 and $134 but can vary from car to car. To test the relay, you will need to locate it and remove it (check your owners manual to find the air-conditioning relay). If you adjust the temperature and it doesnt seem to change, you likely have a burnt-out circuit. You can do this by using a socket and ratchet, but the sizes will vary depending on the car. you set the temperature for 70F and full heat, but all you feel is cold air because theres no way to direct this heater hoses into or away from the passenger compartment; it just blasts out everywhere. 2022 Or it might divert air to areas where you dont actually want it to be. The instructions are written with multiple pictures and dual level instructions. In any case, yes you can drive without replacing your blend door actuator. Fixing the door is relatively easy, but the labor(and cost) of getting to the door makes this a time consuming and expensive job. But often they are cheaper because they are lower in quality. 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