Air door actuator not working properly

PETUNIABIT15

MEMBER
2004 BUICK RANIER
V6
4WD
AUTOMATIC
180,000 MILES

My heater and A/C work but blow only through defrost or floor vents. Temperature and fan speed change correctly. I can hear a change in airflow when I switch between vents but still doesn't come out of front vents. There is no clicking sound. Both passenger side and back seat vents blow hot when A/C is turned on. Driver side blows nice and cold out of the wrong vents though. I can hear a major change in airflow strength when switched to recirculate but no difference in strength of airflow coming out of vents. Like the air is stuck inside the dash or something.

1 Reply

KASEKENNY

MECHANIC
18,907 POSTS

This is most likely the mode actuator as this is what controls the direction of the air flow.

Here are some guides that will help with this:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/air-vents-stay-in-the-defrost-position

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/low-or-no-air-flow-from-vents

Below you will find the process from the manual on how to replace the mode actuator as I suspect this is what the issue is.

Even though you can hear movement the fact is, you are not getting air in the correct vents when you change this and this actuator is what controls that.

Let me know if you have questions. Thanks

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