Climate control not working properly

Tiny
KMCCOMISH1
  • MEMBER
  • 2016 MAZDA 6
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 58,000 MILES
AC/heat/air will not blow when I first start the car and drive but I will hear a clicking noise in the dash. After about 10 minutes, the air will kick on but very low flow. I still hear the clicking noise. After another 10 minutes, the air will kick on full force and I still hear the clicking noice. This happens with all AC/heat/air flow in both recirc and non-recirc air. When it does work, the AC is cold and the heat is hot so no temperature issue.

Driving conditions: This issue occurs all the time (summer, winter, cold, hot, car parked in garage, car parked outside, etc.) However, when I'm running errands and make frequent stops and the car is parked for > 30 minutes, the problem does not return. Only happens when the car has been parked for a while.

I'm thinking air filter, actuator, or blower. Maybe fuses or relays?
Wednesday, April 14th, 2021 AT 6:44 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
More than likely this an actuator issue as that is the clicking that you are hearing. However, when this happens, do you have any air coming out of any vents? If there is no air then that would be a blower motor issue but we need to make sure the air is not coming out of some other vent then the one you are expecting.

Also, when this is happening, can you open the glove box and listen for the blower motor and then when it starts blowing you should hear the blower come on.

I just want to make sure we are chasing the right thing but it sounds like the blower motor is failing or the control side of it is the issue.

Here are some guides that will help with this:

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

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/blower-fan-motor-works-on-high-speed-only

Below is how to inspect the blower motor so let's do this as well.

Let me know what you find with this. Thanks
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Wednesday, April 14th, 2021 AT 2:09 PM
Tiny
KMCCOMISH1
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
So for the following, it didn't matter if it was AC, heat, or just air.

Condition 1 - First turn on the car and AC/heat on: Clicking noise, no air flow, the blower is not kicking on.
Condition 2 - After about 10 minutes of driving: Clicking noise, some air flow, the blower kicked on but sounds "strained" like it can't get enough air like putting your hand on the nozzle of a vacuum.
Condition 3 - After about 30 minutes of driving: Clicking noise, full air flow, the blower is on and sounds fine.

I rotated the air flow from vents to floor to defrost and mixed with all the conditions above. And there was no difference.
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Wednesday, April 14th, 2021 AT 5:41 PM
Tiny
KASEKENNY
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,907 POSTS
Okay. Thanks for clarifying that. I think we have a blower motor issue. It is odd that it is clicking as that is normally an actuator issue but I would suggest unplugging the motor and just running power and ground to the motor on a bench and see if it is clicking. If so, just replace it.

Basically you need to run 12 volts from the battery to the white wire and then ground the green wire and the motor will turn on. If it doesn't seem to work or it makes noise then clearly the motor has failed.

Take a look at this and let me know if you have questions on this. Thanks
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Thursday, April 15th, 2021 AT 6:51 PM

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