Blend Door Actuator or Temp Controls?

**lemkeant** · 06-01-2012

Hey Everyone,

Did some searches on here, and can't seem to find a definite answer, so I'll create my own thread.

This week Ive began to have a problem where I can turn my a/c on, and its initially cold on the driver side, but then gets hot very quickly while the pass side stays cold. If I adjust the driver side temperature at all (up or down), it gets cold again right away temporarily then hot once again. I should mention I have a trusty 2001 GP with the dual non-digital climate controls.

The threads Ive seen around here point to a blend door actuator on the driver side, but those symptoms all seem to have the actuator stuck/not working at all? My symptoms are different being that the temperature will correctly adjust but only temporarily.

Thoughts? Blend door actuator on the driver side, or are my climate controls going bad and I need to replace the climate dashboard unit? Trying to avoid paying for 2 parts when I only need 1 (hopefully). Thanks ahead of time for any help/responses!

**Scottydoggs** · 06-01-2012

have your a/c tested, that sounds like your low on freon, or R what ever these days.

the pass side stays cool and the driver side gets warm.

**lemkeant** · 06-02-2012

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

have your a/c tested, that sounds like your low on freon, or R what ever these days.

the pass side stays cool and the driver side gets warm.

I'm pretty sure that isn't it. Especially since it re-cools itself at any temp adjustment I make. I just had it recharged last year and it was fine all year.

Living in Michigan, we don't use our air conditioners much

**Scottydoggs** · 06-02-2012

the only thing you can really do is either check the a/c pressure, or open up the dash and watch / feel the actuator and see if its going back and fourth.

**stealthee** · 06-02-2012

Originally Posted by lemkeant

I'm pretty sure that isn't it. Especially since it re-cools itself at any temp adjustment I make. I just had it recharged last year and it was fine all year.

Living in Michigan, we don't use our air conditioners much

Just because you had it charged doesn't mean it isn't low again. You could have a slight leak somewhere.

**lemkeant** · 06-03-2012

Originally Posted by scottydoggs

the only thing you can really do is either check the a/c pressure, or open up the dash and watch / feel the actuator and see if its going back and fourth.

Pretty much what I was afraid of. I was just trying to hopefully pinpoint a problem and gets parts ahead of time so I only need to get into my dash once.

**lemkeant** · 06-26-2012

Well, slight update, replaced the actuator...wasnt it. I think the sending unit is bad. That was my initial hunch, but the actuator was much cheaper.

**lemkeant** · 08-02-2012

And a final update as 2 weeks ago I went ahead and finally replaced the whole temp control panel/unit. Fixed my issues.

It cost me an extra $27 I didnt need to spend on an actuator, but my heat and a/c now work as intended. FYI for someone in the future!

**02gt** · 09-30-2012

having the same issue,A/C charge is dead on,blend door actuator plunger is operating properly and temp control is rotating,replaced main climate control unit,but still getting luke warm air out of drivers side while passenger side is ice cold,any other suggestions?

**Scottydoggs** · 09-30-2012

take the drivers side actuator off, and turn the knob by hand if it gets cold you know its the actuator. theres no real way to see the d/s actuator turn with it in the car, its dark and tight in there.

http://www.grandprixforums.net/blend...ent-21941.html

**02gt** · 09-30-2012

it sure looked like it was turning to me,I could see the outside of it turning back and forth when I played with the temp,I mean I had the bottom of the dash all apart and I could look right at it,unless I am wrong and it was just turning but not engaging

**Scottydoggs** · 09-30-2012

the outside dont spin, the center hole in the point does, and it moves a very small amount, it only turns back and fourth, maybe a 1/2 inch.

this is the actuator, that white circle is what turns, see the lines, one right through the center and 2 off to the sides, the 2 to the sides are as far as it turns. one way is hot, the other is cold, the middle is the middle lol

**02gt** · 10-01-2012

Maybe I wasn't clear,but I can see the white circle rotating back and forth,so I know it is operating.

**TexasTanker19kilo20** · 04-20-2013

Sorry to revive this thread, but no need to make a new one. There is a lot of good info in this thread so far, but not the answer I'm looking for.

Problem- Turn on the AC and it blows cold out of the passenger side and luke warm out of the driver side.

MY fixes so far- I replaced the AC control unit (JY unit)
I replaced the driver door actuator (JY unit)
Still does the same thing. Also before when I would select defrost the air would not blow out of defrost vents, after parts it works as should.

The AC compressor is not short cycling and is operating normal.

Should I still get a vacuum put on the system to check for leaks and recharged?

Should I look for another problem?

Here I'm holding my original AC controler new JY installed

Driver Actuator, Original Unit

Driver Actuator, Original Unit other side. Note: The JY unit had a metal rotating piece instead of plastic like the original.

Just for fun side Note: I noticed the 04+ seats make a nice work table for my tools while working on the AC

**TexasTanker19kilo20** · 04-21-2013

Nice little update, I did today the one thing I was trying to avoid, an AC system check and recharge. My system was low, it only had under 1/2 a lb. of freon left. The tech did a recovery, vacuum and pressure test which it passed, then added freon. Now the AC blows Ice Cubes.

Although the blend door actuator was bad, so replacing that helped. The ac control unit that I got form the JY was bad. I put in the original one back in and all is good. Hope this helps someone later.

**TEK310** · 04-21-2013

good work! im gonna pick up driver and passenger mode door actuators and vac pump for mine. mine continues to blo through all vents. i tested vac ball for any leaks, it was good, ran new silicon vac line from ball to line that goes to firewall.