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AC recirculation not working

C

Coldwaves

New member
It is 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix base. The AC recirculation does not work. I remember when I press the recirculation button, the air from the vent seems to blow a little faster and there are more "noise". Now when I pressed the recirculation button, no change in sound and the outside air still comes in as I can smell. The indicator light turns on when I push the button and other AC function works totally fine. I am wondering what could possibly be the problem. I guess it is the recirculation actuator but I don't know enough about it. So any opinions or suggestions is highly appreciated. Thanks a lot for your help!
 


if you take the glove box door off, then look up to the under side of the dash theres a box up there, and a door that should close, when its open you can see daylight through it.

only suggestion i have is to see if its got a vac line to it or if its linkage broke.
 
I don't believe the 04+ actuators use a vacuum line, mine stopped working on my 05 last year and I have a new one sitting around here somewhere. If I manage to find it I'll post a picture, yours may just have died.
 
this isn't a actuator issue, its a recirculate issue.

and the actuators dont use vacuum. the part that changes air flow direction does tho.
 
Scottydoggs said:
this isn't a actuator issue, its a recirculate issue.

and the actuators dont use vacuum. the part that changes air flow direction does tho.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot for your suggestions! I don't know enough about how this actually works. Could you explain a little bit what happens when I press the recirculation button? What is the function of the actuator and the vacuum line? It seems that the actuator get the information from the button and then "command" the door shifting the air source. The force that moves the door is using vacuum.

I will take off the glove box and see what is there. Maybe I will understand how it works better once I can see the internals.
 
pretty simple, when you hit the recirculate button that door should close. i can hear mine shut if i listen close enough.

ive seen mine work, never had to dig into it or what makes it work. so once you see it your kinda on your own to what you find.
 


Coldwaves said:
It is 2005 Pontiac Grand Prix base. The AC recirculation does not work. I remember when I press the recirculation button, the air from the vent seems to blow a little faster and there are more "noise". Now when I pressed the recirculation button, no change in sound and the outside air still comes in as I can smell. The indicator light turns on when I push the button and other AC function works totally fine. I am wondering what could possibly be the problem. I guess it is the recirculation actuator but I don't know enough about it. So any opinions or suggestions is highly appreciated. Thanks a lot for your help!
Click to expand...

Just post an update. I got it fixed and it is an actuator issue. Just take off the glove box. The actuator is on the right side behind the glove box. Taking off the glove box takes me a while. You have to take off the panel covering the fuse box and the small strip panel on the right side of the glove box. Then you have to wiggle a bit to squeeze the glove box out. Be careful that two things are connected to the glove box. A wire is connected to the glove box light and the main wire harness was attached to the backside of the glove box.
 
I had a feeling it was the actuator. Scotty, an actuator controls that flap, at least on the newer models. There are so many small differences in the new GP's I feel like GM is just screwing with us sometimes.

I lost mine apparently, I have to pick one up for when I fix my A/C. Thanks for the tip on the wiring harness, knowing me I'd tear it out and have it rattling behind my dashboard from then on.
 
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