How to check climate doors?

[Wozny]

I’m not getting any air out of my windshield vents, is there a way of checking the door to them without removing the dash? My blower is new and the evaporator is clean as new and I’ve got lots of air to the other vents. I thought about getting a new climate control until I saw the price. I wouldn’t mind just putting it on defrost permanently as I never need it on anything else. Thanks

 

[AK49BWL]

The mode door actuator is on the box to the right and above the accelerator, and there are two linkages with springs - closer to the firewall is the defrost linkages, closer to the seats is the front-facing vents linkages. Your defrost linkage probably pooped its spring out or the pivot arm that connects to the defrost vent door axle itself has come loose, it's fairly common. Easy fix on both counts tho.

 

[Wozny]

The mode door actuator is on the box to the right and above the accelerator, and there are two linkages with springs - closer to the firewall is the defrost linkages, closer to the seats is the front-facing vents linkages. Your defrost linkage probably pooped its spring out or the pivot arm that connects to the defrost vent door axle itself has come loose, it's fairly common. Easy fix on both counts tho

Thanks, to the right and above the accelerator pedal I only see a wide vent that sends air downwards. I don’t know how it’s supposed to work, but my orange button on the lower right only turns the fan off. I can only start the blower by hitting the REC button. When it comes on from the REC button, it’s always on low and I have to hit the fan button to get it back to medium then high. Also, the recirculating door (which I think is behind and below the motor?) is always closed when the motor shuts off and always on when the motor is on. So I don’t think the REC button is controlling the recirculating door. When I set blend to defrost only, all the vents close, but nothing comes out of the defrosters. Thanks

 

[AK49BWL]

If you have the factory radio you'll also have a big silver box in the way of the mode door actuator - the stereo CDM (brain and amplifier). You'll have to get that out of the way in order to really visualize the actuator. It's behind the dash, not visible unless you're looking under the dash, more like where the accelerator cable goes through the firewall.

If REC is showing on the display, the system is recirculating.. Hitting the rec button again should turn it off and close that door. You should be able to use any of the four vent buttons or A/C button to turn the system on as well, and the fan will ALWAYS default to low from off, this is normal. The orange button is the system Off button so that's normal, and the recirc door will NOT stay recirculating with the system off. No way around that aside from modifying the wiring.

 

[Wozny]

Thanks, I’m glad the controls are normal. Looks like I can replace the factory radio now too. I got it out but the wires don’t have a plug so the silver box is dangling there too, does the cluster cowl come off and the radio slide through the rectangular opening in the cowl? It looks like if I get all that stuff out, the radio is still connected to the deep beyond, by wire loom. What does the actuator look like? I don’t see anything but more plastic boxing in the area the radio sits in, which is part if the cluster cowl. This is a 1992, btw. Thanks

 

[Wozny]

Thanks, I’m glad the controls are normal. Looks like I can replace the factory radio now too. I got it out but the wires don’t have a plug so the silver box is dangling there too, does the cluster cowl come off and the radio slide through the rectangular opening in the cowl? It looks like if I get all that stuff out, the radio is still connected to the deep beyond, by wire loom. What does the actuator look like? I don’t see anything but more plastic boxing in the area the radio sits in, which is part if the cluster cowl. This is a 1992, btw. Thanks

I see the CDM, is the actuator the black thing between it and the big vent? I got the cdm loose but don’t know if I should get it completely out so I can check the linkage higher up that’s connected to the black thing that might be the actuator. Thanks

 

[AK49BWL]

Yeah that'll be it. If you can get the CDM completely out of the way it makes things a lot easier - you need to be able to see if the spring is still there in both of the linkages, and if so, that the arm is still connected to the defrost door. I don't think that'll be possible with the CDM in place.

 

[Wozny]

Yeah that'll be it. If you can get the CDM completely out of the way it makes things a lot easier - you need to be able to see if the spring is still there in both of the linkages, and if so, that the arm is still connected to the defrost door. I don't think that'll be possible with the CDM in place.

Thanks, I got the CDM out, saw an arm hanging, popped it back into place and the defrost works great now. What else does the CDM control? I’d like to get rid of it, put a different radio in, where the cubby hole is, ( optional CD player location I’m told). I could put an extension on the antennaewire. Or maybe they sell non CDM radios that fit where mine is.

 

[AK49BWL]

The CDM only controls the radio so if you're replacing the radio you can get rid of it. There are a couple options for radios that replace the space above the HVAC controller but they're a bit too expensive for my blood - the aftermarket deck in the center below the vents is by far the more popular option.

 

[Wozny]

The CDM only controls the radio so if you're replacing the radio you can get rid of it. There are a couple options for radios that replace the space above the HVAC controller but they're a bit too expensive for my blood - the aftermarket deck in the center below the vents is by far the more popular option.

Thanks for all the help