A/C Actuator/Door

[eric sakai]

Took 2015 SSRS to small shop.
Mechanic was not sure if actuator or door. It would have some cold air when engine cold but later becomes not cold air.
Mechanic disconnected heater hose to engine block.
Now no warm air but have nice cold air for a little while then not as cold air other times, as if actuator or door is faulty.
Question: if I go to Chevy dealership how well can they fit it, so that it blows nice cold air like a fairly new car?
Also, does the A/C last longer if never turned off, and never use heater?
For me seems too cold winter time in Hawaii at 5am.
Aloha,
Eric

[gtstorey]

The actuator door fix at dealer will involve major surgery on the car, including dash removal and likely windshield removal. Expect a very large bill. There are various shortcuts that can be taken throughout this forum.

A popular theory on here is that the less you cycle the ac/heat the longer it will last. Also some recommend to not turn the AC to final coldest position.

I just checked on temperature this week for Honolulu this week and a low of 64 and a high of 80. Those are the exact ranges I turn off the heater and ac.

[xstuntman]

And they replace it with the same wonderfully under engineered plastic door.

[morepowerjoe]

Originally Posted by eric sakai

Took 2015 SSRS to small shop.
Mechanic was not sure if actuator or door. It would have some cold air when engine cold but later becomes not cold air.
Mechanic disconnected heater hose to engine block.
Now no warm air but have nice cold air for a little while then not as cold air other times, as if actuator or door is faulty.
Question: if I go to Chevy dealership how well can they fit it, so that it blows nice cold air like a fairly new car?
Also, does the A/C last longer if never turned off, and never use heater?
For me seems too cold winter time in Hawaii at 5am.
Aloha,
Eric

I have a 2012 SS with 156k on it and my blend door broke last summer. I new the dash had to come out and if you don't feel like crawling under the dash and hacking the heck out of the plastic piece that holds the blend door in then the dash has to come out. And I'm very mechanicly inclined but I don't have the patience to take out the whole dash. I went ahead and took it to the dealer and let them do it. They had to remove the dash and windshield. They have to remove the windshield because there is a bolt right below the windshield that can't come out with the windshield in place. I've heard there is a way to get the bolt out without removing the windshield but I'm not sure how. I had a big crack across my windshield do they said they wouldn't do it unless I replaced the windshield at the same time. And I needed a new windshield anyway and it cost more for the heads up display (like $600). Anyway I figured the first blend door lasted 155k so long went ahead and bit the bullet and $2300 later it's done.

[ron123]

For about $30 and an hour worth of time you can make a tiny access door that will allow simple replacement of the blend door.

A Bonus is the access panel opening made is neatly in an area nobody can see. This vid shows the technique. https://youtu.be/K0jajaoc-ro

[RJT Impala]

Originally Posted by morepowerjoe

I have a 2012 SS with 156k on it and my blend door broke last summer. I new the dash had to come out and if you don't feel like crawling under the dash and hacking the heck out of the plastic piece that holds the blend door in then the dash has to come out. And I'm very mechanicly inclined but I don't have the patience to take out the whole dash. I went ahead and took it to the dealer and let them do it. They had to remove the dash and windshield. They have to remove the windshield because there is a bolt right below the windshield that can't come out with the windshield in place. I've heard there is a way to get the bolt out without removing the windshield but I'm not sure how. I had a big crack across my windshield do they said they wouldn't do it unless I replaced the windshield at the same time. And I needed a new windshield anyway and it cost more for the heads up display (like $600). Anyway I figured the first blend door lasted 155k so long went ahead and bit the bullet and $2300 later it's done.

The bolt extends approximately 1/2 inch further down than necessary to retain the dash, and you can't remove it because the windshield doesn't allow it to be extracted completely. The hack: Cut off the 1/2 inch of length that is beyond the retaining nut, then the bolt can be extracted without removing the windshield. (Tell me the engineers aren't in cahoots with the service departments!)

[morepowerjoe]

For one thing it's not $3500 it's more like $1800. I don't know how much it is in Hawaii but that's what the dealer here in Texas charged me. And I'm not sure but I think it takes a little longer than a hour unless someone on here can confirm that.

[Moto-Mojo]

This thing is my nightmare. It’s like a tranny R&R, cost wise, for that BS plastic door. Is there any truth to the NOT turning the temp dial all the way to the cold blue dot thing?

[xstuntman]

My understanding is every time you turn the key on it cycles the door. I set mine two notches short of full cold and unplugged it. I could plug it back in once just to change settings for the season but it's not a DD.

[0stones0]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

This thing is my nightmare. It’s like a tranny R&R, cost wise, for that BS plastic door. Is there any truth to the NOT turning the temp dial all the way to the cold blue dot thing?

That’s where I keep mine. Seems to be doing the job.

[Nailbender]

How do you unplug it?

[InFiD3ViL]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

This thing is my nightmare. It’s like a tranny R&R, cost wise, for that BS plastic door. Is there any truth to the NOT turning the temp dial all the way to the cold blue dot thing?

I know man. I had read about this constantly and silently took solace in the fact that it had not affected me. I was convinced this would never be 'my' problem.

Then I blew my L99 and let the car sit for 4 months. The AC worked great before I blew the engine. But I guess letting it sit for that long with it turned to max cold caused issues with the blend door, because after I swapped in the new engine I had no AC. The door somehow broke while the freaking car was just sitting there.

I wound up doing the cheap fix by cutting a door into the airbox. The main benefit of this is that if it happens again it will be a 1 hour repair since the door is already there now. I am considering buying up a few of the blend doors though, as GM has a nasty habit of discontinuing much needed parts.

[morepowerjoe]

Originally Posted by InFiD3ViL

I know man. I had read about this constantly and silently took solace in the fact that it had not affected me. I was convinced this would never be 'my' problem.

Then I blew my L99 and let the car sit for 4 months. The AC worked great before I blew the engine. But I guess letting it sit for that long with it turned to max cold caused issues with the blend door, because after I swapped in the new engine I had no AC. The door somehow broke while the freaking car was just sitting there.

I wound up doing the cheap fix by cutting a door into the airbox. The main benefit of this is that if it happens again it will be a 1 hour repair since the door is already there now. I am considering buying up a few of the blend doors though, as GM has a nasty habit of discontinuing much needed parts.

Yeah I hated to pay the dealer that much money to do it but was afraid I was going to screw something up. I'll give it to you for having the guts to do it. I guess if you feel comfortable doing it go for it. Like I said I partly did it because I needed a new windshield anyway.

[ElderJ]

Originally Posted by Moto-Mojo

Is there any truth to the NOT turning the temp dial all the way to the cold blue dot thing?

There's a video in the Blend Door thread that seems to show the validity of this idea. I live in Southern Indiana where the summers aren't scorching hot. As such, I never touch the AC unless my wife is in the car (which isn't often because she hates how low it sits and how I drive), but I never put it anywhere near the Max AC setting regardless. It's open windows for me in the summer.