Much appreciated my friend! At 198,000 my actuator started giving me problems. Your video was an enormous help and money saver. At 18 years old, My Vibe by far has been the best vehicle I've ever owned! Thanks for your help.👍
I just did this for an ‘05 Vibe. I discovered by pulling the cabin air filter, you can use an L shaped tool to manipulate the “flap” that the actuator controls. This will allow you to get the male end in line with the actuators female end without having to plug in the motor. I also used an Allen wrench that fit tightly into the end of the 5.5mm socket for turning. This made uninstalling and installing that top screw way easier. Thank your for the video. It was extremely helpful.
Thanks so much for posting this. Your tip about unbolting and moving that metal support made all the difference! I was resigned to taking it to my local shop until I saw this. Saved me a bunch. Thanks.
Watched to video many times to fully understand what you were doing.I have a 2005 Vibe and could find that bend down tab so I just worked with the bar in my way.I used pipe insulation to cushion my arm as I twisted and contorted it to reach the upper screw/nut.I also used just the socket with a very short extension to get a better advantage turning it.Thinking back if I had friction tape I would of wrapped part of the socket with it and turned it with my fingers.The key is persistence ,and a beer or two doesn't hurt as well.Anyway thanks for an excellent video and narration.You're a natural at this.
I have a 2004 Pontiac Vibe Base model. I bought it new and loved it from day one. It now has 210k plus mileson it, still runs well. That clicking sound came on yesterday. Thanks for your informative video. Now I don't have to run to my service station looking dumb. I may even replace it myself.
Excellent video tutorial thanks. My wife thought the ticking noise was a time bomb I had planted in her car! I told her to turn on the recirculation and it quit so we diagnosed the issue immediately because of your video. New part arrived today so I better get after it! I might try removing the radio as well as another commenter had suggested.
Thank you very much for this video. While I won't be doing the repair your tip of turning on the recerculator gives me hope that this is the problem with my vibe and won't cost me an arm and a leg to get fixed when I do take it in. I"m not in a position to be able to work on my own car this gave me hope and the way to keep the noise from driving me cray while I wait to get into my mechanic.
Thanks for the excellent and detailed video. I successfully replaced mine following your guidance. To make the removal of the two screws with the socket I wrapped a rubber band around the socket. This gave me better grip!
Great video. I watched this as a refresher because my 07 started clicking again at 101,000 miles. The first time it happened around 50,000 miles ago, I watched a video or saw a website that told me to open the actuator and flip the gear over, and then reuse the original actuator. This works because inside the actuator was a gear with a broken tooth that normally only rotates 180 deg, and so you can pry open the actuator and turn the gear over to use its other side and get more years out of the actuator. At the same time, I ordered a new actuator to have as a replacement for the next time (now) it happens. The new actuator cost me 43.00 back then.
Thank you! This was so helpful! I managed to replace my actuator successfully. However, due to frustration, I only fastened one screw to attach it back in. It seems solid and even if there are issues later with it, now I know how to fix it! Thanks again!!! Repair only cost me $25 for the part 😊 One thing that helped getting the screws off was filing two opposite sides of the socket wrench nut so I could either grab it with my fingers or a small adjustable wrench. This repair does require some creativity for sure!
Thank you!! Watched a few of these videos for tips and repositioning the bracket was crucial for me. Not sure how anyone could do this job without that step.
At 150,000 miles my actuator started doing the same thing. Thank you for making this video. I'm off to order an actuator, arm myself with the tools you suggested, and get my fat old fingers up in there. Hopefully I won't need to replace it again until the Vibe hits 300,000 miles.
Thanks -- very informative vid. The part about moving metal tubing aside is key. I tried to follow some other videos where this was not mentioned and it was literally impossible to get the screws out. Good pointer.
I got my actuator in the mail just as this was posted. Harvey decided to say hello all weekend too and delayed my little repair. Great video, thanks for posting. I used a coupler on my socket and it gave me a little more surface for my fingers to work with. Also, I noticed that the bolts seemed to be married to where they were originally screwed into. When it was hard to put one in, I switched out the bolt with the other and that one went in without a complaint.
Helpful video! Crazy suggestion for those who are going to keep their Vibe a while: Put the flap into "outside air" mode (aka tapping and flapping noisy mode), turn off the car, and unplug the actuator thing (blue plug thing on video). Then proceed as usual. All you lose is the ability to "recirculate" and I never use that anyway.
I am SO glad that I read through the comments. I hardly ever use recirculate up here in western NY, but I ALWAYS need to defrost the front windshield. Now, I don't have to hold down the recirculate button to silence the clicking. Thank you for the suggestion to just unplug it in "outside air" mode! If I find that I need to replace the actuator, this video was helpful.
I just replaced mine and checked. The recirculate option is way stronger in my car by an estimated 1/3 power. I still replaced it anyway after stressing for over an hour.
Thanks loosening the bar was actually a great ideal ... my 2007 vibe has 300000 on her .....got rid of annoying sound and now all she needs is a AC recharge because passenger side doesn't come out as cold 🥶 as driver side .....
It took awhile because of big hands so my daughter did the small work. I very much appreciate your effort on doing this video and and for me you did an excellent job. Thank you.
The door you are referring to is NOT a blend door. The blend door is actuated by a cable hooked up to the temperature dial. This door you are referring to is the fresh air/recirculate door. It does not blend anything.
Thanks for the video! I managed the repair, despite being a non-handy guy with big hands. Thanks in particular for: a) The tip about bending the bar out of the way. Required a bit of effort with the nut, but worth it. b) The close-up of the plug after you had taken it off. Made me understand the little clip on the left that holds it on. I was able to loosen and remove both screws using just a socket (wrapped in duct tape for extra grip and leverage). However, I did have to use a small socket wrench to tighten the screws once I had the new actuator in place. Very tricky in such tight quarters, but got 'er done. I found myself doing much of the job with my eyes closed, to improve the "feel" (there was no way I could see what I was doing anyway). Before I installed the new actuator, I plugged it in and turned my car key to "on" in order to rotate the gear until it matched the position of the old actuator. Then, once I slipped the gear over the knob, the actuator was in position for the screws. I didn't have a socket that was the right size, so I used all the money I saved to purchase a very nice and comprehensive socket set. The part was CAN$29.95 (Amazon) and the socket set was $60, so I still ended up way ahead financially. And all my sweat, stress, and swear words will gradually fade into memory. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I have earned a beer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video clip. This was my second actuator replacement (years ago on an earlier-model Vibe): I really botched the first one, but your tip about the bracket repositioning helped make this job a success!
Thanks for the comment. Second Vibe, second actuator repair? I get it. It's definitely a flaw, but not so bad as to make me steear clear of Vibes. It's a good little car.
Hello there, just got this problem in my Pontiac vibe 2003. Thank you soooo much for the recirculating button tip, puts my mind at ease because I thought it was coming from the behind the engine. Finally able to have peace until my new part arrives. Thanks again good sir 👌
Thank you. I used an allen wrench to turn the socket to get the actuator lags off. I had to cut off part of the allen wrench to make it more of a stubby wrench. The amazon chinese one was better quality than the OEM I pulled off. My hands are small I had no need at all to move that bar. I stuck a mechanics pick into the air filter hole to pull up the flapper while I fitted the actuator in. All fixed for $17; 45 minutes total.
If you remove the radio, you can get a different angle of attack to reach those two bolts/screws holding the actuator in place. I have bigger hands so going into tight spaces isn’t so easy. By going through the radio bay, it saved me banging up my knuckles.
What a great help this was. Just did it in about an hour, becuase I have giant butcher hands. Got the replacement on Amazon, cost about $20. Thanks again!
Thanks for the video! I knew exactly what I was getting into and it worked just like you explained. I should have followed your advice on the cushion for your knees though.
I wrapped a piece of duct tape around the 7/32" socket to improve my grip. The lower screw is much easier to access than the upper screw. It was easier to disconnect the electrical harness after I unfastened the actuator.
Thank so much for this video. I managed to replace it today and really needed all the details, like when you showed the actual electrical connector so I could see what the tab looked like that I needed to pry. The tip about just using the socket without the ratchet was good too. I was afraid my female hands wouldn't have enough strength to turn it but it wasn't a problem. I had no trouble getting the screws back in either. With smaller sized hands than yours I thought I'd see if I could complete the task without having to remove the bar. It worked BUT it was so tight in there that I have lots of red bruises on the back of my hand where it kept scraping on the edge of the bar. Probably not the best choice if you have a prom night coming up.
Thanks for the comment and I'm glad you were successful! As for prom night, if your date knows that you do your own car repair I'm thinking that's a win!
Great video on how to replace the actuator on the vibe. I picked of my 08 Vibe last spring which Toyota make for GM Thankfully the Vibe does have Toyota's engine and drive-train along with many other components in the vehicle which is almost identical to the Matrix. Unfortunately many of the GM parts in the the Vibe are inferior to Toyota parts and fail prematurely hence why these actuators go so often in the Vibe in fact there is a design flaw where that plastic piece you mention in the video that you have line up is made of plastic and will wear in no time flat compared to the Matrix actuator will not because it is made out of metal. GM does a nice job in screwing the Vibe owners . I thought I would be safe getting a vibe because Toyota had enough of there reliable components in the vehicle but I guess not but for now that's the worst of it. The car runs great. Thanks again for the video.
Really appreciate your effort. Having a second pair of hands to hold the videoing equipment and light would likely have improved things a lot. Our '06 Matrix hasn't started doing this but now I'll know what the problem is. I won't be doing it myself, I can assure you. The flexibility required in my case is only a vague memory. I must laugh though. I've owned a '93 Mazda B2200 for decades. It has a recirculation setting too. It's a MECHANICAL slider - when slid LEFT it's recirc, when slid RIGHT it's fresh. NEVER FAILS and costs nothing. Sometimes the latest ain't the greatest! Putting failure prone parts in the most inconvenient places is a design deliberately PLANNED to extract more money from buyers. SHAME!
Thank you. You just save me $200. I thought my recirc switch was broken because it would not stay in. I did not have the selector in the right position.
Excellent. I just watched a video where they pulled the dash to get to this part. I had a suspicion it could be accessed by removing glove box. I'm wondering if it would be more comfortable to pull out the passenger front seat, throw down some pillows, and do it laying on your back. I have a 2006 Matrix with 200k miles.
moving that bar made all the difference. I was about to give up because I couldn't get my hand in position to get a good grip on the socket to loosen the top screw.
I've had this same issue on my 04 vibe for 6 years. I started at about 70k miles. I'll be selling this car soon and I want this fixed for the new owner. I've been using the same fix you have, just hitting the air recirculate button. I'll have to order this part and try it out.
Carefully removing the airbag assembly allows access from both top and bottom, and you have better visibility and light as well. Follow the safety protocols, disconnect the airbag wiring harness plug (yellow,) remove the two nuts on either end of the airbag assembly (a 1/4" drive ratchet and long extension really help) and the short capscrew that you can see right at the top of your field of vision looking straight in the glovebox door opening. The airbag assembly will lift out of the dash with a little prying. Wrap some tape around the your sockets for a better grip or wear plastic gloves, which will also help. If you've got a short piece of the correct diameter vinyl tubing, force it over the socket for a better (probably the "grippiest" option.) Using just the socket in your fingers, not a ratchet works best if you can do it. If you consider moving the position of the internal gear to avoid the broken tooth, try doing so by plugging the actuator back onto the wiring haness and "motoring" the white shaft 180 degrees from its original orientation using the key on/off and fresh air/recirc button. I found that much easier than disassembling the actuator and turning the gear a half turn manually. Not an easy joboverall, but the airbag removal trick helped me a lot!
Just to let you know. I am having the same issue. My re-circulation button Did Not Stop The Problem. I’m going to follow ur video and replace the actuator…
I’ve been using this video for years now. My blend door keeps going out (gear made of plastic instead of metal) and I’m on my third replacement. Crazy that the mechanic wanted $277 for a job where the part cost $30 and takes less than an hour.
So do the aftermarket ones last longer? Unbelievable that this is such a problem. Makes me want to attempt swapping the entire HVAC system from a matrix lol
@@AmeriFanPicker there was a few years ago. GM does stop making parts after many years. I own a 1997 Suburban, some parts I call on, they say no longer available. Then you have to use the aftermarket
@@slalomking yeah but might be a tad differnt when an entire marque (Pontiac) no longer exists, not just the car. I can still buy oem parts for my matrix.
@@AmeriFanPicker I know the Vibe under dash is different than the Vibe. I went to Toyota and asked for the Matrix part. He brought out a big assembly that looked beefy and looked of quality. It was $200 back then, the GM motor was $89.
I have the same model same year. Any idea what would cause the car to cut off when the AC is on? Also under the dashboard sounds like and bathroom hand dryer.
Easy Peasy Solutions, besides the tapping noise, the driver and passenger side vents are blowing hot air when the AC is off. So far research suggest the blend door actuator needs to be replace. Do you have any information about this issue? I will truly appreciate any guidance here. Thanks for sharing the repair process.
Not sure about the hot air, but since you can hear the tapping noise then you can be pretty sure your actuator is stripped. Just pull the glove compartment door and you can observe to verify. Fix that first and hopefully it'll take care of the other problem.
Lmao < after trying for a good time earlier I’m thinking this is the right way to go! My hands are scratched and cut from getting the bar and bottom screw out.
Sadly, my Vibe has starting the clicking on the recirculation mode too. This is very helpful, but so far the journey isn't without a bit of cussing. lol
The blue power cable is impossible to remove. Dont see a groove to insert a screw driver. There's no tab to pry. 2003 vibe. Tried pulling on it hard but nothing.
Just removed mine from an 04.. luckily I could get both of the 5.5mm bolts out with just finger strength on a socket. The top one is a nightmare. I will suggest anyone doing this job try that first and if they're lucky they can save a bunch of time and hassle
Replace the cabin air filter while you're in there too....Rock Auto wanted like $11 for the part but they also wanted $15 for shipping.....Ebay had it for $16 WITH free shipping.
that is not the sound i hear. when i turn the ac on it sounds like the compressor makes several attempts to engage , then it engages and then the whole car sounds weird ...what could that be. i do get cold air because i just added refrigerant.
Oh boy I have been hitting this air recirculate to stop silly clicking sound for months and suddenly one day it stopped on top of that no heating system now ☹️ my 06 Vibe.
My advice is not to buy the cheap replacement get the oem the original parts to save you hassle in the future this thing is not easy to install. Cuz I know by experience.
Dam. This is fiddly and fucking irritating. I don’t have huge hands but even so they are banged up and bruised after 30 minutes of trying. I have scratches and cuts all over my hands and still didn’t even loosen that top bolt holding the actuator. I’m on the verge of giving up < **edit!!** If you actually have or can find a 10mm wrench you can move the bar blocking the unit (or if you have someone will smaller hands!) it’s way easier. You can use electrical tape and cover a 7/32 socket and get a grip. After there was a sticky coat on the socket I managed to open the bolt finally. Fitting the new one was way easier than removing it.
Much appreciated my friend! At 198,000 my actuator started giving me problems. Your video was an enormous help and money saver. At 18 years old, My Vibe by far has been the best vehicle I've ever owned! Thanks for your help.👍
Thanks for the video. Without removing that bar with 10mm bolt, I wasn’t getting it. So your video got me there. Thx.
I just did this for an ‘05 Vibe. I discovered by pulling the cabin air filter, you can use an L shaped tool to manipulate the “flap” that the actuator controls. This will allow you to get the male end in line with the actuators female end without having to plug in the motor.
I also used an Allen wrench that fit tightly into the end of the 5.5mm socket for turning. This made uninstalling and installing that top screw way easier.
Thank your for the video. It was extremely helpful.
Where did you purchase the replacement part ?
@@andreseow5899 I believe I purchased it from either 1A Auto or Amazon. Most likely 1A Auto since I buy stuff for my truck from that site.
Thanks so much for posting this. Your tip about unbolting and moving that metal support made all the difference! I was resigned to taking it to my local shop until I saw this. Saved me a bunch. Thanks.
Watched to video many times to fully understand what you were doing.I have a 2005 Vibe and could find that bend down tab so I just worked with the bar in my way.I used pipe insulation to cushion my arm as I twisted and contorted it to reach the upper screw/nut.I also used just the socket with a very short extension to get a better advantage turning it.Thinking back if I had friction tape I would of wrapped part of the socket with it and turned it with my fingers.The key is persistence ,and a beer or two doesn't hurt as well.Anyway thanks for an excellent video and narration.You're a natural at this.
Removing the 10 mm bolt and moving the bar down was exactly the step I needed!!! Thank you!!!
I have a 2004 Pontiac Vibe Base model. I bought it new and loved it from day one. It now has 210k plus mileson it, still runs well. That clicking sound came on yesterday. Thanks for your informative video. Now I don't have to run to my service station looking dumb. I may even replace it myself.
I see where the prayer is the most important part of this replacement.
Excellent video tutorial thanks. My wife thought the ticking noise was a time bomb I had planted in her car! I told her to turn on the recirculation and it quit so we diagnosed the issue immediately because of your video. New part arrived today so I better get after it! I might try removing the radio as well as another commenter had suggested.
Thank you very much for this video. While I won't be doing the repair your tip of turning on the recerculator gives me hope that this is the problem with my vibe and won't cost me an arm and a leg to get fixed when I do take it in. I"m not in a position to be able to work on my own car this gave me hope and the way to keep the noise from driving me cray while I wait to get into my mechanic.
Moving that brace made ALL the difference for me, thanks man!
Thanks for the excellent and detailed video. I successfully replaced mine following your guidance. To make the removal of the two screws with the socket I wrapped a rubber band around the socket. This gave me better grip!
Great video. I watched this as a refresher because my 07 started clicking again at 101,000 miles. The first time it happened around 50,000 miles ago, I watched a video or saw a website that told me to open the actuator and flip the gear over, and then reuse the original actuator. This works because inside the actuator was a gear with a broken tooth that normally only rotates 180 deg, and so you can pry open the actuator and turn the gear over to use its other side and get more years out of the actuator. At the same time, I ordered a new actuator to have as a replacement for the next time (now) it happens. The new actuator cost me 43.00 back then.
Thank you! This was so helpful! I managed to replace my actuator successfully. However, due to frustration, I only fastened one screw to attach it back in. It seems solid and even if there are issues later with it, now I know how to fix it!
Thanks again!!! Repair only cost me $25 for the part 😊
One thing that helped getting the screws off was filing two opposite sides of the socket wrench nut so I could either grab it with my fingers or a small adjustable wrench. This repair does require some creativity for sure!
Thank you!! Watched a few of these videos for tips and repositioning the bracket was crucial for me. Not sure how anyone could do this job without that step.
At 150,000 miles my actuator started doing the same thing. Thank you for making this video. I'm off to order an actuator, arm myself with the tools you suggested, and get my fat old fingers up in there. Hopefully I won't need to replace it again until the Vibe hits 300,000 miles.
Thanks -- very informative vid. The part about moving metal tubing aside is key. I tried to follow some other videos where this was not mentioned and it was literally impossible to get the screws out. Good pointer.
I got my actuator in the mail just as this was posted. Harvey decided to say hello all weekend too and delayed my little repair. Great video, thanks for posting. I used a coupler on my socket and it gave me a little more surface for my fingers to work with. Also, I noticed that the bolts seemed to be married to where they were originally screwed into. When it was hard to put one in, I switched out the bolt with the other and that one went in without a complaint.
Helpful video! Crazy suggestion for those who are going to keep their Vibe a while: Put the flap into "outside air" mode (aka tapping and flapping noisy mode), turn off the car, and unplug the actuator thing (blue plug thing on video). Then proceed as usual. All you lose is the ability to "recirculate" and I never use that anyway.
Yeah, I wish I'd known that. However, If I did I might have never done the repair and I do use the recirc.
I am SO glad that I read through the comments. I hardly ever use recirculate up here in western NY, but I ALWAYS need to defrost the front windshield. Now, I don't have to hold down the recirculate button to silence the clicking. Thank you for the suggestion to just unplug it in "outside air" mode! If I find that I need to replace the actuator, this video was helpful.
I just replaced mine and checked. The recirculate option is way stronger in my car by an estimated 1/3 power.
I still replaced it anyway after stressing for over an hour.
Thanks loosening the bar was actually a great ideal ... my 2007 vibe has 300000 on her .....got rid of annoying sound and now all she needs is a AC recharge because passenger side doesn't come out as cold 🥶 as driver side .....
It took awhile because of big hands so my daughter did the small work. I very much appreciate your effort on doing this video and and for me you did an excellent job. Thank you.
Thanks so much for the video. It took quite a while (big hands), but I pulled it off with your help.
Great video and great narration! It was so helpful. Thank you so much. I'm in the process of replacing this part in my daughters car right now.
Thanks, so glad it helped.
Your video helped me out. Being November in Canada ... things like this only fail when you need to defrost your window.
The door you are referring to is NOT a blend door. The blend door is actuated by a cable hooked up to the temperature dial. This door you are referring to is the fresh air/recirculate door. It does not blend anything.
I replaced mine today.. thanks for this helpful video. That piece is a nightmare to work with.
You are welcome! Yes, so difficult to access.
Thanks for the video! I managed the repair, despite being a non-handy guy with big hands. Thanks in particular for:
a) The tip about bending the bar out of the way. Required a bit of effort with the nut, but worth it.
b) The close-up of the plug after you had taken it off. Made me understand the little clip on the left that holds it on.
I was able to loosen and remove both screws using just a socket (wrapped in duct tape for extra grip and leverage). However, I did have to use a small socket wrench to tighten the screws once I had the new actuator in place. Very tricky in such tight quarters, but got 'er done. I found myself doing much of the job with my eyes closed, to improve the "feel" (there was no way I could see what I was doing anyway).
Before I installed the new actuator, I plugged it in and turned my car key to "on" in order to rotate the gear until it matched the position of the old actuator. Then, once I slipped the gear over the knob, the actuator was in position for the screws.
I didn't have a socket that was the right size, so I used all the money I saved to purchase a very nice and comprehensive socket set. The part was CAN$29.95 (Amazon) and the socket set was $60, so I still ended up way ahead financially. And all my sweat, stress, and swear words will gradually fade into memory. Now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I have earned a beer.
Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video clip. This was my second actuator replacement (years ago on an earlier-model Vibe): I really botched the first one, but your tip about the bracket repositioning helped make this job a success!
Thanks for the comment. Second Vibe, second actuator repair? I get it. It's definitely a flaw, but not so bad as to make me steear clear of Vibes. It's a good little car.
Hello there, just got this problem in my Pontiac vibe 2003. Thank you soooo much for the recirculating button tip, puts my mind at ease because I thought it was coming from the behind the engine. Finally able to have peace until my new part arrives. Thanks again good sir 👌
Yeah, I wish I had known that when it happened to me. Glad this was helpful.
Thank you. I used an allen wrench to turn the socket to get the actuator lags off. I had to cut off part of the allen wrench to make it more of a stubby wrench. The amazon chinese one was better quality than the OEM I pulled off. My hands are small I had no need at all to move that bar. I stuck a mechanics pick into the air filter hole to pull up the flapper while I fitted the actuator in. All fixed for $17; 45 minutes total.
Huge help... fixed my daughter's 08 vibe with this. Thank you Easy P!!
If you remove the radio, you can get a different angle of attack to reach those two bolts/screws holding the actuator in place. I have bigger hands so going into tight spaces isn’t so easy. By going through the radio bay, it saved me banging up my knuckles.
Also good advice!
What a great help this was. Just did it in about an hour, becuase I have giant butcher hands. Got the replacement on Amazon, cost about $20. Thanks again!
Mine was 2003 vibe just fyi.
Thank you!! It's crazy how this little thing can make you go crazy with that noise
Thanks for the video! I knew exactly what I was getting into and it worked just like you explained. I should have followed your advice on the cushion for your knees though.
Great tutorial! Everything described perfectly. Couldn't have done it without you. lol Thanks for making it so easy for me.
Thank you for the help! I also opened the actuator and turned the end gear inside half a turn. A teeth was broken. I put it back and it works!
Great video sir. Took a little elbow grease but I was finally able to fix this problem thanks again
I wrapped a piece of duct tape around the 7/32" socket to improve my grip. The lower screw is much easier to access than the upper screw. It was easier to disconnect the electrical harness after I unfastened the actuator.
Great tips, thanks for commenting!
Thank so much for this video. I managed to replace it today and really needed all the details, like when you showed the actual electrical connector so I could see what the tab looked like that I needed to pry. The tip about just using the socket without the ratchet was good too. I was afraid my female hands wouldn't have enough strength to turn it but it wasn't a problem. I had no trouble getting the screws back in either. With smaller sized hands than yours I thought I'd see if I could complete the task without having to remove the bar. It worked BUT it was so tight in there that I have lots of red bruises on the back of my hand where it kept scraping on the edge of the bar. Probably not the best choice if you have a prom night coming up.
Thanks for the comment and I'm glad you were successful! As for prom night, if your date knows that you do your own car repair I'm thinking that's a win!
Thanks ! very helpful, use a 7/32 tiny key to remove / put back the actuator. Took me 10 minutes. And yeah, knee pad;)
Good advice!
Great video! Good info. Replacement went great.
Great video on how to replace the actuator on the vibe. I picked of my 08 Vibe last spring which Toyota make for GM Thankfully the Vibe does have Toyota's engine and drive-train along with many other components in the vehicle which is almost identical to the Matrix. Unfortunately many of the GM parts in the the Vibe are inferior to Toyota parts and fail prematurely hence why these actuators go so often in the Vibe in fact there is a design flaw where that plastic piece you mention in the video that you have line up is made of plastic and will wear in no time flat compared to the Matrix actuator will not because it is made out of metal. GM does a nice job in screwing the Vibe owners . I thought I would be safe getting a vibe because Toyota had enough of there reliable components in the vehicle but I guess not but for now that's the worst of it. The car runs great. Thanks again for the video.
The actuator in my Vibe has lasted 14 years, so nope.
Your one of the lucky ones. Most people are reporting the same problem.
Really appreciate your effort. Having a second pair of hands to hold the videoing equipment and light would likely have improved things a lot.
Our '06 Matrix hasn't started doing this but now I'll know what the problem is. I won't be doing it myself, I can assure you. The flexibility required in my case is only a vague memory.
I must laugh though. I've owned a '93 Mazda B2200 for decades. It has a recirculation setting too. It's a MECHANICAL slider - when slid LEFT it's recirc, when slid RIGHT it's fresh. NEVER FAILS and costs nothing. Sometimes the latest ain't the greatest!
Putting failure prone parts in the most inconvenient places is a design deliberately PLANNED to extract more money from buyers. SHAME!
Thank you. You just save me $200. I thought my recirc switch was broken because it would not stay in. I did not have the selector in the right position.
RECIRC does NOT work if you are using either of the DEFROST settings on the air control dial.
nice video...I have to do this job this weekend...should be a piece of cake now !
Very informative, and helpful, thanks.
You are very welcome.
Excellent. I just watched a video where they pulled the dash to get to this part. I had a suspicion it could be accessed by removing glove box. I'm wondering if it would be more comfortable to pull out the passenger front seat, throw down some pillows, and do it laying on your back. I have a 2006 Matrix with 200k miles.
Thank you for this video. It really helped.
Thanks, man! Fixed my girlfriend's Vibe with this.
moving that bar made all the difference. I was about to give up because I couldn't get my hand in position to get a good grip on the socket to loosen the top screw.
Never give up until you've searched TH-cam!! :-)
I've had this same issue on my 04 vibe for 6 years. I started at about 70k miles. I'll be selling this car soon and I want this fixed for the new owner. I've been using the same fix you have, just hitting the air recirculate button. I'll have to order this part and try it out.
Carefully removing the airbag assembly allows access from both top and bottom, and you have better visibility and light as well. Follow the safety protocols, disconnect the airbag wiring harness plug (yellow,) remove the two nuts on either end of the airbag assembly (a 1/4" drive ratchet and long extension really help) and the short capscrew that you can see right at the top of your field of vision looking straight in the glovebox door opening. The airbag assembly will lift out of the dash with a little prying. Wrap some tape around the your sockets for a better grip or wear plastic gloves, which will also help. If you've got a short piece of the correct diameter vinyl tubing, force it over the socket for a better (probably the "grippiest" option.) Using just the socket in your fingers, not a ratchet works best if you can do it. If you consider moving the position of the internal gear to avoid the broken tooth, try doing so by plugging the actuator back onto the wiring haness and "motoring" the white shaft 180 degrees from its original orientation using the key on/off and fresh air/recirc button. I found that much easier than disassembling the actuator and turning the gear a half turn manually. Not an easy joboverall, but the airbag removal trick helped me a lot!
Спасибо тебе за видео!
Привет из России!
Just to let you know. I am having the same issue. My re-circulation button Did Not Stop The Problem. I’m going to follow ur video and replace the actuator…
I am having the same issue. Clicking noise on either setting. Did replacement of the actuator fix it?
This was very helpful, thanks!
thank you , you save me of lot of money
I’ve been using this video for years now. My blend door keeps going out (gear made of plastic instead of metal) and I’m on my third replacement. Crazy that the mechanic wanted $277 for a job where the part cost $30 and takes less than an hour.
omg i fucking love you , thank you i can now hear no more ticking !!
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
So do the aftermarket ones last longer? Unbelievable that this is such a problem. Makes me want to attempt swapping the entire HVAC system from a matrix lol
No, rock auto is cheap junk. The GM part has been redesigned and now lasts
@@slalomking is there a GM part still made???? I mean since the vibe isn’t made anymore much less Pontiac is gone.
@@AmeriFanPicker there was a few years ago. GM does stop making parts after many years. I own a 1997 Suburban, some parts I call on, they say no longer available. Then you have to use the aftermarket
@@slalomking yeah but might be a tad differnt when an entire marque (Pontiac) no longer exists, not just the car. I can still buy oem parts for my matrix.
@@AmeriFanPicker I know the Vibe under dash is different than the Vibe. I went to Toyota and asked for the Matrix part. He brought out a big assembly that looked beefy and looked of quality. It was $200 back then, the GM motor was $89.
I have the same model same year. Any idea what would cause the car to cut off when the AC is on? Also under the dashboard sounds like and bathroom hand dryer.
Just unplugged it, do you really use it often no
Thank you!
Easy Peasy Solutions, besides the tapping noise, the driver and passenger side vents are blowing hot air when the AC is off. So far research suggest the blend door actuator needs to be replace. Do you have any information about this issue? I will truly appreciate any guidance here.
Thanks for sharing the repair process.
Not sure about the hot air, but since you can hear the tapping noise then you can be pretty sure your actuator is stripped. Just pull the glove compartment door and you can observe to verify. Fix that first and hopefully it'll take care of the other problem.
Another easy fix is to just disconnect the actuator and do with out recycled air. Hardly ever use that function anyways. Easy to live without.
Lmao < after trying for a good time earlier I’m thinking this is the right way to go! My hands are scratched and cut from getting the bar and bottom screw out.
May Need that button in winter to keep windows inside from fogging
Sadly, my Vibe has starting the clicking on the recirculation mode too. This is very helpful, but so far the journey isn't without a bit of cussing. lol
The blue power cable is impossible to remove. Dont see a groove to insert a screw driver. There's no tab to pry. 2003 vibe. Tried pulling on it hard but nothing.
It's not push down clip, it's a pull away.
Thank you..
Anyone know if this is roughly the same procedure for a 2010 Pontiac Vibe? I suspect mine is not functioning correctly.
That top actuator screw is a tough one
Just removed mine from an 04.. luckily I could get both of the 5.5mm bolts out with just finger strength on a socket. The top one is a nightmare. I will suggest anyone doing this job try that first and if they're lucky they can save a bunch of time and hassle
One of the reasons I like Scions.
Never had one, but I'm a Toyota fan.
Replace the cabin air filter while you're in there too....Rock Auto wanted like $11 for the part but they also wanted $15 for shipping.....Ebay had it for $16 WITH free shipping.
that is not the sound i hear. when i turn the ac on it sounds like the compressor makes several attempts to engage , then it engages and then the whole car sounds weird ...what could that be. i do get cold air because i just added refrigerant.
Mine works the opposite way. It clicks when the recirc button is on
Oh boy I have been hitting this air recirculate to stop silly clicking sound for months and suddenly one day it stopped on top of that no heating system now ☹️ my 06 Vibe.
Ah. Ok. That’s what I do. Except NOW I have no heat. Lol
The Matrix under dash is different. GM put in their own under dash
Yes, this is true. This is why the GM breaks and the Matrixes don’t. GM sucks
My advice is not to buy the cheap replacement get the oem the original parts to save you hassle in the future this thing is not easy to install. Cuz I know by experience.
Correct the GM part has been redesigned. I’ve found rock auto is crap
For God's sake...take 10 minutes to remove the upper dashboard and it's right there 😂
Dam. This is fiddly and fucking irritating. I don’t have huge hands but even so they are banged up and bruised after 30 minutes of trying.
I have scratches and cuts all over my hands and still didn’t even loosen that top bolt holding the actuator.
I’m on the verge of giving up <
**edit!!**
If you actually have or can find a 10mm wrench you can move the bar blocking the unit (or if you have someone will smaller hands!) it’s way easier.
You can use electrical tape and cover a 7/32 socket and get a grip. After there was a sticky coat on the socket I managed to open the bolt finally.
Fitting the new one was way easier than removing it.
Play a song with the stereo and tap along with the click
this part has nothing to do with A/C air mixing
Wish you didn’t do this in portrait mode . Put your phone sideways!!
Turn off the actuator noise during the video, hard to hear with the clicking in the background, good video other wise
P.O.S. American cars I’m buying a toyota