Thank you VERY much. This saved me a lot of money. I followed your instructions except that I cleaned it with alcohol and I used bulb grease to re-lube it. You can get a small packet of bulb grease at an autoparts store.
@@billdalton2616 This is a perfect example of how we get constantly screwed I realize that it's all in the name of "commerce", well, this is how we fight back by learning how to correct parts that are designed to fail from the manufacturer.
Two years ago, I had the blend door actuator replaced by my Honda dealer for $410, and it recently failed again. I decided to follow the guidance provided for opening up the device, cleaning it, etc., as you advised. Once back together, the "test drive" indicated it was then workingf fine. Thanks for saving me a lot of $$. BTW, I really appreciate your calm, unhurried demeanor as you walk us through the steps to handle these repairs. Kudos to you!
The dual climate control on my Honda Ridgeline started blowing heat out on the drivers side vents with the AC turned on. Driving in the summer heat was unbearable. I watched several videos but only two really helped me and both videos were yours! You showed me how to identify and remove the Blend Door Actuator, how to open and clean it, & how to reinstall it. The only thing you didn't help me with was smaller hands. Just cleaning the actuator fixed the problem and saved me from spending $120+ on a new actuator not to mention labor. I am working poor, I truly appreciate it, thank you!
I have a 2006 Honda Ridgeline and the drivers side is doing the same thing yours was doing. How similar are the two vehicles systems? Gonna try this! Any advice?
I just did this, and when the box was back together, the pins were in a position that wouldn't install. So I plugged the unit in without mounting it, and cycled the heat control on the drivers side from cold to hot and back to cold. The arms moved to their correct positions. THEN I mounted the part again and the pins were easy to put in the tracks.
Not gonna lie, I'm a little bit in love with you right now. It was 98 degrees here in St. Louis today and, after viewing both of your videos, I converted the blowtorch that was my drivers side AC to a cool breeze in about an hour. I used CRC QD Electronic Cleaner and CRC White Lithium Grease (aerosol) that I had on hand. I had read that white lithium grease is a decent substitute for dielectric grease. And I only broke one tab opening the actuator! Thank you, and you can call a screw a bolt anytime you like.
Hello Keith, thank you for taking the time to make both this video and the actuator removal video. I encountered this exact issue (temp differential across driver/passenger vents) over the weekend with my '06 Odyssey and was expecting a full dashboard removal drama + parts! Your willingness to follow up with your repairs over time is quite generous, too. I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and experience with the community!
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! Our 2010 Odyssey was blowing only very hot air…we had to drive 375 miles with the windows open to get home last week. We followed your directions and removed and cleaned both driver and passenger door blend activators and now it’s working perfectly! Now we don’t have to go car shopping this week. We love this van and hope to keep it going for a long time yet.
Your video is still proving useful. I just cleaned the mode actuator in my 2010 Odyssey. The commenters also provided some good insight on what to watch out for. I was fortunate that I didn't have any issue with the tabs, guess I was careful enough, considering the age of the plastic in our summer heat I was probably just very lucky. I used a pencil eraser to assist with cleaning the arms contact points. Very light pressure but I remembered doing that on my model railroad when I was young. I then used the contact cleaner again and gave it a wipe with a cloth. Reinstalled and error did not appear. Now I have to do the back actuator next. Thanks!
I called my Honda dealership service advisor today about this as I've never had this problem. He said call him Tuesday. Sure, I'll call him and tell him how I fixed it. lol Thank you very much. Great ez to follow along video.
Fantastic video! I was quoted $400-500 for this repair by a major car repair chain and I was able to do it all myself for the cost of some dielectric grease and electronics cleaner (about $12). Worked perfectly!
This was a lifesaver! I have an AllDataDIY subscription and the steps to remove this part are nowhere as clear as you show it. Half an hour of work and less than $20 in supplies and my AC is blowing thru all the vents again. Thank you so much for this video and the remove/replace video.
Had the same symptoms on my 2009 Odyssey. Didn't want to spend over $150 on such a small part. Searched and found these two videos and followed the instructions. Totally fixed it for me. Thank you so much for great videos and for saving me a bunch of cash!
Perfect guidance and easy fix! 2007 Ridgeline - I heard the critters in the dashboard sound for years, but everything worked until last week. This fix was done in 40 minutes. I did test the A/C after removing the actuator - the air was immediately cold so that confirmed the actuator being the problem. I'd say 2/3rd of the job was just getting the actuator out and back in - but immediately all good and no critters. Thanks!
Thanks for a great pair of videos. As others have said, remember to note the alignment of the arms before cracking the case. Dielectric grease and contact cleaner are available at auto parts stores and also Home Depot. I found it easier to get at the actuator if I removed the plastic kick panel under the steering wheel. Also, there is a different problem that can cause warm air on the driver's side and cool air on the passenger side: low refrigerant level. Because of how the evaporator is oriented, if refrigerant is low, it can cause only the right side to become cool. So if this fix doesn't work, have your local mechanic check refrigerant levels.
I was planning to replace the driver side blend door actuator and came across your video. Spent about an hour to get it out/clean and put it back. It worked like a charm! Very well done How-To video. Keep them coming! Subscribed.
Your video helped me a lot. I replaced with new one, purchased from Amazon, very successfully. It’s very easy to do. Make sure you take photo of the the old one if you decide to clean it up use the same one as you see in the video. Please be careful with the screws , they can be fall down inside the cover which is another headache. Hex head Screw size is 7 mm x 16mm.
Again, an excellent post on fixing the actuator. I found that using my fingers to carefully open the tabs was the best way from snapping them off. I only snapped the ones on the electrical connector. The dielectric grease is the correct substance to use in this application. I work with electronics and it's appropriate for the actuator as well. I had the gear with the arms spin on me while cleaning. Took a few trys to get them back into the correct position so I could even get the actuator to line up with the screw holes. There was no way for me to get all 6 screws back in, so I only replaced the 4 easiest ones to access. Pluged it back in, tested it out & works like a charm. Thank you again!
Just tried it. Hardest part was trying not to break the clips. Pretty proud of myself, only broke one. First test seemed to work. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for this video!!! I have a 2007 Accord EXL and had hot air coming out of driver side vents, cold air coming out of passenger side. Heard clicking/fluttering noises from the dashboard. Took it to the dealer who wanted to replace supply lines and possibly compressor for over $1,000. I declined the work and investigated more. Found this video after googling about the problem and people mentioning the blend door actuator. The noises were coming from the actuator. After watching this video and others I was able to remove the actuator (I had to also remove a metal bracket that was preventing me from removing the top screw on the actuator). I bought a $4 tube of dielectric grease and currently the actuator is working again. Well spent $4 versus the cost of a new actuator! Thanks again!!!
@@BarboursAutoHelp Well it's been 3 years since I fixed the driver's side actuator and in the past month the passenger side actuator in my Accord starting doing the same thing. I pulled it out and did the same process and passenger side AC/Heat was fixed. Then a week later the mode actuator starting going haywire - it would only do defrost. Nothing would come out of the center vents. I pulled the mode actuator and did the same fix and now all modes working again. So 3 actuators in the car were broken and now working again due to the process in this video. Many thanks!
Excellent instruction. I really appreciate you taking the time to show the steps and being humble about what you may not know. The proof is that your method works (as shown in your follow up comments).
Thank you man!! The actuator part to me (2010 Odyssey) for the air direction is $72 +tax, and the temperature is $52 +tax. I paid $14.97 for the cleaner and gel at Walmart. I read in a comment is hard to find these. Not at all.. Walmart, AceH Hardware.. store pick up. Yes I broke 2 of that clip but it still works. (I was so proud myself open it without brake it, but when I put it together... be careful how you hold it:) I recommend to remove the cover pieces and play with the buttons to check which actuator is moving by pressing the temp and direction buttons bc I accidentally cleaned first the driver side temp actuator. What it's okay bc it was dirty just like the direction actuator. So since I cleaned the direction and driver side part, I will probably clean the passenger side temperature part too. GREAT VIDEO!!! SAVED MONEY THANK YOU !!
Just repaired mine today following your instructions. Even though you said to not worry about the linkage positions till later, you should within reason. Don't let the wheel get 180 degrees out of position or you won't be able to put it back in, installed on the correct pins as you described in the removal video. Thanks for saving me $150.00
Great video! I followed the steps, exactly, and everything working like a charm! Just wish I was half my size when crawling under the dash.. that was tight!
I had a similar problem (was not getting cold, but was getting neutral, uncooled air) I was so stoked to see your video. Got it all apart and could see where the gear grease might have been obstructing the contacts. Cleaned it up, put it back together, and before putting it back in, connected it electronically and could see the arms move when I changed temps. Bingo! Thought I had it solved. Put it back into the rocker arms and put screws back in, and tried it. Still no cool air. Took it out and moved the rocker arms manually. Moving the white rocker arm moves the cable that goes through the fireblock and to the water/heater control valve assembly. As expected I get hot air when I move the white rocker arm and open that up. When I close it, I get neutral air. When I move the black rocker arm, I can hear it move a flap inside the heater assembly like it is redirecting air, but the air I get from the drivers vent is still at least 10 degrees warmer than the passengers side. Any thoughts? I'd assumed that with the black rocker arm open (and the white one closed) I should be getting the same air as the passenger side.
Well, I think I solved it. Even though the AC L pressure valve was reading upper 30s PSI when I attached a can of refrigerant, when I added refrigerant, the drivers side started blowing cold. Really cold (along with the passengers side being colder than before). I think there was enough cool (but not freezing cold) air to reach the passenger side before the refill, but not enough to make a dent in the drivers side air flow. Don't completely understand the air flow inside the heater unit. In the end, I'm not sure that my problem was actually the blend door actuator (since I failed to see if it was actually working before taking it apart) and not just that I was low on refrigerant. But it was fun to take it all apart and see how it all worked, and saved me ordering one of the blend door actuators for $130. And I've now got 28 degree air (per the instant laser thermometer), just in time for a drive down I-5 in the central valley. Thanks for your post! It's videos like this that really help those of us doing our own repairs. (Oh, and I did break those ear flaps on the actuator, even though you warned about them. But nothing a little bit of black electrical tape couldn't fix to keep it all closed. :-) )
Thanks for the thorough videos. They helped me fix my 2007 Honda Ridgeline. We heard the rats in the dash and then it stopped and the driver's side was just hot all the time. Just as a side note. I was able to remove the actuator without removing the duct work first. The third blindish screw is about as hard as the third blind screw on the duct work. I used a flexible 1/4" socket extender after trying with a phillips screw driver. You may need a screw driver to start it out. You can see the screw if you tilt your head just the right way. I used my fingers as a guide. The socket made it so much easier to put back together.
I followed your cleaning procedure, and have some good news and some bad news. The good news is when I reinstalled the actuator I had good A/C on driver vents. Prior to the cleaning procedure I was getting heat from the driver vents, even though the A/C was on. The bad news is when I raise the temp to call for heat the driver vents continue to pump out cold air. Given it's summer with outside temps approaching 90 degrees, that's a better alternative until I get a new actuator. Thanks for your outstanding videos.
Any chance you figured out a solution? I have he same problem you did. My blend motor works fine on the drivers but it pumps out cold air. The passengers does hot air. Thanks.
Thanks for the video - I followed your direction and it seems to have fixed my issue without buying a new unit. I hope it continues to hold! If not I now know this was the problem part. Thanks!
Great video! The removal video was super helpful too. I was surprised to find out that what sounded like a mouse under the dash was a common sign of this problem. I dove right in on the cleaning and regreasing but unfortunately mine didn't come back to life.
I have this issue with my 2009 Oddy with 130 mild or 200km ,not feeling confident to remove it but wish me luck! All else power windows still work! AC works like a charm in Winter! ;D
We’ve been hearing the noise and joking about the gremlins in the car (I was sure it was a mouse nest or some other critter, lol). Driver side a/c recently went hot. Hubby should be able to try this repair. Thanks!
Hi, thanks very much for this repair. This video is excellent. I am sharing my experience in detail as follows for 2010 Honda CRV. I am in need of a ratchet for tight space (possibly adjustable like a adjustable wrench with a wheel) and or flex extension, if someone can point me right to it. Problem symptoms: No air from middle central vents (two) and very little air from driver's side left vent. Full air flow near accelerator and everywhere else. But on driver's side only cold air flowing no matter what setting is for the temperature or on AC mode, manual or auto mode. Same problem even if flipped to different air flow modes on the knob. No heater at all for driver's side. Heat and cold just fine on passenger's side on auto, manual or dual mode. Fix: Removed air mix motor actuator and cleaned it, greased it per instructions on this video. Total expense $10. Before opening the case, there were three other screws holding a metal bar plate to the plastic casing for which one screw couldn't be removed as the arm was blocking and without it coming off I couldn't open the case. So, I used nose pliers and got it off by turning it. In the end I forgot to put the screw back in place but the plate was still holding quite well, no problems. I didn't bother for it. I didn't have flex extension for ratchet nor I could get it easily in my location so wind up using #7 wrench for the tight space bolt. It was a long extensive effort! But I didn't put it back in place in the end when I finished, the actuator was still attached fine in place. For the two easy bolts I used a small ratchet very easily. When I opened the case, the contacts and wheel was on the arm side (downside) and hence not on the top as shown here (this video is for Odyssey) but nevertheless, I was able to clean it and grease it just fine, there's a plenty of space for it and the cleaner is a good spray. I used a screwdriver tip to put dielectric grease on the wheel. I removed motor and gears and cleaned it too (there was lithium grease and for sure it was dried on contact wheel) but while assembling the motor back, the letters / writing label on the motor has to be facing me or the actuator could work in reverse. Surprise: When assembled back the actuator arm didn't move no matter what I set for the temperature (auto mode or manual) and hence the problem stayed as is. So, I removed it (only two screws to remove now as mentioned earlier!) and attached with the power cord and tested again, still no arm movement. I thought there might be power issue to the power plug. So, to test that I attached it with the power plug on the passenger's side actuator which is accessible when glove box is detached and lowered. Then the arm moved fully! At which point I thought there's a power issue for sure on driver's side. But I attached it with the power plug on driver's side again and it worked! And it worked for all temperature settings too. The arm was adjusting little with little change in temperature on the knob on auto mode. So, I put it back in place like shown in this video (but I only have one white arm to attached two, not two like in here) and gave it power. Started the car and hot, cold air and anything in between was flowing per settings. However, no air still from middle front central vents despite several engine restarts. So, thinking there might be another issue (transistor etc.) I turned the car off. When I turned car on several hours later, air started flowing from middle vents as well! More so when AC is on high and not so much even when high heat is on. This is normal car operation I think. You don't want high heat on your face.
I noticed on your install video, you mentioned it does not matter the position of the moveable arms(I.E, move them to match the servo arm). If a new unit is to be installed, does servo arm position have to be in the same physical position as the unit removed? Wondering if some sort of calibration routine may be needed if the servo arm of the new unit does not match exactly the same position of the removed servo. Perhaps put the old unit to the max heat or cold, and before attaching place the new unit to the connector and set to max heat or cold so they would be in same physical position? Our Honda accord has this same problem, heat at driver side, cold on passenger side, can see driver side servo is not moving when going from hot to cold, stuck on heat. Thanks excellent video on both install and repair
Thanks for the update, appreciated. Again very good video and information. Now to find my 7mm driver and do some exercise to loosen up my joints an crawl under the dash.
I did this passenger side and it seems like it fixed the problem of red hot air blowing on that side. Couple of things: 1) *all* the tabs on the actuator broke off when I tried to pop it open, probably due to age. But the screws hold it together ok. 2) getting the metal tip of the outside white mechanism into the groove of the receiving part in the car was HARD and took a bunch of tries. 3) I was hoping I'd see it moving as I adjusted the AC but didn't. There's another actuator/part/something just below it though and that moves. Either way ... I guess it's fixed?? Oh and #4 if you are like me not a car guy, both the electronics cleaner and the dielectric grease are available at any car parts store. They were like $25 total - still cheaper than a dealer repair!
Thanks for your vedio. After following your introduction, I cleaned and lublicated inside of the actuator, and it did move again when I turned temperature up and down. But the blow out was still not as cold as passenger side. Don't know why.
According to my observation of the movement of the actuator, it did move when I turned the temperature up and down. But it can't hold the lowest position when the temperature turned to LOW. Maybe it's the gear issue. Anyway, thank you very much.
I was able to get the actuator out, opened the unit breaking only one clip, but you had prepared me for that. I cleaned the actuator, re greased it, put it back together and reinstalled it. IT WORKED!! Woo hoo!! The most difficult part was the angel of getting to it. I did have a difficult time finding the dielectric grease but I know why normal grease is not to be used. Thank you for saving me the money for a mechanic repair and the new part.
Question, my actuator moves when I set to hot and then cold but ac still blows warm, will cleaning the contacts potentially fix it or is the fact the actuator is moving mean it is not what is causing the problem? Very informative videos by the way
Hi. Again, great videos. Just trying to make sure I understand. Not sure of the implications but 'di'-electric grease is non-conducting. 'Di' means opposite or not. So Di-electric grease is non-electrical passing. Yes, it prevents corrosion but since the contacts need to skid over the copper markings on the rotating position wheel I''m not sure the use di-electric is correct. I invite a correction or any other well intended comments. Thanks.
Dielectric grease is used where electrical components mate. Just read the product label. I use it at work for a myriad of electrical projects. It is supposed to be used to help prevent corrosion or fretting where parts mate.
Although this is an old thread, I would agree with you Bob. Di-electric grease is non-electrical and often used around the spark plug porcelain to prevent the spark from jumping from the plug wire tip to the engine. The proper lube in this case would be one of the Caig de-oxit products or fader lube. However, Di grease obviously works.
Hi come across this video but it my passenger side blend door acutator would this be same process? I'll try doing this before buying new one. Has it lasted or did need to buy new one
Excellent vid, many thanks. Having a somewhat similar problem on my 2006. Though driver side is not actually hot, it does not get cold like the passenger side. It's more just like the fan blowing air while the passenger side gets good and cold. Any thoughts?
2007 honda Odyssey EXL. Drivers side no heat. Passenger side is HOT. Tried to remove the actuator, clean it and put it back together following your procedure. Had some success for a few cycles. Hot to Cold and repeat. Stopped working again very quick. The motor turns on its own though. Could there be something inhibiting the movement of the levers? they seem to move easily with my fingers. Possibly need to be re-greased? With the actuator removed, I believe I should be able to push the temp door open or closed, manually forcing the van to hot or cold. When I do this, Drivers side is not as hot as passenger side. The van only has one heater core, correct? How could one side be different that the other if they both are fed from the same heat source? Thoughts?
The van does have one heater core in the dash. Its possible the actuator is beyond repair. At this point, you could try manually manipulating the blend doors to see if there is some sort of blockage. Sound like the actuator went out to me though. Not sure.
@@BarboursAutoHelp one more question. The temp blend door issue aside, Why do I have less heat on the drivers side vs. the passenger side? sensor? drivers side thermostat? I checked to make sure the blend door cable hasn't popped off the lever in the engine bay. Could the heater core be plugged? Just seems like I should be able to manually force full heat but when I do, it is still cooler than the passenger side.
A clogged heater core is a possibility. Usually if your heater core is clogged your coolant will be nasty too. Have you checked the condition of your coolant? Be careful and make sure the engine is cold before checking it. If not you could get burned.
@@BarboursAutoHelp The timing belt and water pump was replaced almost 2 years ago and the system would have been flushed then. The coolant appears clean to me. There was no mention of any heater core issues then. A few months ago my wife said that the van had an engine fan staying on after she shut the vehicle off. One other time it stayed on long enough to kill the battery!! I checked at that time and the coolant level was very low. After filling it up and trying to burp the system, the fan problem appears to have gone away but I have not confirmed the fan switch or temp sensor. Engine temp never got hotter than normal on the dash gauge though either way. I have had to add coolant a few more times since then but not as much. No idea where it is leaking as I can not see any coolant on the driveway and no evidence on the engine undercarriage. the fact that I needed to add coolant to the system means it must be leaking from somewhere. I don't see any blue smoke so I don't think it is burning either. Now I have this drivers side blend door actuator issue and heat imbalance issue. While it was in getting the timing belt done, I had them go over the engine with a fine toothed comb and said it was in immaculate condition mechanically. I'm just not really sure where to start on this anymore. AirLock? Fuses? Thermostat? ECT 1&2 ? There is a little clear flexi hose that goes from below the steering wheel into the main central vent/hvac box. What is that for?
Hmm... Its possible that you have an air pocket in the heater core. This seems to be the most logical explanation given the information your giving. Try this: Check and top off the coolant when its cold. Top it off by removing the radiator cap and filling the radiator not the reservoir. Put the cap back on and drive the vehicle. See if the problem goes away. If it doesn't then try bringing the RPMs up to around 2500 with the vehicle in park. Hold this RPM while checking the vent temp. If the problem goes away then you most likely had an air pocket in my opinion. Let me know what you find.
Keith, I followed your instructions on 2 of my Honda's and for the Accord its been great. On the Odyssey I think I waited too long to complete the repair, so there were grooves cut in to the little wheel. I ordered a new actuator, but incorrectly ordered the passenger's side. Are the insides exactly the same? On the outside, the passenger's actuator has only 1 finger to move the blend door, but the driver's side has 2 fingers. Is there any chance I could take the wheel out of the new one and place it directly in the old one?
Hi. Great pair of videos. A quick thought - if you do not put the motor back in the same way it came out you would flip the electrical contacts of the motor. Wouldn't this make a DC motor run backwards? Recommend people mark the motor orientation before they take it out of the assembly.
Thanks for the quick response! Yes, I worked on mine today and confirmed switching the motor will reverse the rotation and therefore invert hot and cold. So, if you set the thermostat to Lo and all you get is hot air OR set to high and all you get is cold the motor may very likely be installed flipped.
We have a similar issue on a 2010 Honda Odyssey. Mechanics wanted to charge $39 for a calibration diagnostic and then if that didn't work a further $180 for an AC diagnostic test. I'm not sure how much he would have billed us for the part, labor, possible freon, and diagnostics. Spent about twenty bucks and a half hour of work and it seems to work fine. I will edit this later if it doesn't work later on.
Hey Keith. I did what you said and when I was done reinstalling the actuator I had my wife come out and turn the heat all the way up and the are all the way back down. I watched the actuator move both of the white and black sliders. So it seems as though my actuator is working. However, my driver side still blows out warm air when the AC is turned all the way on while the passenger side blows out cold air. Since the actuator seems to be working is there another step I can do? Is there a another diagnostic tool or repair I can try before I take it to the shop? Again, to be clear, I could clearly see the actuator move the black and white sliders. So they are not frozen in one position and they move as we change from Air Conditioning to heat and back but it still only blows out warm air on the driver side.
It sounds like your refrigerant charge may be low. You will most likely need a licensed tech to do this for you. Special equipment is needed to measure the charge.
Electric motor installed flipped? Rj, Did you repair the Driver side actuator? Did you take the little electric motor out of the actuator assembly? You may have flipped the contacts on the electric motor making it run backwards. To test if this is the case, set your actuator to hot when you want cold - if it then blows cold you will have a good indicator your motor in the actuator was installed flipped. You said passenger blows cold so we know the compressor/refrigerant is working.
You may be on to something, Bob. But low refrigerant can also cause this too. I’ve had a couple viewers report that filling the system fixed this problem. I also have seen this happen personally several times. So, I wouldn’t rule out low refrigerant. I also wouldn’t rule out what you mentioned either.
RJ, did you every find out what was wrong? I'm having the exact same problem. Actuator moves the black/white sliders, but I only get either Hot or non-cooled air on the driver side. Blows freezing cold on the passengers side and in the rear.
I was curious if this actuator also runs the vent option? I have a 2010 Odyssey that is stuck on the top vent mode. It will not move to any other placement, and it makes for an extremely difficult situation for snow weather driving.
I’m so glad to find your video, I’ve had the driver side warm issue for over a year,only irritating in the hot months😂. But the rats yes! I started noticing this tapping or clicking noise( start my car and idling) before driving. until you mentioned in this video I had no idea what it was. I’m excited to try the fix this weekend ,after I get cleaner and grease!! Woot woot 🎉
Thanks! Appears to have just worked for me. I didn’t have electronics cleaner with me but just wiped it down. I also gave the arms a light tug up to ensure they made good contact with the disk. Reapplied dielectric grease. I also gave the gears a tad white lithium grease since I had it open. Didn’t break any tabs. Yay for me! ;)
I've got an '07 Odyssey where intermittently on AC, cold air blows on the passenger side but it blows hot on the driver's side. Does that match your symptoms? The dealer quote is $435+tax so I may try this. According to the shop manual, there's a "front air mix control motor" toward the driver's side, but there's also a "front mode control motor" between the center and the glove box. Which one are you working with here?
I've got some info in the description about this. I've also got a link to another video showing the replacement. There is more inf in the description of that video. I think that will help you.
Oh your good. Not a problem at all. I just get a lot of comments and its gets hard to stay on top of them so I try to put as much info in the description as possible to answer any questions that may come up. It helps to free me up a little.
Did it matter what position you had the lever in when you reinstalled it? I just did this to mine but I left it down and connected to the harness but the lever didn't move when I changed the HVAC settings??? Thanks
No problem. If it’s not working then the actuator may be shot. Of course there is a chance that something else is wrong too. Further testing is needed.
I'm going to try this repair tomorrow and will let you know how it goes. The rat sound is exactly how I described it to our service center and they didn't know what the problem was. It's hard to believe that a Honda service center didn't know about this common issue. I sure wish I found this video a year ago. I'm afraid that the part might be too far gone because it's not even making the rat sound any more. Keeping my fingers crossed.
So my ac temperature didn't go below 60 degrees and I notice that the blend door does not move at all unless the temperature control is either set to LOW or High. It does not move in between the degrees from say low degree to 75 degrees. Is this a blend door actuator problem or an AC CPU module problem?
Is there no need to re-grease the wheels? It seemed like the grease you applied is for electric contact purposes only? Anybody have any insight? Thank you!
Well, I'd say there is a need for it being that they come from the factory that way. The grease that I cleaned off at the beginning wasn't put there by me. Apparently the people that made it seem to think it's needed.
hi, just clean both actuators to my accord 2008, after clean i start the engine, the ac but not major improvment, ill test it again tomorow, hope to start work again, thanks
Both of my blend doors are making "rat" noises. They still work though, but just operating a little on the rough side. When the weather cools off a little I plan on taking mine out and giving them a clean like in this video. 2006 EX-L for me.
Hey, I just bought a 2008 Honda Odyssey Ex-L. At the beginning our front air wouldn't blow at all. Then 5he back wouldn't. It got fixed. But noticed if I don't keep the air on period. My air wouldn't blow in the front. Is this a problem with this thing?
Been having I believe the same problem with my ‘11 Odyssey, but the heat isn’t going to drivers side. Am I correct to assume this should be the same fix?
The '05 Odyssey's blend door actuator (79160-SHJ-A41) is a similar--but not identical--part as that on the '11 (79160-TK4-A41). The mechanical whatnots and function are similar, though. Since you're experiencing the same problem described in this video, simply apply the same concept for removal, disassembly, and cleaning for the 2011 actuator and see if it solves your problem. Fortunately for you, a 2011 OEM replacement actuator is much less expensive than the 2005 part.
Im having the same issue on my 2008 honda ridgeline, did your actuator still move before you took it out to clean? I looked under my dash and when I move the temp knob, the actuator moves, but no cool air comes out of the drivers side, only on the passenger side,
Thank you for your video, it has so far been very helpful. Have a few questions. Will silicone grease work in place of dielectric grease. (have this on hand). Also, when I openned up the gear box, there appears to be a white grease on parts of the gears in multiple areas. Should these be cleaned, and if so do I need to reapply grease. Also the black heater vent appears to have the same white grease. Would appreciate your help with these questions. Thank you. FYI, the actuator was stuck in the hot position initially. I was able to get it working, by toggling between heat and cold a number of times. While this was working, the actuator would pause mid stroke and then continued. Since I had it all apart, I decided cleaning it would be a good idea.
I would only suggest dielectric grease on the parts shown in the video. The white grease on the gears and the HVAC box, I'd just leave that alone. Don't clean the white grease off the gears and the linkages.
1 and a half years later and the repair is still holding.
Thank you VERY much. This saved me a lot of money. I followed your instructions except that I cleaned it with alcohol and I used bulb grease to re-lube it. You can get a small packet of bulb grease at an autoparts store.
Still holding???
@@billdalton2616 This is a perfect example of how we get constantly screwed I realize that it's all in the name of "commerce", well, this is how we fight back by learning how to correct parts that are designed to fail from the manufacturer.
where is the blend door actuator located? driver o passenger side? thanks
Two years ago, I had the blend door actuator replaced by my Honda dealer for $410, and it recently failed again. I decided to follow the guidance provided for opening up the device, cleaning it, etc., as you advised. Once back together, the "test drive" indicated it was then workingf fine. Thanks for saving me a lot of $$.
BTW, I really appreciate your calm, unhurried demeanor as you walk us through the steps to handle these repairs. Kudos to you!
The dual climate control on my Honda Ridgeline started blowing heat out on the drivers side vents with the AC turned on. Driving in the summer heat was unbearable. I watched several videos but only two really helped me and both videos were yours! You showed me how to identify and remove the Blend Door Actuator, how to open and clean it, & how to reinstall it. The only thing you didn't help me with was smaller hands. Just cleaning the actuator fixed the problem and saved me from spending $120+ on a new actuator not to mention labor. I am working poor, I truly appreciate it, thank you!
Still holding! Its been close to a year!
Its it still good?
As far as I know. I sold it last year.
@@BarboursAutoHelp gonna try this tonight my issue is its clicking
I have a 2006 Honda Ridgeline and the drivers side is doing the same thing yours was doing. How similar are the two vehicles systems? Gonna try this! Any advice?
I just did this, and when the box was back together, the pins were in a position that wouldn't install. So I plugged the unit in without mounting it, and cycled the heat control on the drivers side from cold to hot and back to cold. The arms moved to their correct positions. THEN I mounted the part again and the pins were easy to put in the tracks.
Not gonna lie, I'm a little bit in love with you right now. It was 98 degrees here in St. Louis today and, after viewing both of your videos, I converted the blowtorch that was my drivers side AC to a cool breeze in about an hour. I used CRC QD Electronic Cleaner and CRC White Lithium Grease (aerosol) that I had on hand. I had read that white lithium grease is a decent substitute for dielectric grease. And I only broke one tab opening the actuator! Thank you, and you can call a screw a bolt anytime you like.
So glad to hear you got it handled!
Hello Keith, thank you for taking the time to make both this video and the actuator removal video. I encountered this exact issue (temp differential across driver/passenger vents) over the weekend with my '06 Odyssey and was expecting a full dashboard removal drama + parts! Your willingness to follow up with your repairs over time is quite generous, too. I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge and experience with the community!
No problem at all. I'm glad it helped.
Thank you SO MUCH for this video! Our 2010 Odyssey was blowing only very hot air…we had to drive 375 miles with the windows open to get home last week. We followed your directions and removed and cleaned both driver and passenger door blend activators and now it’s working perfectly! Now we don’t have to go car shopping this week. We love this van and hope to keep it going for a long time yet.
That is awesome!
Your video is still proving useful. I just cleaned the mode actuator in my 2010 Odyssey. The commenters also provided some good insight on what to watch out for. I was fortunate that I didn't have any issue with the tabs, guess I was careful enough, considering the age of the plastic in our summer heat I was probably just very lucky. I used a pencil eraser to assist with cleaning the arms contact points. Very light pressure but I remembered doing that on my model railroad when I was young. I then used the contact cleaner again and gave it a wipe with a cloth. Reinstalled and error did not appear. Now I have to do the back actuator next. Thanks!
I called my Honda dealership service advisor today about this as I've never had this problem. He said call him Tuesday. Sure, I'll call him and tell him how I fixed it. lol Thank you very much. Great ez to follow along video.
Fantastic video! I was quoted $400-500 for this repair by a major car repair chain and I was able to do it all myself for the cost of some dielectric grease and electronics cleaner (about $12). Worked perfectly!
YES!
This was a lifesaver! I have an AllDataDIY subscription and the steps to remove this part are nowhere as clear as you show it. Half an hour of work and less than $20 in supplies and my AC is blowing thru all the vents again. Thank you so much for this video and the remove/replace video.
No problem
Had the same symptoms on my 2009 Odyssey. Didn't want to spend over $150 on such a small part. Searched and found these two videos and followed the instructions. Totally fixed it for me. Thank you so much for great videos and for saving me a bunch of cash!
Yeah!!
Perfect guidance and easy fix! 2007 Ridgeline - I heard the critters in the dashboard sound for years, but everything worked until last week. This fix was done in 40 minutes. I did test the A/C after removing the actuator - the air was immediately cold so that confirmed the actuator being the problem. I'd say 2/3rd of the job was just getting the actuator out and back in - but immediately all good and no critters. Thanks!
Right on!
Thanks for a great pair of videos. As others have said, remember to note the alignment of the arms before cracking the case. Dielectric grease and contact cleaner are available at auto parts stores and also Home Depot. I found it easier to get at the actuator if I removed the plastic kick panel under the steering wheel.
Also, there is a different problem that can cause warm air on the driver's side and cool air on the passenger side: low refrigerant level. Because of how the evaporator is oriented, if refrigerant is low, it can cause only the right side to become cool. So if this fix doesn't work, have your local mechanic check refrigerant levels.
I was planning to replace the driver side blend door actuator and came across your video. Spent about an hour to get it out/clean and put it back. It worked like a charm! Very well done How-To video. Keep them coming! Subscribed.
That's awesome! Thanks.
Your video helped me a lot. I replaced with new one, purchased from Amazon, very successfully. It’s very easy to do. Make sure you take photo of the the old one if you decide to clean it up use the same one as you see in the video. Please be careful with the screws , they can be fall down inside the cover which is another headache. Hex head Screw size is 7 mm x 16mm.
Thanks for the comment!
Again, an excellent post on fixing the actuator. I found that using my fingers to carefully open the tabs was the best way from snapping them off. I only snapped the ones on the electrical connector. The dielectric grease is the correct substance to use in this application. I work with electronics and it's appropriate for the actuator as well. I had the gear with the arms spin on me while cleaning. Took a few trys to get them back into the correct position so I could even get the actuator to line up with the screw holes. There was no way for me to get all 6 screws back in, so I only replaced the 4 easiest ones to access. Pluged it back in, tested it out & works like a charm. Thank you again!
Your most welcome! Thanks for commenting.
I’ve been searching for several hours and just finished both of these videos. These are spot on! Thanks!
Just dropping in to say thanks! Put another notch in your “saved a random stranger money” board. Was exactly my problem and now is solved!
Just tried it. Hardest part was trying not to break the clips. Pretty proud of myself, only broke one. First test seemed to work. Thanks for the video.
Thank you for this video!!! I have a 2007 Accord EXL and had hot air coming out of driver side vents, cold air coming out of passenger side. Heard clicking/fluttering noises from the dashboard. Took it to the dealer who wanted to replace supply lines and possibly compressor for over $1,000. I declined the work and investigated more. Found this video after googling about the problem and people mentioning the blend door actuator. The noises were coming from the actuator. After watching this video and others I was able to remove the actuator (I had to also remove a metal bracket that was preventing me from removing the top screw on the actuator). I bought a $4 tube of dielectric grease and currently the actuator is working again. Well spent $4 versus the cost of a new actuator! Thanks again!!!
BRAVO!! I salute you! This stuff makes me feel great!
@@BarboursAutoHelp Well it's been 3 years since I fixed the driver's side actuator and in the past month the passenger side actuator in my Accord starting doing the same thing. I pulled it out and did the same process and passenger side AC/Heat was fixed. Then a week later the mode actuator starting going haywire - it would only do defrost. Nothing would come out of the center vents. I pulled the mode actuator and did the same fix and now all modes working again. So 3 actuators in the car were broken and now working again due to the process in this video. Many thanks!
@@dennisannulis2227 That’s so awesome!!
Excellent instruction. I really appreciate you taking the time to show the steps and being humble about what you may not know. The proof is that your method works (as shown in your follow up comments).
Thanks for the comment.
Thank you man!!
The actuator part to me (2010 Odyssey) for the air direction is $72 +tax, and the temperature is $52 +tax.
I paid $14.97 for the cleaner and gel at Walmart. I read in a comment is hard to find these. Not at all.. Walmart, AceH Hardware.. store pick up.
Yes I broke 2 of that clip but it still works. (I was so proud myself open it without brake it, but when I put it together... be careful how you hold it:)
I recommend to remove the cover pieces and play with the buttons to check which actuator is moving by pressing the temp and direction buttons bc I accidentally cleaned first the driver side temp actuator. What it's okay bc it was dirty just like the direction actuator.
So since I cleaned the direction and driver side part, I will probably clean the passenger side temperature part too.
GREAT VIDEO!!! SAVED MONEY
THANK YOU !!
This made my night!!
Just repaired mine today following your instructions.
Even though you said to not worry about the linkage positions till later, you should within reason. Don't let the wheel get 180 degrees out of position or you won't be able to put it back in, installed on the correct pins as you described in the removal video. Thanks for saving me $150.00
Still holding folks! It’s been 6 months now with heavy use.
Great video! I followed the steps, exactly, and everything working like a charm! Just wish I was half my size when crawling under the dash.. that was tight!
Great
$20 in grease and cleaning spray and she’s blowing cold again!!!!! Thank you so much
I had a similar problem (was not getting cold, but was getting neutral, uncooled air) I was so stoked to see your video. Got it all apart and could see where the gear grease might have been obstructing the contacts. Cleaned it up, put it back together, and before putting it back in, connected it electronically and could see the arms move when I changed temps. Bingo! Thought I had it solved.
Put it back into the rocker arms and put screws back in, and tried it. Still no cool air. Took it out and moved the rocker arms manually. Moving the white rocker arm moves the cable that goes through the fireblock and to the water/heater control valve assembly. As expected I get hot air when I move the white rocker arm and open that up. When I close it, I get neutral air. When I move the black rocker arm, I can hear it move a flap inside the heater assembly like it is redirecting air, but the air I get from the drivers vent is still at least 10 degrees warmer than the passengers side.
Any thoughts? I'd assumed that with the black rocker arm open (and the white one closed) I should be getting the same air as the passenger side.
Well, I think I solved it. Even though the AC L pressure valve was reading upper 30s PSI when I attached a can of refrigerant, when I added refrigerant, the drivers side started blowing cold. Really cold (along with the passengers side being colder than before). I think there was enough cool (but not freezing cold) air to reach the passenger side before the refill, but not enough to make a dent in the drivers side air flow. Don't completely understand the air flow inside the heater unit.
In the end, I'm not sure that my problem was actually the blend door actuator (since I failed to see if it was actually working before taking it apart) and not just that I was low on refrigerant. But it was fun to take it all apart and see how it all worked, and saved me ordering one of the blend door actuators for $130. And I've now got 28 degree air (per the instant laser thermometer), just in time for a drive down I-5 in the central valley.
Thanks for your post! It's videos like this that really help those of us doing our own repairs. (Oh, and I did break those ear flaps on the actuator, even though you warned about them. But nothing a little bit of black electrical tape couldn't fix to keep it all closed. :-) )
I'm glad you got it handled in the end. Sorry, I wasn't able to get to you until now.
Looked up the part and it was over $160, before tax. Bought the cleaner, grease and an extension for my ratchet and fixed it for only $30. Thanks!!!!
Super!
Thanks for the thorough videos. They helped me fix my 2007 Honda Ridgeline. We heard the rats in the dash and then it stopped and the driver's side was just hot all the time. Just as a side note. I was able to remove the actuator without removing the duct work first. The third blindish screw is about as hard as the third blind screw on the duct work. I used a flexible 1/4" socket extender after trying with a phillips screw driver. You may need a screw driver to start it out. You can see the screw if you tilt your head just the right way. I used my fingers as a guide. The socket made it so much easier to put back together.
Thats awesome! Thanks for your contribution. I'm sure your info will help someone.
Incredible fix. Thanks. I substituted rubbing alcohol for contact cleaner and Vaseline for dielectric grease. Seems to be working great.
Heck yea!
Excellent video. Your instructions are very precise and clear. Thank you.
I followed your cleaning procedure, and have some good news and some bad news. The good news is when I reinstalled the actuator I had good A/C on driver vents. Prior to the cleaning procedure I was getting heat from the driver vents, even though the A/C was on. The bad news is when I raise the temp to call for heat the driver vents continue to pump out cold air. Given it's summer with outside temps approaching 90 degrees, that's a better alternative until I get a new actuator. Thanks for your outstanding videos.
Yea, I’d say cold air is better than hot at this point. But, winter is coming.
Let me know about further developments.
Any chance you figured out a solution? I have he same problem you did. My blend motor works fine on the drivers but it pumps out cold air. The passengers does hot air. Thanks.
Worked! Saved me $160+. Thanks for your help.
Followed your instruction and fixed the problem today! Thank you so much!
Glad to hear
Thanks for the video - I followed your direction and it seems to have fixed my issue without buying a new unit. I hope it continues to hold! If not I now know this was the problem part. Thanks!
After a year still working fine- thanks again!
Thanks so much for sharing!
Great video. Having this issue with our Odessey. Thanks for taking the time to make the video!
I had the same problem followed the steps and it WORKS!!!!
Thanks for the post
Thank you. Exactly what was wrong with my van. Did Exactly what you did, and it worked.
Great video! The removal video was super helpful too. I was surprised to find out that what sounded like a mouse under the dash was a common sign of this problem. I dove right in on the cleaning and regreasing but unfortunately mine didn't come back to life.
Sorry to hear that.
Just did this on my 2016 Odyssey and it worked perfectly! Thanks!!
Whoooo!
Thanks for the great fix it video... just what I needed... Now to fix the wife's van! Thanks again and blessings!
Hope it works out.
Just finished this repair on my 2006 Accord and it works great! Thanks man!
That’s great!!
I followed your steps It work very well, thank you.
Thanks so much for this! Just did this on my 2007 Odyssey, worked perfectly!
Awesome!
I have this issue with my 2009 Oddy with 130 mild or 200km ,not feeling confident to remove it but wish me luck! All else power windows still work! AC works like a charm in Winter! ;D
We’ve been hearing the noise and joking about the gremlins in the car (I was sure it was a mouse nest or some other critter, lol). Driver side a/c recently went hot. Hubby should be able to try this repair. Thanks!
Let us know the results.
@@BarboursAutoHelp so far so good. No gremlins and the a/c is working as it should!
Perfect! This worked on my 2008 Acura MDX
Hi, thanks very much for this repair. This video is excellent. I am sharing my experience in detail as follows for 2010 Honda CRV. I am in need of a ratchet for tight space (possibly adjustable like a adjustable wrench with a wheel) and or flex extension, if someone can point me right to it.
Problem symptoms: No air from middle central vents (two) and very little air from driver's side left vent. Full air flow near accelerator and everywhere else. But on driver's side only cold air flowing no matter what setting is for the temperature or on AC mode, manual or auto mode. Same problem even if flipped to different air flow modes on the knob. No heater at all for driver's side. Heat and cold just fine on passenger's side on auto, manual or dual mode.
Fix: Removed air mix motor actuator and cleaned it, greased it per instructions on this video. Total expense $10. Before opening the case, there were three other screws holding a metal bar plate to the plastic casing for which one screw couldn't be removed as the arm was blocking and without it coming off I couldn't open the case. So, I used nose pliers and got it off by turning it. In the end I forgot to put the screw back in place but the plate was still holding quite well, no problems. I didn't bother for it. I didn't have flex extension for ratchet nor I could get it easily in my location so wind up using #7 wrench for the tight space bolt. It was a long extensive effort! But I didn't put it back in place in the end when I finished, the actuator was still attached fine in place. For the two easy bolts I used a small ratchet very easily. When I opened the case, the contacts and wheel was on the arm side (downside) and hence not on the top as shown here (this video is for Odyssey) but nevertheless, I was able to clean it and grease it just fine, there's a plenty of space for it and the cleaner is a good spray. I used a screwdriver tip to put dielectric grease on the wheel. I removed motor and gears and cleaned it too (there was lithium grease and for sure it was dried on contact wheel) but while assembling the motor back, the letters / writing label on the motor has to be facing me or the actuator could work in reverse.
Surprise: When assembled back the actuator arm didn't move no matter what I set for the temperature (auto mode or manual) and hence the problem stayed as is. So, I removed it (only two screws to remove now as mentioned earlier!) and attached with the power cord and tested again, still no arm movement. I thought there might be power issue to the power plug. So, to test that I attached it with the power plug on the passenger's side actuator which is accessible when glove box is detached and lowered. Then the arm moved fully! At which point I thought there's a power issue for sure on driver's side. But I attached it with the power plug on driver's side again and it worked! And it worked for all temperature settings too. The arm was adjusting little with little change in temperature on the knob on auto mode. So, I put it back in place like shown in this video (but I only have one white arm to attached two, not two like in here) and gave it power. Started the car and hot, cold air and anything in between was flowing per settings. However, no air still from middle front central vents despite several engine restarts. So, thinking there might be another issue (transistor etc.) I turned the car off. When I turned car on several hours later, air started flowing from middle vents as well! More so when AC is on high and not so much even when high heat is on. This is normal car operation I think. You don't want high heat on your face.
I noticed on your install video, you mentioned it does not matter the position of the moveable arms(I.E, move them to match the servo arm). If a new unit is to be installed, does servo arm position have to be in the same physical position as the unit removed?
Wondering if some sort of calibration routine may be needed if the servo arm of the new unit does not match exactly the same position of the removed servo. Perhaps put the old unit to the max heat or cold, and before attaching place the new unit to the connector and set to max heat or cold so they would be in same physical position?
Our Honda accord has this same problem, heat at driver side, cold on passenger side, can see driver side servo is not moving when going from hot to cold, stuck on heat.
Thanks excellent video on both install and repair
As far as I know there is no calibration routine and it does not matter if the new actuator is in a different position.
Thanks for the update, appreciated. Again very good video and information. Now to find my 7mm driver and do some exercise to loosen up my joints an crawl under the dash.
Thank you so much for this video! I have AC now! Saved me money. You are the man
Yus!!!
I did this passenger side and it seems like it fixed the problem of red hot air blowing on that side. Couple of things: 1) *all* the tabs on the actuator broke off when I tried to pop it open, probably due to age. But the screws hold it together ok. 2) getting the metal tip of the outside white mechanism into the groove of the receiving part in the car was HARD and took a bunch of tries. 3) I was hoping I'd see it moving as I adjusted the AC but didn't. There's another actuator/part/something just below it though and that moves. Either way ... I guess it's fixed??
Oh and #4 if you are like me not a car guy, both the electronics cleaner and the dielectric grease are available at any car parts store. They were like $25 total - still cheaper than a dealer repair!
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks so much for this, I just fixed this on my 05 odyssey today.
Awesome!
Thanks for your vedio. After following your introduction, I cleaned and lublicated inside of the actuator, and it did move again when I turned temperature up and down. But the blow out was still not as cold as passenger side. Don't know why.
Low freon? Maybe.
According to my observation of the movement of the actuator, it did move when I turned the temperature up and down. But it can't hold the lowest position when the temperature turned to LOW. Maybe it's the gear issue. Anyway, thank you very much.
This was well spoken and demonstrated tutorial. I am going to try it.
Let us know how it turns out. Thanks for commenting.
I was able to get the actuator out, opened the unit breaking only one clip, but you had prepared me for that. I cleaned the actuator, re greased it, put it back together and reinstalled it. IT WORKED!! Woo hoo!! The most difficult part was the angel of getting to it. I did have a difficult time finding the dielectric grease but I know why normal grease is not to be used. Thank you for saving me the money for a mechanic repair and the new part.
YEA!!!!!!! You made my day!
It’s been a while and mine is still holding.
Thanks for the video. Where would I need to check for the middle row and back row vents not blowing?
Don't have video on that.
Just finished on my 2007 Odyssey and works great...thanks!
Woo hoo!
Question, my actuator moves when I set to hot and then cold but ac still blows warm, will cleaning the contacts potentially fix it or is the fact the actuator is moving mean it is not what is causing the problem? Very informative videos by the way
Thanks for showing us how to do those sir. Did u end up still having to replace this part, or did cleaning it resolve the problem long term?
Yes I did
Hi. Again, great videos. Just trying to make sure I understand. Not sure of the implications but 'di'-electric grease is non-conducting. 'Di' means opposite or not. So Di-electric grease is non-electrical passing. Yes, it prevents corrosion but since the contacts need to skid over the copper markings on the rotating position wheel I''m not sure the use di-electric is correct. I invite a correction or any other well intended comments. Thanks.
Dielectric grease is used where electrical components mate. Just read the product label. I use it at work for a myriad of electrical projects. It is supposed to be used to help prevent corrosion or fretting where parts mate.
Here is an article that may help. www.w8ji.com/dielectric_grease_vs_conductive_grease.htm
Although this is an old thread, I would agree with you Bob. Di-electric grease is non-electrical and often used around the spark plug porcelain to prevent the spark from jumping from the plug wire tip to the engine. The proper lube in this case would be one of the Caig de-oxit products or fader lube. However, Di grease obviously works.
@@1McMurdoSilver dielectric grease on plug wires/coils is to prevent moisture from entering not sparks from leaving.
Thanks for video with this work on a 2007 Odyssey
Hi come across this video but it my passenger side blend door acutator would this be same process? I'll try doing this before buying new one. Has it lasted or did need to buy new one
Excellent vid, many thanks. Having a somewhat similar problem on my 2006. Though driver side is not actually hot, it does not get cold like the passenger side. It's more just like the fan blowing air while the passenger side gets good and cold. Any thoughts?
2007 honda Odyssey EXL. Drivers side no heat. Passenger side is HOT. Tried to remove the actuator, clean it and put it back together following your procedure. Had some success for a few cycles. Hot to Cold and repeat. Stopped working again very quick. The motor turns on its own though. Could there be something inhibiting the movement of the levers? they seem to move easily with my fingers. Possibly need to be re-greased? With the actuator removed, I believe I should be able to push the temp door open or closed, manually forcing the van to hot or cold. When I do this, Drivers side is not as hot as passenger side.
The van only has one heater core, correct? How could one side be different that the other if they both are fed from the same heat source?
Thoughts?
The van does have one heater core in the dash. Its possible the actuator is beyond repair. At this point, you could try manually manipulating the blend doors to see if there is some sort of blockage. Sound like the actuator went out to me though. Not sure.
@@BarboursAutoHelp one more question. The temp blend door issue aside, Why do I have less heat on the drivers side vs. the passenger side? sensor? drivers side thermostat? I checked to make sure the blend door cable hasn't popped off the lever in the engine bay. Could the heater core be plugged? Just seems like I should be able to manually force full heat but when I do, it is still cooler than the passenger side.
A clogged heater core is a possibility. Usually if your heater core is clogged your coolant will be nasty too. Have you checked the condition of your coolant? Be careful and make sure the engine is cold before checking it. If not you could get burned.
@@BarboursAutoHelp The timing belt and water pump was replaced almost 2 years ago and the system would have been flushed then. The coolant appears clean to me. There was no mention of any heater core issues then.
A few months ago my wife said that the van had an engine fan staying on after she shut the vehicle off. One other time it stayed on long enough to kill the battery!! I checked at that time and the coolant level was very low. After filling it up and trying to burp the system, the fan problem appears to have gone away but I have not confirmed the fan switch or temp sensor. Engine temp never got hotter than normal on the dash gauge though either way.
I have had to add coolant a few more times since then but not as much. No idea where it is leaking as I can not see any coolant on the driveway and no evidence on the engine undercarriage. the fact that I needed to add coolant to the system means it must be leaking from somewhere. I don't see any blue smoke so I don't think it is burning either.
Now I have this drivers side blend door actuator issue and heat imbalance issue. While it was in getting the timing belt done, I had them go over the engine with a fine toothed comb and said it was in immaculate condition mechanically.
I'm just not really sure where to start on this anymore. AirLock? Fuses? Thermostat? ECT 1&2 ? There is a little clear flexi hose that goes from below the steering wheel into the main central vent/hvac box. What is that for?
Hmm... Its possible that you have an air pocket in the heater core. This seems to be the most logical explanation given the information your giving. Try this: Check and top off the coolant when its cold. Top it off by removing the radiator cap and filling the radiator not the reservoir. Put the cap back on and drive the vehicle. See if the problem goes away. If it doesn't then try bringing the RPMs up to around 2500 with the vehicle in park. Hold this RPM while checking the vent temp. If the problem goes away then you most likely had an air pocket in my opinion. Let me know what you find.
Keith, I followed your instructions on 2 of my Honda's and for the Accord its been great. On the Odyssey I think I waited too long to complete the repair, so there were grooves cut in to the little wheel. I ordered a new actuator, but incorrectly ordered the passenger's side. Are the insides exactly the same? On the outside, the passenger's actuator has only 1 finger to move the blend door, but the driver's side has 2 fingers. Is there any chance I could take the wheel out of the new one and place it directly in the old one?
Oh. I really dont know. I would think not though.
Hi. Great pair of videos. A quick thought - if you do not put the motor back in the same way it came out you would flip the electrical contacts of the motor. Wouldn't this make a DC motor run backwards? Recommend people mark the motor orientation before they take it out of the assembly.
Please see my response to this question that you posted earlier on the other video. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for the quick response! Yes, I worked on mine today and confirmed switching the motor will reverse the rotation and therefore invert hot and cold. So, if you set the thermostat to Lo and all you get is hot air OR set to high and all you get is cold the motor may very likely be installed flipped.
What about lining up the linkage when you reassemble the 2 halves?
We have a similar issue on a 2010 Honda Odyssey. Mechanics wanted to charge $39 for a calibration diagnostic and then if that didn't work a further $180 for an AC diagnostic test. I'm not sure how much he would have billed us for the part, labor, possible freon, and diagnostics.
Spent about twenty bucks and a half hour of work and it seems to work fine. I will edit this later if it doesn't work later on.
Awesome. Its been at least two years for me. It still works.
Yay! You just saved me $200!! Thank you!!!!!!!
Whoooooo!!!
just have done it - it works :)
Many THS !
That's great!
Hey Keith. I did what you said and when I was done reinstalling the actuator I had my wife come out and turn the heat all the way up and the are all the way back down. I watched the actuator move both of the white and black sliders. So it seems as though my actuator is working. However, my driver side still blows out warm air when the AC is turned all the way on while the passenger side blows out cold air. Since the actuator seems to be working is there another step I can do? Is there a another diagnostic tool or repair I can try before I take it to the shop?
Again, to be clear, I could clearly see the actuator move the black and white sliders. So they are not frozen in one position and they move as we change from Air Conditioning to heat and back but it still only blows out warm air on the driver side.
It sounds like your refrigerant charge may be low. You will most likely need a licensed tech to do this for you. Special equipment is needed to measure the charge.
DIY, watch TH-cam video on AC PRO. Good luck
Electric motor installed flipped? Rj, Did you repair the Driver side actuator? Did you take the little electric motor out of the actuator assembly? You may have flipped the contacts on the electric motor making it run backwards. To test if this is the case, set your actuator to hot when you want cold - if it then blows cold you will have a good indicator your motor in the actuator was installed flipped. You said passenger blows cold so we know the compressor/refrigerant is working.
You may be on to something, Bob. But low refrigerant can also cause this too. I’ve had a couple viewers report that filling the system fixed this problem. I also have seen this happen personally several times. So, I wouldn’t rule out low refrigerant. I also wouldn’t rule out what you mentioned either.
RJ, did you every find out what was wrong? I'm having the exact same problem. Actuator moves the black/white sliders, but I only get either Hot or non-cooled air on the driver side. Blows freezing cold on the passengers side and in the rear.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. You're the best!
Glad it helped!
I was curious if this actuator also runs the vent option? I have a 2010 Odyssey that is stuck on the top vent mode. It will not move to any other placement, and it makes for an extremely difficult situation for snow weather driving.
No this actuator is strictly for the temperature blend.
@@BarboursAutoHelp so the one I want to look at is behind the glove box?
I'm not sure on that one.
Does that actuator control only the right driver's side vent? Is there one for the left driver's side?
It works! Thanks for the great video.
What do you mean by "rats under the dashboard"? Do you mean a squeaking sound? or a flapping/rattling sound?
Kind of like rats scratching through mulch of something
I’m so glad to find your video, I’ve had the driver side warm issue for over a year,only irritating in the hot months😂. But the rats yes! I started noticing this tapping or clicking noise( start my car and idling) before driving. until you mentioned in this video I had no idea what it was. I’m excited to try the fix this weekend ,after I get cleaner and grease!! Woot woot 🎉
Thanks! Appears to have just worked for me. I didn’t have electronics cleaner with me but just wiped it down. I also gave the arms a light tug up to ensure they made good contact with the disk. Reapplied dielectric grease. I also gave the gears a tad white lithium grease since I had it open. Didn’t break any tabs. Yay for me! ;)
Awesome!
When reinstalling is there any grease needed on the arms?
I've got an '07 Odyssey where intermittently on AC, cold air blows on the passenger side but it blows hot on the driver's side. Does that match your symptoms? The dealer quote is $435+tax so I may try this. According to the shop manual, there's a "front air mix control motor" toward the driver's side, but there's also a "front mode control motor" between the center and the glove box. Which one are you working with here?
I've got some info in the description about this. I've also got a link to another video showing the replacement. There is more inf in the description of that video. I think that will help you.
Not reading is one of my own pet peeves - sorry about that! Both great videos and I’m going to give it a shot. Thank you!
Oh your good. Not a problem at all. I just get a lot of comments and its gets hard to stay on top of them so I try to put as much info in the description as possible to answer any questions that may come up. It helps to free me up a little.
Did it matter what position you had the lever in when you reinstalled it? I just did this to mine but I left it down and connected to the harness but the lever didn't move when I changed the HVAC settings??? Thanks
I think I go into this in the the video where I show you how to replace it. The link is in the description.
@@BarboursAutoHelp Yes you did - thanks
No problem. If it’s not working then the actuator may be shot. Of course there is a chance that something else is wrong too. Further testing is needed.
I'm going to try this repair tomorrow and will let you know how it goes. The rat sound is exactly how I described it to our service center and they didn't know what the problem was. It's hard to believe that a Honda service center didn't know about this common issue. I sure wish I found this video a year ago. I'm afraid that the part might be too far gone because it's not even making the rat sound any more. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Please, keep us posted.
It worked! Thank you! I don't know how you took that video in such a tight space.
That’s so great! Thanks!
So my ac temperature didn't go below 60 degrees and I notice that the blend door does not move at all unless the temperature control is either set to LOW or High. It does not move in between the degrees from say low degree to 75 degrees. Is this a blend door actuator problem or an AC CPU module problem?
When I put it back together the gears don’t spin. Is that correct?
Is there no need to re-grease the wheels? It seemed like the grease you applied is for electric contact purposes only? Anybody have any insight? Thank you!
Well, I'd say there is a need for it being that they come from the factory that way. The grease that I cleaned off at the beginning wasn't put there by me. Apparently the people that made it seem to think it's needed.
Hello! Our Odyssey issue is that it intermittently will NOT blow any air out of the front vents. Is this related to this blend door?
Probably not
Do you know if this procedure works for the passenger side actuator as well?
Haven't tried it.
hi, just clean both actuators to my accord 2008, after clean i start the engine, the ac but not major improvment, ill test it again tomorow, hope to start work again, thanks
Both of my blend doors are making "rat" noises. They still work though, but just operating a little on the rough side. When the weather cools off a little I plan on taking mine out and giving them a clean like in this video. 2006 EX-L for me.
Hey, I just bought a 2008 Honda Odyssey Ex-L. At the beginning our front air wouldn't blow at all. Then 5he back wouldn't. It got fixed. But noticed if I don't keep the air on period. My air wouldn't blow in the front. Is this a problem with this thing?
Well if you don't keep the air on it shouldn't blow. Sounds normal to me. However, if you turn it on an nothing happens then you may have a problem.
A very good video I am replacing the actuator on my neibours Odyssey it was well put thanks
Hope it turns out well
Just did this but used a copper wire brush for cleaning and it worked for my 2010
Been having I believe the same problem with my ‘11 Odyssey, but the heat isn’t going to drivers side. Am I correct to assume this should be the same fix?
It may or may not.
The '05 Odyssey's blend door actuator (79160-SHJ-A41) is a similar--but not identical--part as that on the '11 (79160-TK4-A41). The mechanical whatnots and function are similar, though. Since you're experiencing the same problem described in this video, simply apply the same concept for removal, disassembly, and cleaning for the 2011 actuator and see if it solves your problem. Fortunately for you, a 2011 OEM replacement actuator is much less expensive than the 2005 part.
My problem is no heat or defrost, will replacing this part help me?
Probably not for the defrost.
@@BarboursAutoHelp What can you suggest if anything ?
It's hard to say without seeing your vehicle.
Thanks for sharing!
Im having the same issue on my 2008 honda ridgeline, did your actuator still move before you took it out to clean? I looked under my dash and when I move the temp knob, the actuator moves, but no cool air comes out of the drivers side, only on the passenger side,
It did move but just a little bit. It kinda fidgited actually.
BarboursAutoHelp thanks for confirming, mine seems to go all the way smoothly, I might have to look deeper
Yes, you could be low on Freon. It’s actually more common than it sounds for low Freon to cause one side to be cold and the other side not.
thanks again, it was just freon!
Great! Do you know where the leak is?
Where can I buy a replacement motor for this?
Of course, the dealership should have it, but I'm sure other stores should have it or be able to get it for you. You can also look online.
outstanding job and thank u so much for your video
Thanks you for this video.
Thank you for your video, it has so far been very helpful. Have a few questions. Will silicone grease work in place of dielectric grease. (have this on hand). Also, when I openned up the gear box, there appears to be a white grease on parts of the gears in multiple areas. Should these be cleaned, and if so do I need to reapply grease. Also the black heater vent appears to have the same white grease. Would appreciate your help with these questions. Thank you.
FYI, the actuator was stuck in the hot position initially. I was able to get it working, by toggling between heat and cold a number of times. While this was working, the actuator would pause mid stroke and then continued. Since I had it all apart, I decided cleaning it would be a good idea.
I would only suggest dielectric grease on the parts shown in the video. The white grease on the gears and the HVAC box, I'd just leave that alone. Don't clean the white grease off the gears and the linkages.