This should be the first video that pops up when searching for a tutorial… spent more time looking for a detailed video than I did watching this and doing the job 😅
Just got done fighting my wife’s junky 2014 equinox. I watched every video on TH-cam and finally came across yours. Hands down the best how to video on TH-cam! Thanks brother
You have to let the car computer calibrate the new actuator once you installed it. Once you install it correctly, connect the power wire to the actuator, turn on ignition and set on AUTO if you have that option otherwise just leave the AC controls as is or turn it off. Then disconnect negative battery couple for at least 1 minute, I waited a few minutes, connect it back and turn on ignition or start the car and turn on AC. Then check all the modes and make sure it's blowing out of each one how it's supposed too. For me, the Windshield defrost was blowing half on windshield and half on foot vent and I wasted like 6 hours laying in pain trying to figure out how to get the actuator to move all the way back and then I found out you just calibrate it by disconnecting the battery and the car computer aligns the actuator spin to the plastic gear that spins the cam actuators by itself...
After fighting this for 6 months with the blend door actuator on the other side, I discovered all actuators are not the same. I bought 3 Dormans and all did the same thing. Randomly would work, sometimes hot air and sometimes cold air. I bought a different brand AC Delco and noticed one thing as I installed it. It was NOT a tight fit like the Dorman brand. I didn't have to push it in hard to get it to seat in place. I suspect the gear that interfaces with the door was to long causing a bind. In other words it was pushing the door over on the pivot side to much. The new just slipped right up to the AC box, no pushing and works perfectly. Sometimes cheaper doesn't mean better.
remove the computer box (don't disconnect it just take off the two blots hat hold it to the metal plate and slide the computer box off the metal plate), Then remove the metal plate that holds the computer box, it's three 10 mm bolts, two you'll see easy, the third is you wont see but you can feel it with your hand where it is, anyway once you take off this plate, it will be very easy to access the actuator. It's just uncomfortable to get there, best way is to put a bench or piano chair next to the door and put some cushions or pillows and lay on your back with your head where the gas pedal is, then it's manageable to work
@@patricknormile9777 yeah, I'm actually doing it again myself, cause the first part is either defective or I broke it by messing around with it, but yeah after you replace the actuator, you have to disconnect the battery for a few minutes or take out the hvac fuses, there's a few different methods of how people do it, but basically you have to get the computer to reset itself and it will calibrate the actuator to the correct position. I didn't know about that the first time, so I wasted a lot of time trying to calibrate manually and make the actuator work properly, so i may have broke it, cause now the vents don't change, they only change randomly once when I start the car, so now I got to replace it again in a few days when the part arrives.
@@tomatoisnotafruit5670 another tip would be to take a picture of the metal plate because I put it in backwards and it was a pain to get back out and put back in haha.
@@patricknormile9777 oh yeah, have to remember how it sits and how you got it to come out cause yeah, not a lot of room to maneuver it there. So you replaced the actuator? did you get it calibrated? and does it switch correctly now?
This should be the first video that pops up when searching for a tutorial… spent more time looking for a detailed video than I did watching this and doing the job 😅
Just got done fighting my wife’s junky 2014 equinox. I watched every video on TH-cam and finally came across yours. Hands down the best how to video on TH-cam! Thanks brother
Dude, This is by far the best video of this replacement on TH-cam! Thank You
You have to let the car computer calibrate the new actuator once you installed it.
Once you install it correctly, connect the power wire to the actuator, turn on ignition and set on AUTO if you have that option otherwise just leave the AC controls as is or turn it off. Then disconnect negative battery couple for at least 1 minute, I waited a few minutes, connect it back and turn on ignition or start the car and turn on AC. Then check all the modes and make sure it's blowing out of each one how it's supposed too.
For me, the Windshield defrost was blowing half on windshield and half on foot vent and I wasted like 6 hours laying in pain trying to figure out how to get the actuator to move all the way back and then I found out you just calibrate it by disconnecting the battery and the car computer aligns the actuator spin to the plastic gear that spins the cam actuators by itself...
Thank you for making and sharing your video. I appreciate you showing as much as you did so others know how to approach doing this job.
If you remove the bracket that holds the radio component, it allows easy access to the actuator.
After fighting this for 6 months with the blend door actuator on the other side, I discovered all actuators are not the same. I bought 3 Dormans and all did the same thing. Randomly would work, sometimes hot air and sometimes cold air. I bought a different brand AC Delco and noticed one thing as I installed it. It was NOT a tight fit like the Dorman brand. I didn't have to push it in hard to get it to seat in place. I suspect the gear that interfaces with the door was to long causing a bind. In other words it was pushing the door over on the pivot side to much. The new just slipped right up to the AC box, no pushing and works perfectly. Sometimes cheaper doesn't mean better.
I like how you were like "okay i got it back in there" like dam you didnt show how to put it back on lmao i am stuck
good job if you remove the metal bracket that holds the module its alot better to get at accuator
I changed the one in the glove box and the problem continued, it only blows air through the front vents.
Bro what was the part number for this actuator?
This is harder then it looks, getting the damn thing out is a pain in the ass
remove the computer box (don't disconnect it just take off the two blots hat hold it to the metal plate and slide the computer box off the metal plate), Then remove the metal plate that holds the computer box, it's three 10 mm bolts, two you'll see easy, the third is you wont see but you can feel it with your hand where it is, anyway once you take off this plate, it will be very easy to access the actuator.
It's just uncomfortable to get there, best way is to put a bench or piano chair next to the door and put some cushions or pillows and lay on your back with your head where the gas pedal is, then it's manageable to work
@@tomatoisnotafruit5670nice tip, gonna do that now
@@patricknormile9777 yeah, I'm actually doing it again myself, cause the first part is either defective or I broke it by messing around with it, but yeah after you replace the actuator, you have to disconnect the battery for a few minutes or take out the hvac fuses, there's a few different methods of how people do it, but basically you have to get the computer to reset itself and it will calibrate the actuator to the correct position.
I didn't know about that the first time, so I wasted a lot of time trying to calibrate manually and make the actuator work properly, so i may have broke it, cause now the vents don't change, they only change randomly once when I start the car, so now I got to replace it again in a few days when the part arrives.
@@tomatoisnotafruit5670 another tip would be to take a picture of the metal plate because I put it in backwards and it was a pain to get back out and put back in haha.
@@patricknormile9777 oh yeah, have to remember how it sits and how you got it to come out cause yeah, not a lot of room to maneuver it there.
So you replaced the actuator? did you get it calibrated? and does it switch correctly now?