Heater Problems

[jdeday]

Hello All,

 

I have been having an issue with the heat in my 1995 Grand Prix 3.1. The air temperature from the vents is the same no mater what position I place the heater control knob. Also, if I have the A/C on I am feeling the same temperature from the vents. I check the hoses entering and exiting the heater core and they are both hot.

 

I suspect that it is some device that controls the amount of heat entering into the vents but I don't know where to begin can anyone help?????

 

Thanks.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Psych0matt]

Is your engine showing that it is actually warming up? check your coolant level. I've been dumping coolant from somewhere, and if I don't keep it completely full I get no heat either. Another thought is your heater core could be blocked up, but I;d check the other two first.

[rockfangd]

is it not switching settings. Sounds like the vent door may not be working. Open the glove box and slide the lever back and forth listening for the door to move. Sometimes things fall in a vent and will get caught down there

[ron350]

Sound like a bad electric actuator motor behind the glove box on your left.

 

http://www.w-body.com/forum/index.php?topic=59797.0

 

 

 

[Fleeingpepper]

Your knob may not be connected to the "thing" that actually turns. Happened in my sisters car. Easy fix, take off the plastic knob, put one on you know works, like the fan one, and see if it changes temps from there. If you don't wanna take off the knobs, use this as a last resort. Hers was a cheap Cavalier so we had no problem with taking those bad boys off.

[jdeday]

is it not switching settings. Sounds like the vent door may not be working. Open the glove box and slide the lever back and forth listening for the door to move. Sometimes things fall in a vent and will get caught down there

 

Thanks for everyone’s help!

 

I check the following:

 

Coolant level is ok

 

Knob controlling the temperature is working fine.

 

I looked to the left of the glove box and found two actuators. The one on the left front controls the location of the air, floor, dash, windshield (this is working fine). The second is behind the first and when I move the temperature knob I see no movement.

 

How do I remove the glove box to get to the failed actuator to replace it?

 

Jeff

 

[ron350]

The easyest way would be to go here and read and look at the pictures.

 

http://www.regalgs.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30675&highlight=actuator

 

They are working on a 97 and newer w-body but it looks the same except the actuator part #.

The actuator part # for 96 and older seams to be # 16124932.

 

 

[jdeday]

The easyest way would be to go here and read and look at the pictures.

 

http://www.regalgs.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=30675&highlight=actuator

 

They are working on a 97 and newer w-body but it looks the same except the actuator part #.

The actuator part # for 96 and older seams to be # 16124932.

 

 

 

I looked over the thread but it is referring to dual climate control. I don't have dual does this make a difference?

 

Jeff

 

[ron350]

Don’t think it makes any difference.

 

Dual climate control has an actuator motor on both sides of the heater box.

Your single should only have one actuator on the passenger’s side of the box.

 

[jdeday]

Thanks for everyone's help. I was able to remove the actuator motor. The door was stuck in the middle and operating the heater control knob does not make the motor run. I removed the screws on the actuator to see if the gears where damaged but everything looks fine. Is there a way of testing it? Also, I did have the battery die on me a at about the time that I had the problems with the heater. From what I read this may cause the actuator to die, is this true? Also, I searched for part number 16124932 on gmpartsdirect.com but it did return a replacement part, has this been discontinued?

 

Thanks.

 

Jeff