Fan Setting Dial Blocked

[SpaceCow]

I had the faceplate around my head unit popped off while working on it and set a little figure in the vent for god knows what reason. As my luck goes, I forgot about him and next time I went downhill he tumbled into the guts of my climate control. Now he’s blocking the flap that lets me control the fan settings and I can’t turn on my defroster. It wasn’t a huge problem, but then I got a ton of rain and the humidity fogged up my windshield and I had to drive with my head out the window. Taking apart the dash is pretty intimidating to me, and I don’t want to explode myself with an airbag. Is my best option to go under the dash on the drivers side and cut into it to try and free up the flap? I have plenty of duck tape for repairing it after.

[tpollauf]

Welcome to GenVibe. Need a lot more information in order for us to help you out. Specifically what year Vibe you have.

[SpaceCow]

I have a 2003 base model Vibe

[SpaceCow]

I’m beginning to suspect I burnt out some sort of motor in the climate control system. I’m smelling electronics smoke and hearing whirring noises separate from the flap actuator

[joatmon]

I’m beginning to suspect I burnt out some sort of motor in the climate control system. I’m smelling electronics smoke and hearing whirring noises separate from the flap actuator

There are only 2 motors in the HVAC system. One is the main blower motor, the other is the small failure prone motor assembly that switches between fresh and recirculate.

I've had cars that cut coolant flow through the heater core when the temp setting was set to cool, but in the Vibe, engine coolant flows through the heater core all the time.

I don't know what the inside of the air handler looks like or what the offending little figure was made of,, but might it be possible that the smell is coming from whatever fell in there getting cooked by the heater core?

I don't envy you if you have to take the air handler box apart. Might be worth buying a cheap endoscope camera thing to try to see what's going on in there