GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

thanks for the response. I generally prefer the natural outside air as opposed to recirc especially during the winter months for quicker defrost. I installed everything and it all seems to be working great as far as the actuator is concerned. I do have a new problem now which is the fan blower only blows on high. I searched here and saw that the resistor may have gone bad so I replaced it, but it still only blows on high. Any ideas as to what it could be? update: I went back and checked all my connections and realized that i forgot to reconnect one behind the glove box ...so problem solved...

Hi I'm new here.I've read all the posts about the actuator. I have the same problem. So I took it off myself (tight fit). I turned the gear with the broken tooth 180 degrees. Put it back together and it still makes the noise. Did I do something wrong or does that mean I need to buy a new one? Thank you

I fixed my "no recirc" problem by gluing in a pad (just above the filter area) to keep the flap from closing too hard against the stop when going into the "fresh air" position. Now the flap always moves into the recirc position when I push the button. (Before it would sometimes work, sometimes not.) The motor that moves the flap stops properly every time, too, so I'm not damaging anything.

Just did mine took 20-30min pretty easy, DO NOT TAKE APART DASHBOARD OR RADIO. I just removed glovebox and went in through there. Mind you, I do not have skinny hands but still not hard to do, if you have skinny hands be easier. Best way to do is take a 5.5 mm socket and wrap a piece of masking tape or painters tape around it (so you have traction to turn) then simply use your fingers to turn the to bolts. You can sit upright in the seat and lean forward on dash while getting the top bolt. Only 2 bolts and not on tight at all. Be sure to throw old one out when off (so you dont put old one back on and yes I did grrr lol). It may be a little easier to get bottom one off with thumbwheel ratchet, but using just socket will do. When you place the part on you can align the stem on the flap to slot on acutator, by plugging new one in and turn your key to on position then let it rotate until it goes in acutator hole ( you will see what I mean) Ok now where to get part cheap! part number is 88970277 ( on both sites or ebay), http://www.partswebsite.com/gmpartscheap/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016IJ0XS/ref ... 1_ST1_dp_1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Always cheap EBAY! got min $36 @ amazon. Place to get thumbwheel http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-th ... 94011.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just did mine took 20-30min pretty easy, DO NOT TAKE APART DASHBOARD OR RADIO. I just removed glovebox and went in through there. Mind you, I do not have skinny hands but still not hard to do, if you have skinny hands be easier. Best way to do is take a 5.5 mm socket and wrap a piece of masking tape or painters tape around it (so you have traction to turn) then simply use your fingers to turn the to bolts. You can sit upright in the seat and lean forward on dash while getting the top bolt. Only 2 bolts and not on tight at all. Be sure to throw old one out when off (so you dont put old one back on and yes I did grrr lol). It may be a little easier to get bottom one off with thumbwheel ratchet, but using just socket will do. When you place the part on you can align the stem on the flap to slot on acutator, by plugging new one in and turn your key to on position then let it rotate until it goes in acutator hole ( you will see what I mean) Ok now where to get part cheap! part number is 88970277 ( on both sites or ebay), http://www.partswebsite.com/gmpartscheap/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; or http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0016IJ0XS/ref" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 1_ST1_dp_1
Always cheap EBAY! got min $36 @ amazon. Place to get thumbwheel http://www.harborfreight.com/3-piece-th" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 94011.htmlSteveM

Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2012 6:41 pm

Thanks for the write up!!!

Mine started doing this last September when we were on vacation. Scared the crap out of me, thought I blew something up. In the mean time, I have been using flat sided tooth picks to stop the flapping and keep the fresh air coming in.

With the recirc off, put the toothpick under the button and slowly slide it in until the flapping stops. It pushes the button in juuuusssst enough to stop the flapping, but not turn on the recirculation.

temp fix until I get the parts ordered and have time to make the fix.


THANKS AGAIN!!!!

Dee

I'll have to try the toothpick 'fix' until I can get the parts and the courage to tear apart my dash. It started out only in Recirc mode at least a year ago or more. "No problem," I figure, "just don't use Recirc anymore." Until this weekend when the flapping noise decided to go on and on constantly, even with the vents off. I had the kids with me on a 1-hour roadtrip asking me what that noise was and why couldn't I stop it.

Does this issue affect all model years?

Has anyone tried disabling the actuator? I'm tempted to just unplug the thing and go without recirc mode. It makes the sound even with the HVAC 'off', so I would think the components aren't connected.

Just a thought

My 2003 Vibe starting the tapping noise about 20 months ago. At that time I consulted the forum to figure out what it was, determined it must be the HVAC door. I pulled the glovebox door and felt around in there for an hour or so. In the end decided I'd simply unplug the motor and put it all back together. Been living with no recirc for that period. Other than not cooling down or heating up as quickly as possible I have no noise and no repair costs. I would like to fix it one day but this is way off the radar screen since it does not impact operation (like a failed tranny, a broken power window allowing the elements to enter, etc).

About to venture into this problem, mine stopped around 90k. Made it through the summer without having to fix it (ac, and actuator on all summer) Now its winter and need the defrost!
Question is what position is easier to fix the actuator? with the button 'on' so the door is closed (i.e. down i assume) or off?
And if I choose to just unplug it for the time being will it stick open or closed?
Just in case there's a difference mine clicks when the button is "off"
thanks for any help!

The position of the door doesn't make a difference in how you fix or replace it. Just remember when reinstalling to align the actuator and the door to the same position it was in when you started.

It'll stay in whatever position it's in when you unplug it. In your case, it clicks when on 'fresh air' and is silent when on 'recirculate'. The car doens't have to be turned on either, if you turn the car off while it's clicking, it'll still stay in the 'fresh air' position.

Verify it by reaching inside the glove box and feeling for the foam filter that is on the face of the door. When it's pushing against the 'plastic grid', you're pulling in fresh air, when it's angled away from the plastic, it's pulling air from the cabin and recirculating.

Wow great explanation! Thanks, should get to it this weekend!

My 2 cents: Did this job even though I'm not mechanically inclined. Took the radio and glove box out and thought I would easily see the motor. Wrong! Way up in the dash. I don't know how anybody could do this job without taking the radio out. Thanks to this forum found it it is a 5.5mm socket and wrench needed to do it. After a couple of hours putting it in I unforunately dropped the little wrench down into the blower motor vents. I had to take the blower motor unit off to retreive it, hence another hour or so after figuring out how to do all that.

It saved me money I'm sure to do it myself, but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.

Joined today to reseach exactly this issue. Will attempt to do it myself.
I was quoted $400 at my dealership since they said the "dashboard would have to be removed".
Thanks for the information. A great forum!

I just recently went through the fix for this part and have the following suggestions.

If you can wedge your hand over the motor and you have a good sense of touch, don't take the dash out. That sounded like a huge task. Luckily I don't have large hands and I am used to working by feel alone.

1 - use a 5.5 or 6 mm wrench to loosen the top screw, bottom seems to work with 1/4 drive ratchet. I used a 6 after my 5.5 disappeared behind the blower motor. a box end would have been great, not sure if those are made.
2 - keep the blower flap closed while you work, so the wrench doesn't fall on your cabin air filter or worse, into your blower fan blades, if you take the filter out like I did.
3 - figure out a way to secure the wrench so you don't loose it. I tried to tie bell wire around the handle, but that didn't work. Maybe a long rubber band string would have been the answer.
4 - mark the position of the white gear from the outside before you disassemble. makes it easier to mate to the flap's shaft when you put back in. You don't have to be perfect. The motor turns until it feels resistance.
5 - check out what is broken inside. I had a broken tooth on my large white gear. rotate 180 degrees worked well. I also had a broken pin holding one of the interal gears. There should be two black plastic pins that are molded into one side (none are loose) and one loose metal shaft. I didn't notice and reinstalled only to notice it didn't fix anything !!! I carefully drilled a hole through the case where the shaft broke and replaced this with a cut 8D nail. I used epoxy to glue the nail head to the outside of the case so it wouldn't move. Shaft and nail were roughly same size.
6 - use a 5.5 mm socket to back out and hand tighten the screws. Only use the wrench or ratchet for the final few turns. Very easy to overtighten bottom (turns forever). I did that but left as is. Not sure if it will back out over time.

I did this replacement by touch only while sitting in the seat. It was possible, although frustrating at times. If I had been uner the dash looking up, I would have noticed that the bottom screw was fully seated and stopped turning the ratchet.

Good Luck.

n2ho wrote:There is a Russian language Vibe forum (http://myvibe.ru/board/index.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), and I just found there a brilliant solution of mentioned problem (http://myvibe.ru/board/index.p...w#new" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Here it is in my translation:1. Remove the glove box.2. Remove the radio.3. Take small socket wrench (6mm or 7/32).4. On the heater core there is a small black box just above the air filter - this is the actuator for the HVAC door.5. Detach the connector with wires.6. Remove 2 screws with the mentioned wrench.7. Remove the actuator mechanism from the shaft.8. Open the mechanism (there are clips on the perimeter).9. Pull out the large white plastic gear (which has 1 or several teeth stripped creating the problem), turn it 180 deg counterclockwise and put it back.10. Assembly all in reverse order.11. Enjoy!Some explanation: the shaft of the HVAC door is rotating on about 90-110 deg. only and the half of the gear is never in use. That's why it is possible just to use the gear's part with good teeth turning the gear on 180 deg. There are no end switches there and the circuit shuts off the motor by measuring current consumption (possibly causing stripping of gear teeth). The radio removal is not necessary, but makes work easier.George

This solution is brilliant. I don't know Russian, but your translation must be spot on.

My 2004 Vibe started making the clicking noise a couple weeks ago at 159,000 miles. I did this repair myself the other day thanks to these instructions and a short Youtube video showing how to remove the radio (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFvHl-MR6Io" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Rotating the white gear inside the actuator solved the problem! (Like you mentioned, two teeth had broken off the white gear.)

Getting the screws off is still not an easy task, especially the one on top. It's certainly doable, but no picnic.

And you're absolutely right about taking the radio out. Not necessary to get to the screws, but it certainly allows you to see what you're doing a whole lot better! (I don't know how I would have found that top screw otherwise.) After I put the actuator back together, I used a few pieces of duct tape to hold it together. It has several clips to hold it together, but I didn't trust some of them after I had to pry them up to open it.

Thanks for the help!

This post is great, and I was able to complete the repair in only 3 tries!

First try: I turned gear by 180* and put back in, but still clicked.
Second try: I found broken gear post, epoxy glued to case, put back in, but still clicked (the post broke right off under stress)
Third try: I drilled hole through case (~5/32") and epoxy glued gear post into hole (using cover as piloting/positioning), put back in and it worked!

The only other trick I would add is to use a socket (5.5mm or 6mm) with mini vise grips to break loose the top screw. I tried the other methods (like rubber band/double sided tape and hand loosening) but mine was on there really tight. There is just enough room for the socket and vise grips to get in there, and you get really good torque.

Also, you do not need to remove the dash or radio, as the bottom bolt is easily accessible with 1/4" ratchet, and the top and be reached but is a PITA! There is a black plastic duct partially blocking access to the top screw, so removing the radio doesn't help with that.

So, all in all it took me about about 3 hours (not including 2 hours for the epoxy to cure).

This and all the threads regarding that same thing read like a sad book!

I have performed one repair a few years back (180 degree swap) and I am currently in the middle of my second. It may be a whole new actuator, because of two areas of broken teeth, snaps falling off in my hand upon opening servo and a broken plastic axle. But, I started to wonder, what is the limit stop on/for this actuator. One poster stated that it is contained in the unit. looking at the guts I don't see how.

So, out to the car for some testing.

1) When I run it free from the redirect flapper (foam covered piece in the duct work that it is moving) it does not stop, it will just keep turning until (for too many of us) it hits a broken tooth.

2) I put a multi-meter on the plug with wires. Positive with switch in re-circ mode, negative when not (depending on lead placement). There does not seem to be a timer on the circuit (i.e. negative or positive for 20 sec then 0 volts) as experienced with test 1 and this multi-meter test.

3) Still with multi-meter attached, I moved the redirect flapper back and forth until it stopped, no voltage change, so it does not seem like there are any limit switches or position sensor in the duct work.

What am I missing here? Is the design to actually keep power this motor/servo constantly, just switching between negative and positive based on the recirc switch? All the time pushing up against the mechanics? If so, no wonder they keep breaking

Could there be a problem hidden somewhere else in the circuit that is not taking it to zero voltage when in either closed or open position?
Something in the switch?
Resistance (mechanical transformed to electrical) sensor somewhere?
Time for a cable and big lever to manually move that flapper?

tothebone wrote:Removing the actuator is a problem because the fasteners have tiny little heads and you can't use a screwdriver. Luckily, I had a tiny open end/Box wrench that fit perfectly. DON'T ATTEMPT THIS WITH OUT A WRENCH LIKE THIS! a ratchet probably wouldn't fit in there. Here is what I used:

I had the misfortune of doing it this weekend. Everything I tried to get the upper screw out would not work. This suggestion by tothebone saved the day, the use of a Craftsman 7/32" ignition wrench.

Note that I did not have to take off the dash. The wrench had enough clearance inside the dash to rotate the screw 1/6th turn at a time. Slow but got the job done.

Since the pic he posted no longer exists, I have attached it here.

I set out to fix the this problem on my 2003 vibe gt.
It's been like this ever sense I bought the car 7 months now.
It was really tricky to get it out but once that top bolt came out, it was all up hill from there.
I opened it up and turned the big white gear 180° and put it back in. Tested it out and it still made the noise. So pulled it back out and turned it 90°. Tried to put It back on, and of course it won't go back on that way sense it has to fit on the arm.

I pulled it back open put some jb weld on the broken tooth and put it all back together. And didn't test it till the next morning.... STILL made the noise... Sense I don't want to use the air exchange EVER again. I pulled the gear box out and I left the arm swing freely.( I might wire it to stay open to outside air)

But now on the very bright side. Sense I now have a power supply to the passenger footwell. I have a strip of red LEDs I'm going to wire to the button so now my dashboard button will turn the LEDs on and off so happy the vibes has that defect

That top bolt was definitely a pain. I tried from below, removed the stereo and tried again, but I couldn't get a wrench in there. Eventually, I loosened and removed the bolt by wiggling the actuator assembly while using my fingers to loosen it. No pain, no gain.

Should you ever decide to replace it, the part is around $40 on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-15-72794- ... s=15-72794

Wow, glad to see I'm not the only one with this issue...scared the crap out of me when I first heard it!

Love the instructions, but I seem to be having a problem right off the bat. I can access the area via the glove box, but I can't seem to disconnect that white power connector! I assumed it would be a simple "squeeze tab and pull", but the damn thing is stuck on there pretty good. I'm afraid that if I really give it a tug, it'll rip out and I won't be able to reconnect it.

Anyone have any tricks to disconnect that power component?

I just did mine today. I'm a new 03 vibe owner and I have been chasing down all of the previous owners ignored problems.

OK well I half did it. The power wire isnt a squeeze and pull. The tab actually clips from the front (actuator side) of the connector facing away from you. I had to get my fingernail under it and pull up and back towards me. It got easier once I did it a few times.

I kept putting it back on and it kept clicking, even after rotating the gear as others suggested, on mine one of the little gears was worn down so it would move the door but clicks when it gets to the end off its travel in both directions.

Plus I got mad at it and broke the top screw mounting tab off after I lost both of my 5.5mm metric and same size standard sockets into the dash somewhere trying to unscrew the top one. For the 37 dollars I'm not going to keep trying to fix it and glue it just so I have to go back in there again..

The top screw is easy to get out without the actuator in the way ☺...

I think I'm going to find some similar size and thread Allen head screws to put it back ...a small Allen wrench would do both nicely....

You'll find everything in a couple of years on the floor. Happened to me.

I'm still waiting on my 5.5mm socket to reappear.

I did find a 10mm under a rear heat duct, no recollection of losing one in the past so I'll just count that as a win...

Well after two or 3 tries I finally did mine today. I am a big guy with big hands so it was a real pain and now I am fairly torn up from all the manuevering. I had to laugh at the last post as I have a 5 mm socket somewhere under the dash now too.
I saw where someone else got the bottom screw out an just broke the top tab off and after trying unsucessfully for an hour to get that top screw off did the same thing. Got it out , flipped around the gear and put it back. Seems to work with just the bottow screw, will let you all know. Jim

Hello all......I found your board and this was such a great help and solved my problem. First thing is defininately remove the front bolt on the
support bar and push it to the side and you will way more room to work.
I put a 1/2" stubby adater on to my 1/4" 6mm socket and wrapped some tape on it for extra grip and was able to remove these screws with hand effort pretty easily. Make sure you align the flange end vertically when you open this gear box and reposition the main gear 180º ( as my gears were stripped as well). Thanks for the tips! If it strips again, I'll just go get a new unit but now that I know what to fix, it's a pretty quick job.....

I did this using 5.5mm socket and 5.5mm wrench.
Only removed the glove box.
Used socket on the bottom screw, box end on the top.
180 degree flip.
Works great. Only hard part was starting the top screw.

Baltovibe wrote: ↑Tue Jun 24, 2014 7:42 am

tothebone wrote:Removing the actuator is a problem because the fasteners have tiny little heads and you can't use a screwdriver. Luckily, I had a tiny open end/Box wrench that fit perfectly. DON'T ATTEMPT THIS WITH OUT A WRENCH LIKE THIS! a ratchet probably wouldn't fit in there. Here is what I used:

I had the misfortune of doing it this weekend. Everything I tried to get the upper screw out would not work. This suggestion by tothebone saved the day, the use of a Craftsman 7/32" ignition wrench.

Note that I did not have to take off the dash. The wrench had enough clearance inside the dash to rotate the screw 1/6th turn at a time. Slow but got the job done.

Since the pic he posted no longer exists, I have attached it here.

Thanks. I’ve been putting off this repair. Hoping to do this under the glove box.

JackWade wrote: ↑Thu Feb 22, 2024 11:12 am
Thanks. I’ve been putting off this repair. Hoping to do this under the glove box.

Several of us have already made this repair, some more than once! Lots of other posts on this repair also. It's not bad BUT the smaller your hands, the easier it will be to repair! Good luck

Thanks. I can feel all the bolts but that top one is going to be tricky. I have a mini 7/32 wrench that might work.