For the record, there is only one actuator part number for these cars, and likely most of the Chrysler/Dodge/Ram/Jeep lineup. Word is that they’ve been using this actuator for decades. I seriously doubt it is ever the actual actuator though, as they are beefy as hell and designed to work forever. More often it is where the motor’s drive gear goes into the device it is supposed to move, always a female opposite version of the motor’s drive gear. These things are more powerful than you think, and trying to hold one and then stop the gear from turning is all but impossible with just your hands and no vise or clamps or whatever. There is serious gear reduction inside which gives them huge torque. Most often a part of the HVAC housing gets warped from heat and/or cold cycles, abuse, like letting things fall into your dash defrost ducts which get stuck in the mode door and cause the female part of the linkage break. The motor will not be breaking first. They will break the thing they are moving first. And if no one has ever been into your dash, there little chance of any wiring being bad. Again, maybe extreme hot/cold cycles could make things brittle and break, but I doubt it. The calibration procedure I pasted is needed unless you were able to get the door you removed a motor from into a position you can remember, then plug in the motor and put the HVAC control set for that position and THEORETICALLY it will be fine. If the HVAC controller gets unplugged it may or may not run through a cal procedure also. The motors/actuators are driven by computer generated pulses which move the shaft a certain number of degrees, and the computer “senses” two different types of stops, soft and hard. Soft stops are when the computer thinks it has gone far enough and stops it. Hard stops are when the computer senses resistance to the shaft movement, shown to the computer as amperage, resistance. During calibration the shaft turns one direction until it hits a hard stop, then the computer “expects” the shaft to turn so many degrees the other way, so it’s counting the pulses, and stops either when it encounters a certain amount of amps , or has gone past where it expected to encounter a hard stop, then starts over. If the linkage is broken, there won’t be a hard stop and the computer will set a Diagnostic Trouble Code for that door’s linkage being broken. For example, 56 is the recirculation door linkage broken. Got it? Good. Whoever came up with all of this is a genius. The problem is that the plastics degrade and one too many calibration procedures, which by definition are finding resistance and trying to force a door beyond where it’s supposed to go, and the plastic gets micro cracks, and then more and more, until SNAP! Problem is that if they were to program in too low of an amp limit, the door might get hung up on some minor issue and the computer might read that as a hard stop and not go past that point again. Maybe. I’m probably wrong because those guys are smart as fuck and the computer knows which motors are in which spots doing what job, and likewise know how many pulses (degrees) each actuator should be moving at any given time, and should never be pushing for a “hard stop” unless going through a calibration process. But you never know. I’ve known geniuses to do some pretty dumb stuff. Like use cheap Chinese steel rotors on these cars as OE, and they suck and warp every time until I went aftermarket. Stant made the initial gas tanks, radiators, heater cores , condensers, and other coolers, and the radiators had a batch of tanks leak at the bottom passenger side corner. For me it was two years in a row , and the leaks were almost impossible to trace because they were the tiniest pinhole, and coolant wouldn’t even make it much past becoming a mist and evaporating before it could leave any trace. A few weeks or a month later, BING, the chime goes off and you’re overheated. Which only shows up and suddenly at that after the water gets low enough to not keep the temp sensor submerged, then after that happens a few times rhetorical water pump dies because the bearing gets too hot without coolant running across it, then the AC compressor because the condenser is not able to cool the refrigerant enough, and the compressor can’t compress the gas back into liquid and it gets over worked and dies too. The cars really are awesome though. Best car I’ve ever had by a long shot and I’ve had good cars. My 2006 Suburban, the GMT800 platform is known as the most reliable platform on the road. And it is damned reliable. But overall, little things fail all the time, but not such that you end up needing a tow. My Magnum, I’ve never had a window issue or door or door lock or sunroof or stereo or HvAc until the recirculation door broke.
From the shop manual: And this is for the manual Aka single zone HVAC system with only one temp knob. EBL is the defrost button to the right of the snowflake (AC) button. DTC means Diagnostic Trouble Code - Actuate the Clear DTC function by performing the following: with ignition in “On” position. • Turn the blower control on. • Press the A/C mode switch down, turn the blower control to off, wait until both LEDs illuminate (approximately 5 seconds) and then release the A/C mode switch. • When the A/C status indicator begins flashing DTCs, set the Mode switch to the floor position, simultaneously press the A/C mode switch and the EBL mode switch down until both LEDs start flashing (approximately 5 seconds) and then release the mode switches. Stored DTCs will clear from memory in approximately two sec-onds. However, if no DTCs were present, both status indicators will tun off and the system will exit diagnostic mode. Turn the ignition off, wait 10 seconds, and turn the ignition on. Actuate the Actuator Circuit Test / Door Calibration Function by performing the following: • Turn the blower control off. • Press and hold the EBL mode switch down and then turn the blower control on. Continue to hold the EBL mode switch down until the EBL status indicator begins flashing. Then, release the EBL mode switch. While the test / function is running, the EBL status indicator will flash once per second. If the test / function passes, the EBL status indicator will stop flashing. If the test / function fails, the A/C and EBL status indicators will flash alternately. Allow the test / function to run to completion before proceeding. Actuate the Display DTC function by performing the following: • Turn the blower control on. • Press the A/C mode switch down, turn the blower control to off, wait until both LEDs illuminate (approximately 5 seconds) and then release the A/C mode switch. NOTE: The A/C Heater Control will display a DTC for every fault that it detects, not just DCs specific to door function. NOTE: The A/C status indicator displays active DCs when the EBL status indictor is not illuminated and stored DTCs when the EBL status indicator is illuminated. The code is shown kinda like Morse Code. The AC light will pause from blinking for a few seconds and then blink however many times is the first code number. Three blinks is a 3 as in 30. There will be a short pause. Then it will blink again and that number of blinks is the next number of the code, as in, six blinks makes the code 36. You’ll have to look up what each code means but there are like 70+ just for the HVAC. I downloaded the shop manual for @$22 from e-manuals.com, and it was worth every dime. Beware, the manual is over 8,000 pages long, and takes so long to load that you’ll think your device isn’t doing anything. You might be able to find the list of HVAC codes elsewhere. Remember these cars, 300, Magnum, Charger, Challenger(LC) are all LX platform Chrysler cars, all pretty much the same under the surface.
I would like to add if anyone having this issue it doesn’t have to make that noise. Mine didn’t and after changing it fixed the issue. Thanks for the video though. Definitely helped. The mechanic was gonna charge $700 said he was gonna hear to remove the whole dash. This video saved me a lot of money. Thanks.
Quick question, I have a 2013 Chrysler 300 and just recently it started not blowing as cold only every so often. I’ll have the heat on in the morning then turn it to ac and it’ll work then later on in the day I’ll try to turn it on and it’s not fully cold. I’ve also had it be cool and warm on one side just once. Wondering which actuators I should replace any help.? Thanks in advance!
Havin an issue with mine where driver side blows hot and passenger cold recently I stopped hearing the ticking sound and everything blows hot now anyone know what that may be ?
The top one on the driver's side is for the heat & mode is the bottom....ya just have those mixed up. Other than that spot on & great video showing the actual actuators. Unfortunately Chrysler didn't really put any thought into those little things.. The plastic gears inside are very delicate. Then Mopar discontinued the parts for it, unless want to pay almost $200 @ the dealership. Most auto shops have the actuators but it's a different manufacture and plug & play... They still do plug into old plug & play. 3 out of 4 actuators are the same, except for the recirculation one I believe. Where you can get from auto store in between $20-$60 & online from $12-$60 & different combo deals too. Thing about buying these is you gotta check it before you walk out the store, some of the motors inside are already garbage/broken or the white little plug thing on the back isnt lined up with the line on the back. Those defaults you'd see more online purchases sense ya can't inspect before purchase. Another big discussion about this DIY project is do you have to re-calibrate the actuator after install? Everywhere you look it's a hit or miss with a "Yes & No" answer. Even with all this new technology if you do need to calibrate, there's got to be a way without a scan tool as well. This would be the ideal answer/fix of answer/fixes.... LMFAO 😂 Again great video.. Muchly appreciated 👍🏼
You don’t have to calibrate them. But, do not plug it into the power until you screw it in, if you plug it in first it will go past the gears and you have to buy another one.
great work! I have seen that there is a ground on the passenger column that can cause issues - my radio comes on and off randomly like it has a bad ground. The speakers don't work - radio still is powered and shows volume but no sounds happen when it loses this ground or whatever. The ding ding ding noises when locking the doors must use the same output as the stereo because I dont hear them either when it happens. Do you recall ground mounting locations behind the A columns? Any insight much appreciated!! great job again!
@@bman4life956 so mine is the same thing but the racking sound sounded like it came from the right side of my radio . But so it would be one of the passenger side ones ?
I did get it fixed turned out I was just low on the Freon. Cost me about 400 to get it flushed and re charged. You have to get it flushed first or else the problem will continue to happen. Haven’t had the issue since
@@eloyjacobo8415 oh wow thanks... I have a 2014 Chrysler 300s which is blowing hot on the passenger side and cold only on the driverside. I'll take it into my mechanics to see what they say.
I appreciate it, Bud. I find it very difficult paying 8 damn dollars for one single clip. Thank you for the tip, headed to Homer D. poes' place in the moanin'.
A literal quote while watching this when the pillar snapped into place: "Well... this motherfucker is innovative!" LMFAO thanks man. This is how im gonna fix mine.
