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1996 Buick PA A/C with no air from mid vents
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drjohn
New User
Aug 7, 2008, 9:41 PM
Post #1 of 4
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1996 Buick PA A/C with no air from mid vents
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The A/C on my 1996 Buick PA blows air through the windshield and floor vents. No air comes from the mid vents. The compressor seems to be OK. The ambient temperature reading is accurate, and all of the switches on the control module work except for the airflow. If I start the system in AUTO, the compressor comes on, the air starts to flow but no through the mid vents. However, the LED blinks for several seconds then goes steady. The temperature control appears OK (cold-hot-cold). Any ideas?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 8, 2008, 9:18 AM
Post #2 of 4
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Re: 1996 Buick PA A/C with no air from mid vents
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Hi - couldn't find specifics but GMs single controls frequently use an electric actuator motor to move duct flaps/doors to divert air to "panel" vents and shut defrost and floor outlets for A/C request. The actuator itself could strip a gear, or the rods that it moves are connected by spring dampened connections held by platic ends easily broken while working on something else nearby!
I'm short of info but they could be on driver's side, over gas pedal area on side of airbox for heat and air. If broken you might see dangling metal rods with elongated rectangle slots which attach and buffer their action when connected and working.
Hard to see this area to even inspect this.
Has any work been done involving dash? I'm not sure what the likely problem is ..... those connectors, the actuator gear or motor or the request no getting to that item from the control panel. Since everything else seems to work the actuator for this is the most likely for the problem. You may or may not hear it trying to change when requesting defrost then change to plain A/C??
T
**************** It looks like this for a 97 and up model, 96 wasn't shown....1997-05 Buick Park Avenue A/C Vent Door Actuator Passenger Side For Temperature Door
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Aug 8, 2008, 9:31 AM)
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drjohn
New User
Aug 8, 2008, 7:07 PM
Post #3 of 4
(3536 views)
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Re: 1996 Buick PA A/C with no air from mid vents
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Hello Tom,
Thank you for the reply. This was my mother's car and I don't have much on the service history. However, I will take a look under the dash. I don't hear anything so I will need to take a look. If the control module is trying to acutate this device, I should be able to measure a voltage on the connector? I would imagine that it is a low-voltage device, and the absence of any voltage at the device would be a good indication of no signal from the control module.
Thanks,
drjohn
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Aug 9, 2008, 1:53 AM
Post #4 of 4
(3529 views)
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Re: 1996 Buick PA A/C with no air from mid vents
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It just happened that one of these was broken on a car I care for (GM) that went un-noticed till this spring after a box for remote control for door locks was replaced at an auto electric shop that managed to break the clips of the rods of the thing. After some hair loss I found clips and that was it and learned that they do in fact strip out and would be more common than the control head. It moves two diverter doors at once to achieve "max" A/C which is recirculated air thru panel vents only vs all other functions will mix outside air and choices of part defrost and part floor which this shuts off. You can move those rods by hand if you can get at them and know what's up without going nuts testing stuff. When this one is inoperative the other functions still work just like you stated so it's a direct match for the problem.
Again - if you are at the thing and change the request you can feel if it's trying or see dangling rods - no rocket science but they do hide them up under there of course. That actuator shown just turns like 90degrees back and forth.
Are you apt to do this yourself or send it out? I have pics of what I did if you send me a PM with an email address I can sent the pics directly. I haven't figured out how to post my own pics to this site yet without jumping thru some hoops!
T
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