Climate control issues (1 Viewer)

[pawnthatdude]

Recently I've noticed a couple problems on my 2009:

1. Main problem is the driver side air only comes out the main vents (at hand level on the dash). If set (manually or auto) to foot air, it still comes out the main vents, no air by your feet. If you press the defrost button, it just comes out more furiously from the main vents. No air comes out the defrost vents. Which is sort of a problem in Colorado in winter.

Strangely, passenger side foot vents do work. But under no condition does air come out the defrost vents.

The rear seems to work as normal.

2. Related: Climate system doesn't initialize for 30-60 seconds after start. Sometimes it remembers the settings but sometimes it doesn't. I know this usually has to do with the cabin air filter or recirc flap. I had this problem before but just reseated my air filter to fix it. My recirc flap is slightly broken, it doesn't close quite all the way. But it didn't cause this issue before.

 

[bloc]

With a part of the system known broken it's hard to say new behavior can't be related to something about that breakage being picked up on by the control logic. So I'd get the aftermarket part to fix the door and reevaluate then.

Also worth a look at the harness area under the door sill trim.. water in there can do all kinds of odd stuff.

 

[Karbon]

Could also look into reinitialization of the AC servo motor through Techstream. Climate control issues are known to happen after battery replacement or other full system power loss. I recently changed mine and had the climate control delayed start to 75 degrees. However in my case it fixed itself after a 20 minute drive so I didn't need to pull out the laptop.

 

[Sandroad]

There is a technical service bulletin about odd HVAC vent behavior related to the servos. A search on here will find that so you can see if it applies.

 

[pawnthatdude]

Thank you. I did have to jump start it a couple weeks ago. I will pursue getting the servo reinitialized and see what happens.

 

[pawnthatdude]

To close the loop on this for future Google readers:

I found the TSB for the HVAC issue. But it doesn't apply to 09.

I took it to a shop to let them check it out with the techstream cable.

They came back with fault code "B1443 Air Outlet Damper Control Servo Motor Circuit" which calls for the servo motor replacement. Which means a complete dash removal, A/C evacuation... huge job. To do all four motors in the dash at once would be an eye watering ~$4k+.

This sent me into a seething rage internally about how stupidly complex and expensive the 200 is to own. I decided to put it off till Fall since I won't need defrost much between now and then.

And then it just started working again as normal a couple weeks later!

I suspect this all goes back to when I left the dome lights on overnight and the battery completely drained. Somehow it took a while for the gremlins to work themselves out I guess.