[SKgirl]

Hi,
I have a 2012 chev Cruze Eco. Recently the air will not switch from the different modes, it is stuck at the upper level. The temp and air flow is fine just doesn't move. Which is fine in the summer but not so great with winter coming. Anyways I took it into the dealer and they confirmed what I thought I need to replace the heater mode control actuator. The price is $250 for parts which is ok but with labour the cost is over $1500 and warranty ended 5000 miles ago. I know everyone says just let the shop do the job when it comes to taking the dash apart which needs to be done but there is no way I can afford $1500

So any help at all with info about how to get to it would be appreciated. Not sure if I can get away with removing one side if the dash or if the entire thing needs to be removed.
Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[NickD]

Just couldn't leave it like our 04 Cavalier, have temperature control and mode door control, was done by two cables, the speedometer type that cost 12 bucks each to replace. But this wasn't our problem, they glue weather stripping around the mode door that with 195*F heat, made it fall off binding the weather strip in that door so it wouldn't rotate it.

My wife driving this thing, just to force it, but bent the mode door cable, was easy for me to change, but cost an extra 12 bucks. For the mode door, I made an aluminum plate to hold that weather strip down so it wouldn't fall off. Another thing that can bind these doors is frost, rain, than freezing weather. Don't dare touch the controls until the vehicle warms up.

With the Cruze, really complicated, when you push buttons, firing commands to the BCM that activates these actuator motors. But is this the problem or is it that the door is jammed?

You mentioned 250 bucks, only two actuators are used, the one for the temperature blend door is 17 bucks.

The one for the mode door is 24 bucks.

Could take a greater effort and learn the labor cost, assume you are a young lady, so is my youngest daughter, they sure love to screw her with these outrageous prices. But she calls her dad first.

If this is even the problem, can't get any good information from the shop manual, these are driven by power transistors, that could also be the problem, a good designer, such as I was would use current limiting, have no idea what these kids are using. But a stalled motor would burn these out if not current limited. Also could be problems with the BCM itself. Thing is, you don't know how until you look.

Was a bit apprehensive in even buying the Cruze for this reason, really doing this the hard way, GM and others used a vacuum operated system where if a door jammed no other damage was done, vacuum actuators don't burn up when stalled, just kind of sit there.

Cavalier wasn't bad to work on, dash used screws, Cruze is all snapped on, and hope you don't break these snaps or will end up with rattles.

Think you are the first one to report this problem, if it happened to you, can happen to anyone of us. Hope the reps on this board will help you, but sure don't like what your dealer told you, doesn't even know what he is talking about that. Have three like this in my area, idiots, and crooks.

 

[NickD]

Labor for just the mode actuator replacement is listed as 0.4 hours if covered under warranty, 0.5 hours if done after warranty.

Thinking about my daughter's latest quote, 730 bucks, told her to bring it home, 65 bucks and a half an hour later, job was done. Ha, and I am getting old.

 

[lio150]

Labor for just the mode actuator replacement is listed as 0.4 hours if covered under warranty, 0.5 hours if done after warranty.

Thinking about my daughter's latest quote, 730 bucks, told her to bring it home, 65 bucks and a half an hour later, job was done. Ha, and I am getting old.

Hi I have the same issue can you tell more how you fixed the problem ?