The AC blows warm air on the drivers side. I pulled the vent door actuator, it wasn’t moving, however, I moved the gear by hand and found that I could not get the air on the driver side to be cool like the other side (or as it used to be). I have been unable to find anything to explain why I was not able to make the driver side cool again. Anyone know the design and something that could account for this problem?
I looked for a heater control valve thinking something should shut off the hot air going to this area, found none. Figured looking up control valve parts would show something for sale that would give me a hint (besides not seeing any control in the engine compartment for this) - because it makes sense that you’d completely kill the heat when you are using the AC. I can’t find anything. I’m thinking maybe the vent actuator isn’t dead but whatever runs it also runs some sort of heat shutoff and THAT is what is not working - but am unable to find anything to explain this.
Anyone know this beast and what I should be looking for? A relay, control, fuse, another vent door? The control is simple, after pulling the actuator, moving the gear/door back and forth is a snap, real hot when I swing it one way, still warm when I swing it the other, so replacing the actuator wouldn’t make it cold. Help? Thanks!!
With the engine running and the A/C on check the sight glass in the refrigerant line, it should be clear, just liquid flowing. If you see bubbles the system is low and that can cause half of the evaporator core to be warm.
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I would check the refrigerant level in the A/C system before anything else.
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You’re kinda missing the main point. The AC is working fine on the passenger side. Warm air comes out the 2 vents on the driver’s side only, normal cold air comes out of the passenger side vents. Since there aren’t 2 AC systems, hard to explain 1 side working and the other not with because freon is low. Thx anyway.
Although that reminds me that there is a 3rd vent for the back between the front seats and it blows warm air, too. Doesn’t make sense to me unless I’m missing some other heater control somehow somewhere…
Uh, no one is missing the main point. There’s a reason that 2 professional experienced technicians suggested that the system may be low on refrigerant. That’s because we know how the system works.
If there is not enough refrigerant to keep the evaporator core filled then only the lower half will be cool and the upper half will be warm. Since air flowing through the lower half will be directed to the passenger side and air flowing through the upper half will be directed to the driver side it’s quite possible your system is low.
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Same problem Sir.
Exactly the same.
Did you find the problem?
Best regards
One response was correct, seemed like a stupid response like “make sure your PC is plugged in”, Duh!. It really was low on refrigerant. Just buy a can and load it up. It was easier to get to than on my car, so it is pretty much of a snap to try and cheap compared to anything else. It makes no sense to me that hot air comes out on the driver side while cool air comes out on the passenger side, so it seems that something like a heat door is stuck, etc makes more sense. However, in this car, as the thing loses refrigerant, one side actually does put out hot air while the other puts out cool.
[It might have been the simple useless typical reply. A comment about the hot side and cold side would show that the responder actually knew what he was talking about instead of the glib stuff you often get, well meaning but way off, ya know? 
]