If you own a Chevy Silverado, you can experience issues with your vehicle’s air conditioning and heating system. Most often, it can be a result of the malfunctioning of the blend door actuator.
It is a crucial component of the HVAC system that ensures the proper distribution of air temperature throughout the cabin. However, if it becomes faulty or you observe any improper working, you have to reset it to ensure proper operation.
How to Reset Blend Door Actuator on Chevy Silverado? There are 3 methods to reset the blend door actuator on Chevy Silverado. It requires disconnecting the battery power or HVAC fuse for a few minutes and reconnecting them to reset the system. You can also manually reset it by rotating the gears by hand. Another method is to recalibrate the system using the Scan tool.
We will also guide the truck owners regarding other aspects, including the working of the blend door actuator and the symptoms of a faulty system. We will also highlight the preventive maintenance tips to ensure its proper working for a longer duration.
Function and working of a blend door actuator
The purpose of a blend door actuator is to control the temperature by regulating the airflow of your vehicle’s HVAC system. An electric motor moves a plastic gear connected to this part.
When the actuator receives a signal from the engine control module, it rotates the gears to open or close it. Therefore, it helps you to maintain the temperature inside the pickup truck according to your desired settings.
When you change the temperature settings on the climate control system on the dashboard, the blend door opens or closes accordingly to provide an optimal combination of hot and cool air to achieve the desired response.
Therefore, its proper working is imperative for the efficient performance of the HVAC system of your Chevy Silverado pickup truck.
Number and location of blend door actuator on Chevy Silverado
The number and location of blend door actuators on Chevy Silverado can vary depending on the model and year of the vehicle. Generally speaking, it has two blend door actuators on both sides of the dashboard.
You will find one behind the air vents on the driver’s side and the second is on the passenger’s side. Resetting or replacing it is an easy task. However, the main problem lies in the difficulty of accessing them.
You can locate them behind the dashboard under both sides of the vents. However, accessing them can be challenging because you have to remove the stereo system and sometimes the steering column to access the blend door motor for replacement or manual resetting.
Symptoms of a faulty blend door actuator
A faulty blend door actuator on Chevy Silverado can experience a number of symptoms. The most obvious one is the uneven air temperature distribution.
You will notice that the air temperature in your vehicle is not consistent, and some areas are colder or warmer than others. Moreover, the air from the vents will be too hot or too cold irrespective of your selected settings.
Its gears can get stuck or misalign, producing clicking or tapping sounds from the vents. Another symptom is that the HVAC system does not respond to temperature adjustments.
You will observe no air coming out of the vents. If you notice any of these symptoms, there can be a faulty blend door actuator besides other faults requiring your attention to repair it.
Why should you reset the blend door actuator?
Over time, the blend door actuator can lose its calibration, causing issues with the HVAC system. In such cases, resetting it can help restore its functionality.
Additionally, if you have recently replaced the blend door actuator, you will need to reset it to ensure proper calibration.
Furthermore, over time its plastic gears are broken or stuck, and you should try resetting it to check if it restores its operation.
Moreover, you have to reset it after disconnecting its power supply for a longer duration, whether via battery disconnection or its fuse.
In case of any of the symptoms mentioned above, you need either reset or replacement of its working mechanism.
Methods to reset the blend door actuator
There are 3 methods to reset the blend door actuator on Chevy Silverado. Each has its sequence of steps to restore the operation successfully.
We will briefly explain each of them so that you can try it yourself without requiring extra labor costs to hire the services of an expert mechanic or workshop.
Reset the Power to the Blend Door Motor
This method involves disconnecting the battery to reset the power to the blend door motor.
Turn off its engine and remove the key from the ignition.
Check the battery under its hood and disconnect its terminals.
Wait for at least 5-10 minutes to allow the vehicle’s electrical system to reset.
Reconnect the battery terminals and turn the ignition key to start the engine.
The HVAC system will reset automatically by repeating a sequence of steps. Any interruption during the self-calibration can result in improper functioning of the system.
Turn OFF the ignition key and wait for 1 minute.
Turn ON the Chevy Silverado and check the working of the HVAC system to see if the air temperature is consistent.
You can also reset the power to the blend door actuator by removing the 10A HVAC fuse in the fuse box under the hood for a few minutes. Reinstalling it and repeating the steps mentioned earlier will complete the resetting procedure.
Manual Reset
The manual reset method involves hand-adjusting the blend door actuator to recalibrate it.
However, it requires accessing the motor to rotate it by hand to reset it. This method is helpful in scenarios where gears get stuck or broken. Its steps include:
Turn off its engine and remove the key.
Remove the stereo system to access it behind the dashboard.
Manually turn its gear toward the arrow direction.
Turn oN the Chevy Silverado and wait for a couple of minutes to allow the actuator to reset.
Turn off and ON the truck again after a minute and check if the HVAC system works correctly.
Recalibrate the Blend Door Actuator
This method requires using a scan tool to recalibrate the blend door actuator. You can reset the actuator by following the steps:
Connect a scan tool to the vehicle’s OBD-II port and clear all the diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs).
Turn OFF the truck and replace the actuator motor if required.
Turn ON the engine and select the HVAC module from the list of available modules.
Select the option for blend door actuator calibration and follow the on-screen instructions to recalibrate it.
Once you complete the calibration process, turn off the engine and remove the scan tool.
Start the truck and check if the HVAC system is working correctly.
How to Maintain the Blend Door Actuator on Chevy Silverado?
To ensure that the blend door actuator continues to work correctly, it is essential to regularly maintain it properly, as it mostly malfunction because of dirt or dust deposition on its gears.
Therefore, regular checking and replacing the air filter is essential, as a clogged air filter can strain the HVAC system and cause the blend door actuator to fail prematurely.
Moreover, dust and debris can accumulate in the system components and cause damage to the actuator motor as it has to put extra force to move it.
Therefore, keeping the cabin clean and free of debris is essential. Furthermore, it can lose its calibration if you don’t use it for longer, and gears can get stuck because of rusting.
Therefore, I will recommend using the HVAC system every week to ensure proper calibration and working. There is no cost involved in these simple maintenance tasks.
However, if you ignore them and it results in actuator motor failure, you have to pay hundreds of dollars to get them replaced. Only the labor cost to replace it is in the range of $50-$150 as it is challenging to access it.
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