• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

AC blows hot one side

greg03

New Member
Joined
Nov 25, 2007
Messages
6
I have read alot of posts from owners of 2004 avalanche with problem of AC blowing hot on one side intermitantly.   This is obviously a design flaw / bad component and one that pisses me and others off!  Should be a recall. I still don't know the fix without having to spend hundreds of dollars on actuators that may or may not fix the problem based on posts here. What is GM doing to satisfy their customers?  Why would I buy another GM product with such poor quality from a realitively newer vehicle (2004)? 
 
welcome to the club greg03
try disconnecting the battery, it reboots the system so to speak, if that doesn't work you may need to go in for a relearn procedure 
 
My brother had the same problem on his 04 Tahoe. I believe it was a Blend Door Actuator. Some type of electric motor that moves a door to blend cool air for climate control. He called GM and they have something called a Cost Assistance Program. He has not heard back from his customer service rep. as of yet, but I expect they will pay half of it, if not all of it-which they did for another Tahoe owner. They may write it off as a safety issue. Cost him 800 bucks to repair. I think a lot of the dash has to be disassembled in order to get to that particular part, which would be a huge labor cost, then a relearn procedure to get the actuators synchronized. If you give GM a call, they may offer you the same type of assistance.

Sorry you're having a problem.? :welcome: to the club.
 
Thanks - but $800 is still alot of money for something that doesn't break in most vehicles - even 20 year old ones!  I'm hoping someone from GM see's and responds to this post.   I hate to say it but I would sooner trade the vehicle in w/o mentioning the problem while it is working then spend $800 on it.   An unhappy dealer would eventually foot the bill.   I think it should be a recall - it can be dangarous if someone is sitting up front and doesn't know how to turn off the blasting heat - hotter then normal - I'm suprised something doesn't melt!
 
WILDFIRE said:
welcome to the club greg03
try disconnecting the battery, it reboots the system so to speak, if that doesn't work you may need to go in for a relearn procedure?

Had the same thing happen on my 04 AV a couple of times....all I had to do was turn off the AV for about 2-3 minutes and it would reset and be fine.
 
I have a similar problem..  passenger works fine..  but the driver only seems to work ont he extreem settings.. no changes in temp from 65-85 degrees.. as soon as i hit 90 it warms all the way up.. more like an on off switch..
 
  Wow i cant believe so many AV owners are experiencing this.  Just the other day I noticed that only the driver side was putting out hot air and the passengers cold when the heat was turned up on both sides.  I'm calling the dealership 2morrow about this "since its still under warranty" so hopefully I can add a response to what your question might be greg.
 
wyteonwyte said:
? Wow i cant believe so many AV owners are experiencing this.? Just the other day I noticed that only the driver side was putting out hot air and the passengers cold when the heat was turned up on both sides.? I'm calling the dealership 2morrow about this "since its still under warranty" so hopefully I can add a response to what your question might be greg.

wyteonwyte,
Would love to see pictures ..
07 Av. . . Painted sail panels, 24inch wheels with 6-inch lip wrapped in 305's, Blacked out Tails, Line of fire, TV's in headrest, Denali grille, 1600 Orion, 2-12 inch, Amber DRL's/////////Soon 2 come White wheels and a new white trim coat on everything
 
:E: well I was told that I have to replace my ac due to rattel I get when I put my foot on the gas.
 
Same issue, fixed by replacing the actuator.  Agree GM should at least split the cost, if not picking up complete expense.  :E:
 
ajk2000 said:
wyteonwyte,
Would love to see pictures ..
07 Av. . . Painted sail panels, 24inch wheels with 6-inch lip wrapped in 305's, Blacked out Tails, Line of fire, TV's in headrest, Denali grille, 1600 Orion, 2-12 inch, Amber DRL's/////////Soon 2 come White wheels and a new white trim coat on everything

  Im not that talented on putting pictures in here but if you have an e-mail address I can send them thru that. Also in the Arizona boards theres a pic of it under the SPEEDWORLD  GTG.
 
I just got a notice in the mail from GM saying they will repair defective instrument clusters - which I know is also a big quality defect with GM trucks.   If they do that then they should also fix the AC.
 
P. S. Great White ---  Mine started out very infrequently about six months ago.   maybe once a month.   Now it is usually every day!  Good thing its cold outside!  I think the battery disconnect will work longer then simply turning the ignition off but not sure about that yet.   It is to the point though where turning off ignition works only 20% of the time when it used to work all the time early on.   Really a pain in the butt anyway when you are cruising down a highway and fire from hell comes blasting through.   When this happens I switch controls to defrost and open thte window until I need to stop.   Really sour on GM over this.   A shame because I otherwise like my AV and GM trucks.   I have noticed it hasn't happened since it got cold out and I don't use the AC much - doesn't add up if actuator is defective does it?
 
I just noticed tonight that my '04 was blowing hot air out the passenger side middle vent, cold air out on  all the others.  temp was set at 73 degrees both sides.  First time this has happened, very warm air coming out of the one vent. The air was hot enough to override the cold air coming out the other vents, a really weird feeling air flow/temp situation.  turned the truck off, went inside for an hour or so, came back out, restarted and no hot air was blowing out the vent, but now seemed to have less air flow coming out compared to the others. 
Does this sound like the actuator as well?
 
txrider said:
I just noticed tonight that my '04 was blowing hot air out the passenger side middle vent, cold air out on  all the others.  temp was set at 73 degrees both sides.  First time this has happened, very warm air coming out of the one vent. The air was hot enough to override the cold air coming out the other vents, a really weird feeling air flow/temp situation.  turned the truck off, went inside for an hour or so, came back out, restarted and no hot air was blowing out the vent, but now seemed to have less air flow coming out compared to the others. 
Does this sound like the actuator as well?
sure does
 
My '04 would go hot on the pass side occasionally and sometimes cycling the ignition would help.  Finally that stopped working and dealer replaced pass side actuator door under warranty.

Another time, air would only come out of the defrost (which is the fail-safe position) and they had to replace another actuator.

All these little problems are really adding up...  I like this truck, but I don't know if I will get another American car/truck.  I never had issues at all with Mazdas and Toyotas.  I think GM's saving grace is they hand out free rental cars for warranty repairs.  Even then it is getting aggrivating.
 
ajk2000 said:
wyteonwyte,
Would love to see pictures ..
07 Av. . . Painted sail panels, 24inch wheels with 6-inch lip wrapped in 305's, Blacked out Tails, Line of fire, TV's in headrest, Denali grille, 1600 Orion, 2-12 inch, Amber DRL's/////////Soon 2 come White wheels and a new white trim coat on everything

Dont know if you remember posting this but I finished the wheels and trim coat and upgraded the sounds thought you might want to have a peep at it? Only problem I cant post pics  :9:

 
Ok, I found the blend door actuator on rockauto for $41.79.

I consider myself a fairly advanced modder, willing to tackle most challenges. What are the odds I can find and install this thing myself?

David
 
avdavidw said:
Add me to the AC blowing hot out of one side issue.  :cry:

Gotta get this straightened out before the Nationals.

David
Yep!! It happened three times on a roadtrip with the fam last weekend. I turned the truck off then restarted and it was cold again. This is really making tradein a option.
 
avdavidw said:
Ok, I found the blend door actuator on rockauto for $41.79.

I consider myself a fairly advanced modder, willing to tackle most challenges. What are the odds I can find and install this thing myself?

David

Here are some diagrams

Linky
 
avdavidw said:
Ok, I found the blend door actuator on rockauto for $41.79.

I consider myself a fairly advanced modder, willing to tackle most challenges. What are the odds I can find and install this thing myself?

David

Good! Dealer I bought mine from fixed mine for $100. I paid it. He wasn't in the truck that long. Although I didn't see him fix it, kinda felt it wasn't bad. Post back.
 
Okay here's another one of those problems I thought that no one else had experienced. While tooling around today in the 95 degree B'ham heat my AC starts blowing scorching heat out of the driver side vents. Had to make a stop so when I returned to the truck and fired up it was blowing cold again no more prob's today. But think I will call the dealer tomorrow since I purchased the extended warranty, will keep the crew posted!  :B:
 
add my 05 EXT to the list...I left my flashers on while parked illegally and loading up some junk...it made the battery go dead...I jumped it and when I got in one side was blowing hot.  I disconnected the battery twice with no change.  Is there a climate control reset?  I know on fords if you push a combination of buttons it resets?
The only good thing that came of this is that my check engine light went out with the battery disconnect...I am getting tired of this thing breaking...it recently has beenleaving a trail of rear end fluid on my driveway.  Luckily I only have 8 months left on the lease...the real question is do I get another 12 mpg pig that breaks a lot or do I try something diferent?  :E:
 
try turning off the climate control, disconnect the battery for 5 minute reconnect do not touch the climate control for 2 minute and see if that works Remember don't touch the air for 2 minutes
 
Back
Top