clicking sound right after startup behind glove box area

[lemdog]

Hi All,   (2011 R/T AWD)

 

It started yesterday when I started the car there was a clicking sound (for about 5-8 seconds) from what sounded like behind the glove box area.

"click click click click click click click"   Its loud enough to tell there is something there clicking.

 

my first thought was the venting system or something was out of gear....like when you change from dash to floor.... the mechanism gears are missing/skipping.

 

It does this every single time I start the vehicle.   no other times,  just right after startup.   I read somewhere it could be an actuator(?)

 

any ideas?

[jkeaton]

Probably. 

[2late4u]

yep

 

[Steven Harshbarger]

Yep, the HVAC actuator is bad and why you hear the clicking noise.  The door isn't moving and your hearing the gear grind.

[lemdog]

ok thanks,  yeah thats what i first thought of when i heard it,   some sort of gear grinding when something is stuck.

 

hard to replace or hard to get to to replace?     and what would i actually be looking for?     im sure google university can help perhaps.?

[Steven Harshbarger]

There's alot of video's on youtube to see for this.

[lemdog]

thanks,  already started the youtube hunt.

[lemdog]

just following up for the benefit of others,

i ordered the actuator from amazon (half the price from what my auto parts retailer was selling it for) and replaced it last night.

its a finicky job,  i had to contort myself across the center console and put my head down to the passenger foot-well to get a proper angle on the 2 screws.

after determination, moving stuff around and scratched up hands,  i replaced the actuator motor and the problem has been fixed.

 

here is a link to the one i purchased for reference:

https://www.amazon.ca/Dorman-604-029-Air-Door-Actuator/dp/B00HRSP2A6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518548970&sr=8-1&keywords=2011+DODGE+JOURNEY+HVAC+HEATER+BLEND+DOOR+ACTUATOR&dpID=41bZSMp5cQL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[lemdog]

Well i am back to my older post.

 

So a year ago i replaced the actuator motor on passenger side.   All was fine as you can see in my last post of Feb23.2018.

 

   I noticed yesterday that i had my temp down to LO on both driver and passenger side (dash vents).

I noticed that the driver side what blowing cool outside air,  but the passenger side was blowing hot air.

 

I also tested the AC.   Cold on driver side,  hot on passenger side.

 

So my guess is the blend door actuator is acting up again possibly?   It was a super pain in the butt job to get up in there to change it,  so i am not sure if something has come loose or faulty again.

guess I should look into the one i replaced and see what is going on?   
(feel free to point out the obvious.)

 

But if its something else,  please chime in.

thanks!

[lemdog]

**Update**

i replaced the one i replaced. (haha).  it actually broke the plastic gear so i popped in a new one last night and made sure everything was tight.   but that didnt solve my passenger hot air blowing while the AC was on.

 

i did look further up under the dash and saw TWO more actuators (passenger side) and one was working that shifts the airflow to the dash/floor,  but the other,  that seems to shift hot to cold was NOT moving.   it appears to be the exact same actuator motor and somewhat ok to get at to replace.   2 screws and a clip in plug.

 

i will order another motor and replace when i can before the sickly hot humid Canadian summer hits.  

[2late4u]

just a thought yes oem parts are more $$ than part stores or eBay but they usually are better quality and since the one you already replaced has broke a yr later,you might want to spend the $$ on the better part