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how can you access the vent door, that changes air flow direction?


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1999 Legacy SUS something has been rattling and intermittently goofing with the vent positions. air woudln't come out defrost sometimes, etc.

 

now it's permanently lodged as i no longer hear the rattling - but air no longer comes out of the dash vents that blow in your face. air only comes out of the defrost and foot areas. so the door must be stuck by that thing that used to slide around down there.

 

is there any convenient way to access this vent door area, i've never messed with that system before?

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If you take out the Climate control unit, then you can see the vent box and can get your entire hand in there to do what you need to do. Just take out your cup holder first, then gently pop the upper cover off (Where the dash vents are) and you should be in good shape.

 

-Tom

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really tom? that's super!! i thought i was going to be contorting with my feet on the ceiling under the dash somewhere in the foot well.

 

that seems to easy - is there then a bolt on door or cover to the passages/air ways?

 

i love good news like that, thanks!

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the air flow direction is controlled electronically by the HVAC controller. push a button, and a motor?? opens or closes the flow director.

 

the heat control lever on the other hand is a direct cable connection to the ''door'' that directs the air over the heater core.

 

usually the problem with no air/ heat from certain vents is in the push button electric connections. i had no luck cleaning it / them, but i have heard of at least one member who was successful with cleaning .

 

i just replaced my controller when wd40 and windex didn't work. maybe i should have used electrical connection cleaner.

 

good luck.

Edited by johnceggleston
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usually the problem with no air/ heat from certain vents is in the push button electric connections.
mine had something in there notably rolling around jamming things shut - like a kid dropped something down the vents or something. noise of said item moving was directly correlated to vents not working/working.

 

almost positive there's something physically in there that shouldn't be.

 

but - i have an extra control unit i can try, sounds easy enough to make sure.

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maybe it's money?? or jewelry??
i was wondering what could crawl down in there. i have a large card (forget what it was) in my truck, i saw my 3 year old put it there. but the soob is too small for stuff that large.

 

couple months ago i drove 3 hours to get this car only to find out the couple is moving to less than a half a mile from my office. if it's jewelry i'll easily be able to get it back to them....unless it's brusbrothers of course.

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  • 1 month later...

ended up being a missing bolt, which I had never touched before, in the engine bay was rattling - the top pitch stopper bolt. it was right against the firewall and sounded like it was vent/dash related. would only vibrate when in drive and brake on - so I was never able to hear it from the engine bay without putting it in Drive and Ebrake on at the same time when i realized how loud it was outside.

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ended up being a missing bolt, which I had never touched before, in the engine bay was rattling - the top pitch stopper bolt. it was right against the firewall and sounded like it was vent/dash related. would only vibrate when in drive and brake on - so I was never able to hear it from the engine bay without putting it in Drive and Ebrake on at the same time when i realized how loud it was outside.

 

 

1 annoying rattle down, 328 to go! ;)

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  • 9 months later...
If you take out the Climate control unit, then you can see the vent box and can get your entire hand in there to do what you need to do. Just take out your cup holder first, then gently pop the upper cover off (Where the dash vents are) and you should be in good shape.

 

-Tom

 

I hope this is the same for a 90 legacy cause I am going to see what I can find behind the control unit.

B

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