1996-2000 Honda Civic Mode Control Motor (hvac selector issues)

This is for anyone experiencing issues where their 96-00 Honda Civics. Might also be the same part for 97-01 CRVs but you can confirm by referencing your mode control motor part number. If your HVAC system does NOT redirect the air where you are selecting for it to direct upon turning the mode selector knob, then your problem might lie with the MODE CONTROL MOTOR. Commonly mistaken as issue to do with the blend door actuator, this is not the case here. This part can easily be taken off (2x Phillips head screws) from a parts car, and you can connect it to the green plug on your car to test that the motor arm moves before purchasing or fully installing. Hope this helps as winter arrives and your windshield gets foggy or needs defrosting.
One last thing, once you manually set the air ventilation direction, assuming you dont replace this motor, it will remain in that position. Thats the only reason I suggested being cheap and not needing to really replace this part. Down the line I may replace it but with my situation I didnt see the need to throw $50 at this minor inconvenience. All it takes is reaching down to change the air ventilation direction. Thanks for watching.

[@Davest420]

You’re absolutely amazing. Thank you for making this video.

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

@@Davest420 thanks brother. Glad it helped ya

[@LivingLikeMillionaires]

This is super helpful. I have been trying to figure out which part I needed for my 1999 Civic Lx. This confirmed my suspicion. I had bought the part you are describing a while about but had yet to put it in the car. Thanks for the clarification. I didn't know you could also manually just change the airflow either!

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

For sure man. Happy to pass on some knowledge or replacement tips. As of now, I still didn’t replace the motor. Just left it on defrost mode for the winter season haha

[@StewPudasoe]

Dude... Everything everyone said.... Was a fail... I replaced this... And it worked! Thank you so much! Thank you! And I asked and called... And all wrong... Thank you thank you...

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Makes me glad that my video has helped many. Trust me I did a ton of research as well to no avail. Everyone kept pointing to the Blend Door Actuator, which has nothing to do with the problem many of us experienced

[@jdearl9999]

My assembly was just stuck. Once I knew where it was and what it did it was easy to troubleshoot. Thank you so much.

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Awesome my man! Glad this video helped you out. I wish I still had my civic to post more DIY vids 🥹

[@savageswagg89]

This was such a big help my 99 civic hatch was stuck on vents. Everyone told me it was the blend door. Biiiig thank you!

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

You’re definitely welcome! Thanks for the sub! Hoping to throw out more content for everyone to use and learn from as well! Gotta pass on the knowledge

[@pear44ms]

Thank you for this fame changing information ! i have been trying to find a solution to this problem. My son had the sudden problem of not being able to switch his defrost on. Thank you again ,mystery solved .

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Its gonna be a year soon since I last had my civic and I miss it. Happy to see everyone else still getting theirs back in order! Be safe!

[@houseofrhythm10]

THANKS... U Da Man ... had Defrost back in like 30 seconds with your help... 😁👍😁

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Happy to give back and help others with this quick fix video!

[@randallwalter9778]

He'll Yeah Børther 👌🏻 I think my issue is a fuse, because all the lights on the climate control also went out at the same time, but this is awesome to know, so I can finally use defrost again... Winter in NY 🥶

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

I’m your neighbor in NJ. The defrosting part is why I went this length to make sure I posted this video. I dont have a video, but the tiny bulbs that illuminate the climate controls CAN be replaced. They’re extremely hard to find on ebay/amazon cause of the lack of part number. But maybe someone’s parts car might have the bulbs, in case yours went out like all of mine

[@diegolopez3434]

Thanks to your video I think I might’ve found the problem! Except you’re touching that metal vent control piece with no issues I tried to move mine and ended up slicing my fingers and hand 😂😂

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Ahh, so the motor might be fine. Its the directional assembly thats seized. Spray it down with WD-40, then add grease or silicone lubricant. It’s unfortunate about your hand, Honda should add one of those bleeding hand warning stickers on that part 🤣

[@mysteryjesus]

Thanks for the video, my vent is stuck on the wrong mode when I need the defrost. I'm going to do this right now.

[@mysteryjesus]

Fixed it in 10 minutes. Now I need to get one of these motors.

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Awesome bro. I have yet to replace my motor. I left it in place, disconnected, and manually set the defrost setting until summer time and then I’ll just move it to the upper vents lol. Most places want $50 for this used part, no guarantee it’ll work either

[@mysteryjesus]

@@JDL_MobileRepair Yeah I am going to do the same. I decided not to buy that expensive motor. To heck with the motor, I'll just change it by hand.

[@jonathangabriel6336]

Yessir. Exactly what I needed for that morning windshield condensation

[@Dreillett]

Great vid, you talked about exactly what I needed to know.

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Thanks man. Hope you can pass on the knowledge in the future!

[@RC.crawler.content]

Thank you so much for video so helpful. Love the content keep putting out more videos

[@twistedatm6937]

Another easy fix that will sometimes work is if you bang on it a couple times lmao. I was gonna do what you did at the end there but i just smacked it a couple times and it started working again lol.

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Haha. Bro I banged it, slapped it, blew on the connector pins, and still nothing. The module itself was definitely fried.

[@JesusRodriguez-xf6op]

Fkn awesome. Thanks a lot, man. Straight to the damn point. 👍🏾

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Thats the goal, short, concise, and to the point 👍🏼 stay safe brother

[@damianthorne4145]

You saved me brotha much appreciated!

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Hey man. Happy to have helped you and many more on this great car from the 90s!

[@jowiislizzant1384]

Awesome, thorough video

[@guitar_man_15]

Awesome video, thank you for this!

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Im glad its still helping people out to this day. Its certainly getting too cold to drive around without some proper heating 🤓

[@mouzzaouiismail8133]

best explanation 👌 that really what's I need to know thank you

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

You’re welcome! Glad to have been helpful 🤙🏼

[@mattJudd603]

Nice work

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Thanks man. I appreciate the support! Owning beaters has taught me so much.

[@gianacosta8752]

Great video man!

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Thanks bro. Hope it solved your issue or gave you some pointers!

[@jnavarro957]

Great video. Now before I buy this part. I need your advice. My control goes to every setting except one. Every setting that I set it to is great blows at every level when I select which flow I want it to go into low speed or high speed. Now my problem is the one that don’t work correctly when I select vent to defrost front windshield. When I select this vent setting the air blows hard out of all the other vents and even foot well but the vent it blows very low and slow since I put my hand over it to check how it is. So after seeing this video I went to the mode control and at the same time I held onto the rod and turn the knob at the climate control to select which mode/setting I wanted to go into and every mode made the rod move except the vent selection. Will me buying this part solve my problem. Thanks again. I truly hope I made sense. lol

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Hey man, yeah I understand completely. This sounds like your rod and the moving assembly is somehow stuck or jammed when going into the defrost option. I’d disconnect the rod and move it with your hand to the defrost position. If you cant move it by hand, try to further visually inspect the “track” on which the entire assembly moves. It should be free n clear. If its rough to go into the setting, lube it up with a dab of grease along the track and gently work it back n forth. Replacing the module is the next step if you can “manually” get it into place, but the controls wont move it into place after the fact.

[@ApolloTx817]

The issue I am having is my heater or a/c works fine and then all of a sudden it turns off and turns back on at a later time. I’ve replaced the resistor, blower motor and relay for blower motor with no luck. Coolant levels are fine and car does not over heat

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Hmm, since you replaced the major components of the blower motor assembly I’d move on to get a multimeter and use it on 12V or DC to get a ready of the voltage at the blower motor harness connector, and then at the relay housing. Do this while the car is on and the blower motor is turned to high. You’re looking for the same voltage at both ends of your test. It would be amazing if you could get a test in while the car is on, the blower setting is ON, and nothing is blowing. This will show you exactly where the problem lies cause you shouldnt get a reading at one of the ends of the wiring route. Assuming the blower motor is fine. Thats where’d I’d start. If you recently got the blower motor, save the receipt in case your wiring checks out fine. Those motors can be faulty, especially since its usually OE stuff, not OEM.

[@rowdy_static]

Would my mode be stuck on cold with this as well or just to change modes on air

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

There’s a possibility the knob for hot/cold might not be working. But its more common for people to experience a thermostat failure, or heater core issue or the need to bleed their coolant of any air. If you recently did a coolant flush or any work that requires messing with the coolant, I’d suspect thats your problem. The cheapest diagnostic you can do right now is pull off the climate control bezel and inspect the connectors for that knob and the wiring condition. Maybe hit it with air pressure can and try again. Next step i’d check is the thermostat for current and signal with a multimeter. KZbin how to do that. Lastly, I’d suspect the heater core. But thats the most expensive fix, so do your best to make sure nothing I wrote above is the culprit

[@electricamir248]

I took mine off and it seemed to work. I reinstalled it and it worked for almost a year. Now i am thinking, how do you know if it is the mode switch or the motor?

[@JDL_MobileRepair]

Well, at that point it might require some multimeter probing to check for discrepancies in the wiring. I havent gone that deep into the issue but thats my guess