2002-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 recirculating door repair

How to replace broken recirculating door on 2002-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 without taking the dash out

[@TonyStony]

WOW ! this is what youtube is for 👍🏽 simple and straightforward thinking , took me roughly 25 min in total for something that everyone told me will take hours… wow thank you

[@alphabob8156]

Nice work Joe! I greatly appreciate you sharing your ingenuity! You used a very thoughtful approach and produced a perfect repair!

[@davidreed3165]

I was just about ready to toss the part in a drawer and forget this task until I stumbled on to your video. Worked like a charm and I didn’t have to take out one dash screw. Hardest part was knocking out that plastic pin. Thanks a lot Buddy. Dave

[@tommystiglich9558]

Thank you sir! 25-30 minute fix! True McGyver thinking..dealer wanted $1642 to fix. $32 and a beer and it’s good as new. Thanks again!

[@michaelbro6813]

WOW!! $1642 just to fix. Seems insane!!!

[@darylrighter6426]

Great video !!!!!!!! Wish I didn’t take the dash apart first but made it easier to get the door in with out the cosmetic change. I still saved a lot money. Thanks for the crash course.

[@terryh4285]

Thanks man, that’s the best and easiest way I’ve seen so far.

[@Kentucky042]

I’m sorry for the late response. That was my first video and I wasn’t quite sure how to respond. I hope it helped. Thanks...

[@FaceStuffer]

Thx man! I just took the busted one out and she's blowing real good again.

[@ifretboard]

Thank you! Just figured out the problem today. I’ve been driving for over a year wondering why the AC wasn’t blowing as much as it used to.

[@classicdad2.063]

I did a macgyver trick that worked well. Where the plastic broke on my recirculating door I drilled 2 small holes on the bottom. Then I applied epoxy to the broken bit and pyt them together. I put 2 pieces of bailing wire into the 2 holes, tightened them with pliers and trimmed off the ends. Inside of my dash is a computer box blocking the removal of the recirculating door motor at least easily. So to get around ripping apart the dash i got a 4x1 inch piece of scrap metal, drilled 4 holes and welded 4 bolts to it. I then drilled 4 holes on the door and bolted it on. I did this in preparation to cut the door in half so I could put it back together inside without taking the motor out. Once cut it half i bolted my brace on one side and put it in, then applied epoxy to the other half and put it in. After the bolts were tightened I tested it and 3 months later I'm not having issues.

[@tommyreed4198]

Thank you so much for the video! I was able to swap out the door without having to cut the dash. I'm not a big guy, and I'm sure that helped. I did have to get in some pretty strange postions, but I was able to complete the job myself in about 30 minutes.

[@andywinkler7372]

I just got done doing mine on a 05 ram 2500. 14 screws Phillips screwdriver needle nose plyers 7 and 8 mm sockets. All done and no cutting plastic.

[@glennbrooks9933]

Very good video, now I have to try this on my 2005 2500 thanks. 👍

[@stevenorcutt3913]

Great video I was about to give up because all the other people wanted to go into great lengths to talk about everything but what they actually did.

Excellent video Sir. Thank you for sharing! 👍

[@howtoridbadbreath]

Just tried getting that little white plastic piece out and had a hell of a time. What worked for me was using a drill bit extension with a 1/14 inch drill bit and drilled a hole in the side if the plastic piece (outside of the air box). After taking out the little actuator motor. Then found some round stock and put a point on it, stuck the point in the hole and pride the plastic piece out.

[@jlrockafella]

You're a genius! Damn man that's so simple if you don't care about breaking a lil plastic 👍

[@anglersnw]

Straightforward - Thank you

[@frankherrera4044]

Great info!.... thanks sir.

[@anthonyrichmond6834]

So my issue is I don’t have air going down to my feet area or my defroster but I have heat coming out of the face vent. How can I tell which blender door actuator I need to replace?

[@BILLYJOE957]

Did you ever get an answer to this question cause it'smy exact problem ? Thanks

[@crazypeoplearoundtheworld304]

I wish you'd videoed the actual repair. I'm sure it'll make more sense when I do mine

[@jdgt03]

Just so you know the part you cut can be unbolted and moved out of the way and it will be way easier. I do this daily for air bag recalls on these trucks. Its just a few 7mm screws.

[@TrpDSgt]

Is there a number or email that I could send you a question too? I have a 2005 Ram 2500 that needs this repair. it also blows cold on the passenger side unless you reach under there and smack the box. You will then hear something trip and it will then blow heat.

[@jdgt03]

@@TrpDSgt sure send me an email. [e-mail] If you hit it and it moves then you prolly have an actuator issue. If so and its the re circulation door actuator then if you pull the glove box and take out the surrounding 7mm screws you can pull the panel back and wedge it on the seat and get right to the actuator.

[@jdgt03]

Wouldnt be a bad idea to replace the door also while your in there. Also there is a company called blend door usa that sells aluminum doors that wont break. They are expensive but last.

[@ParkersDesigns]

Jason Dowdy , thank you for this info ! I just watched a video where they took the whole freaking dash out! I REALLY don’t want to do that ! I’m not sure yet if mine is just the actuator or the doors. I’m hoping just the actuator. I’m thinking that is an easier replacement ! Lol

[@mikeseib5062]

Jason Dowdy my 02 ram blows cold to luke warm on the driver's side and warm on the passenger side. Do you know what this could be? I just did a heater core flush to no avail. Any help would be greatly appreciated as it will be in the range of - 40 c where I live this next week.

[@davidwood1923]

Great Information... Thanks for Sharing

[@jaroadkill260]

So was your issue , “hot” air coming out the passenger side vents and cooler air from driver side vents? Additional info , no defrost on those weird mornings?

[@jeffwerner1]

Holy hell you saved my ass excact same thing with mine you the man!!

[@snimmy5634]

Thanks for posting

[@roydavenport9413]

This works. On my truck 2007 Ram 1500 I didn't have to cut anything, just changed the position of the door and it came out.

[@anthonyrichmond6834]

I have a 08 1500 once you drop the glove box was the door right there? My situation is no heat on the feet or defrost. But I get heat coming out of the face air vents.

[@cobb4657]

⁠@@anthonyrichmond6834same here was this the issue?

[@vincentgorga6840]

I have the same problem and have watched at least 15 videos. is it me or do all the doors have the same "break" pattern cause the door I took out my dodge has the same break

[@patrashdigger]

When I have ac on its cold on passenger side and warm on driver side which door would it be

[@bryanvance6629]

2005 dodge ram 1500 4.7 when I'm running the ac, I'm also getting cold air from the dashboard vents on top..very little but it fogs my windshield that I have to use my wipers..what could be my problem?

[@007jhagga]

What are the symptoms of a bad Recirculating door?

[@Ryan-qk3nn]

mine has b105b code for this, does this cause it to stay on cold and not heat

[@williamtripletjr.5423]

Thank you!

[@yorkheatingac2750]

Did this fix not having heat?

[@andrewm1947]

I assume you need to clock/orientate the blend door to the actuator, no?

[@irismartinez3407]

Yes... I got a 2002. . door flap is broken. Every time I hit a speed bump it closes up. Or opens up and then I get hot air. I have to turn off ac. Off and On then it switches to cold 😖 .

[@charleswright9348]

This is how I replaced the one on my truck, trimming a small ammount of plastic does not affect the structure of the dash

[@JMark-zk5pj]

What does the blend door do? Can you run it without? Thank you.

[@Kentucky042]

It allows you to control the air to the different positions. Without having a working blend door you will get a constant flow of outside air coming into the vehicle.

[@tomtee4442]

@@Kentucky042 I pulled blower motor out and noticed a plastic door broke by the blower motor. I was able to pull plastic door out were the blower went. Im guessing would this broken plastic door affect the volume of AC air not blowing through the manual adjustable vents? I think this door vents out side.

[@waynelaw283]

My issue is that the passenger side gets heat but not the driver side...does this door solve that issue or the other door in the center area?

[@drewcrisswell5272]

Same question as I have... any luck?

[@waynelaw283]

@@drewcrisswell5272 Sorry no luck as of yet. Even local mechanics don't want to touch this since all these plastic dashes get so brittle over the years. I have just resorted to only use heat on the floor selection!

[@stevewandafreed3704]

I have same problem.. Did you find out how to fix yours? thanks

[@stevewandafreed3704]

@@drewcrisswell5272 Me to Drew.. Any luck fixing? could use advice on the same problem. Thanks

[@waynelaw283]

@Steve & Wanda Freed yes there is a little door inside the plastic cowling that opens and closes it with an actuator but the problem is you have to take the entire dash apart to get at it. This is too costly for my old truck

[@NotanEV]

The door you changed is the "re-circulation" door and it is not the same as the blend door.

[@austindoud273]

It is a blend door

[@ufartface]

@@austindoud273 not the blend door- blend door blends warm air and cool air- recirc door is open or closed

[@austindoud273]

@@ufartface and blends hot or cold air

[@NotanEV]

@@austindoud273 the recirc door that is repaired in this video does not blend hot or cold air. It only changes where you are getting air from and it's not variable. It either gets air from outside or recirculates the air inside your vehicle. The "blend" door/doors on this vehicle are to the left of the "re-circulation" door and they are the doors that blend hot or cold air.

[@austindoud273]

@@NotanEV hot or cold outside or inside air so it does technically blend

[@mon8085]

Amazon, same price free 2 day shipping. Thx for info.

[@TrekkingTheRockies]

This did work for me but isn't totally correct. The actuator is actually held on by three screws. There's a third screw up at the top out of site. Difficult to get to but I as able to get it out with a long phillips screwdriver.

[@jacobkillingsworth9222]

They changed the design then on whatever year your truck is cause I’m doing mine right now and there’s only 2 phillips heads for the actuator on my 04’ Rumble Bee I retract my statement it turns out there is a 3rd screw, someone has replaced this one before without putting the 3rd annoying screw back so I’m gonna do the same in the event I need to replace it again eventually

[@MichaelBrown-um8qc]

Thank You 👍😊 Rock Auto here I C😊me .

[@henrytavani6339]

personally i wouldnt have cut that plastic. its about a million and a half little screws along with the ash tray and cup holder and radio center dash piece but still saving the 1700 bucks. good video over all. hopefully the answer to my issue with no airflow. its humming in the box but barely out the vents. thanks

[@AdamSmith-uv6kr]

Dude so much easier to just take the 3 screws out of tue blower motor under dash. It’s right there above where your feet go. Drop the small motor down and reach up and pull it out. Then boom done

[@wolf993able]

I have a 2006 dodge ram 1500 hemi that'll blow air softly and hard but I cant change the temp or where the air is blowing. Same with my defrost and max ac button they dont work. I'm not sure what the issue could be but its summer now and the temperatures are becoming too hot for my kids. What should I do?

[@glennbrooks9933]

That doesn't sound very good, I was watching a video of the whole system pulled apart and your problem sounds like it could be very expensive.

[@bluemule8]

My actuator has a 3rd screw on top. Can't get it out. 2002 year model. So I'm just going to leave the door out.

[@peltontree]

FYI...2003 2500 with infinity audio system has an amplifier right in front of the actuator. No worky😅

[@ElSlickVic]

I just took mine off thru the blower. Took it off and pulled it off

[@joelsalas8681]

There’s 3 screws and it’s a pain to get the third one off lol

[@jaydenwalker4728]

There are three screws not 2 the third ones is hidden in the back

[@robwilson1140]

Well the joker who put my truck together decided to add a third screw at the top and I can’t get it out

[@bluemule8]

I'm trying to repair mine and it has the 3rd screw. Can't get it out.

[@robwilson1140]

bluemule8 I ended up just bending the thing and rotating out of the way.

[@bluemule8]

@@robwilson1140 it worked. I just broke that piece and put it all back together and it works perfectly. I took the bottom panel off and cut the grate but realized you don't have to cut anything. Just take the blower off and you can do it all through it plus clean the debris out of the blower.

[@roderickarina]

Lol

[@robleo69]

What a hack job.