Cheap Plastic Parts are Ruining Modern Cars? CAR WIZARD shares exactly what they are & why

Second in a new series that explains what specific repairs are, why they cost what they do and what it takes to make the repair. This second episode in this series the CAR WIZARD 🧙‍♂️ focuses HVAC Actuators. Where they are located and why they can cost $2K to replace.
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[@KriLL325783]

I'm a 3D printing enthusiast and can say with certainty it's not worth it either, maybe for your own vehicle you're fixing yourself you might go that route, but the liability problems in making your own parts makes it not worth it, if a DIY part breaks that's on you, if a OEM part breaks it's not. Too many people that advocate 3D printing replacements for stuff in a situation like this don't consider liability, also the time needed to measure the part, CAD the part and then print the part, if that takes more than minutes it's cheaper to just order the part.

[@CarWizard]

Exactly!!!

[@georgebettiol8338]

Using a 3D printer to manufacture plastic parts is viable when spares are no longer available, or when the item that has failed is spectacularly expensive - I believe the Bentley component being manufactured by the Wizard ticks both of the aforemntioned boxes. Notably, spares 'non-availability' is now becoming more pravalent as OEMs stop producing spares sooner in a car's life cycle.

[@thedopplereffect00]

People weren't as afraid of lawyers 40 years ago. I don't get why we got into that mindset.

[@MrSloika]

@@thedopplereffect00 Because if a mission critical part that you kludged together fails and causes death or serious injury, the insurance company isn't going to pay.

[@blaketindle4703]

@@thedopplereffect00 For real it seems like half our damn economy is based on people suing each other!

[@nickv4073]

Its criminal how new cars are designed. Like Eric O says, "We now have push to start buttons and electronic emergency brakes to fix problems we never had". That says it all.

[@johne6081]

Ah -- the proverbial solution in search of a problem to solve.

[@Brodaddy1000]

I own a diesel car and I'm happy for the push to start button, cause that means my wife can't forget to pre-glow the glowplugs before starting the car. It does it for her. No electronic e-break though, thank god.

[@bmw803]

Reinventing the wheel is what's the biggest problem in our society in general.

[@DrRyan82994]

you never snapped a hand brake I see

[@AmDrag5]

I would argue that there aren't more problems, just different ones. Don't forget, the breakdown lane was a thing because cars used to not be reliable and require constant work. The difference today is that electronic parts generally require replacement, where mechanical parts can be repaired most of the time by someone who knows a bit

[@gregedmand9939]

All these cheap components began life as a great engineering achievement. In the case of these actuators, they helped bring down the overall cost of an auto HVAC system from a $5000 option on a new car to a $500 one. But then the bean counters got involved. They threw out the designer's high quality nylon or brass gears for cheap injection plastic ones, because they saved a few cents per unit X 100K units. It's part of mass production history. Designed in mean time between failures. The only thing that matters is that parts last the life of the manufacturer warranty. Beyond that, they just want you to buy a new vehicle.

[@sohodon]

The issue here is most likely they don’t even make it to replacement of the vehicle or warranty.. This parts are designed to fail strictly so dealers can make a profit.. one look at the plastic they used tells me it’s designed for failure

[@canadaguy1234]

They weren't for money savings, they were needed for electronic automatic climate control so that the the system knew the location of the blend doors and had a more accurate way of controlling them.

[@malekzin4788]

This is true. Most things are designed to be good enough to last around the warranty time period which is 4-5 years for a vehicle. If you are in manufacturing, you are going to have this problem where making things too good people won't buy future versions of it anymore. mercedes has learned their lesson with the W140.

[@privateer0561]

Where the hell do you get your figures? $5000 manufacturer's cost on an HVAC system? Not a chance - although I have no way of knowing, and neither do you unless you're a bean counter for an auto manufacturer and are privy to the internal figures.

[@downtownphotographer]

It's all part of the green new deal agenda. There, I got political conspiracy on you.😂

[@munsters2]

Good video. Thanks. Those plastic gears are called "planned obsolescence". Gears used to be made out of brass or steel. Now it's cheap plastic crap. I had a Fellowes paper shredder. Same problem. Mostly metal gears but one plastic gear designed to break when the warranty expires. And to even get to the innards, you almost have to destroy the case. The case has no screws or bolts to disassemble it easily but the two plastic halves are welded together. Manufacturers do everything they can to make it impossible and/or outrageously expensive for you to fix anything.

[@leecowell8165]

I have a really old laminator (about 30 years)... why is it old? all metal gears. Also my 10 year old Brother color laser printer is also over 10 years and it weighs about 75 pounds! Why so heavy?.. just about everything inside this beast is metal.

[@raybrensike42]

I remember when the only little black box on a car was a voltage regulator. They almost never went bad and they were cheap and easy to replace.

[@siclmn]

Was that the box where people would tape pennies to the outside of it and the more pennies the better ?

[@nemesisxrox6773]

... and it also wasn't '''made of plastic''''

[@TheRetarp]

As a bonus they also burnt out the gauges in the dash and overcharged batteries when they failed (I had it happen to me!)

[@ronniedoorzon1576]

I live in Holland Europe, and i buy, restore and sell old Ford transit van's that were from the german fire brigades, and they all are between 40 and 57 years old, so old school and everthing is mechanical and no electronics are involved, except one relais for the turnsignal lights ,and that's it because even the head and tail lights are directly connected to the switch, so not even a relais is used because the switch is big and solid enough to handle the current, because inside they have copper plates and real spings, and they last 200 years because it's all overkill.

[@craigwillms61]

Just make sure you got a good ground on the voltage regulator. I've replaced them and it did not fix the car. It took some head scratching and swear words - it was only a bad ground.

[@clydesuckfinger8068]

It isn’t only cars that engineers and bean counters make too complex. I was a C-130 crew chief in the USAF, the airplane designed in the 1950’s and the ones I worked made in the mid- 1960’s. To replace a windshield was a 3 day adventure. I asked a structures engineer one time why it was designed that way. He said it looked good on paper, before things like the instrument panel, windshield wipers, overhead control panels, seats, flight instruments, and a bunch of switches were installed. I had a chance to take a tour of the factory. During the tour, I asked why nutplates (similar to Rivnuts or captive nuts) weren’t used. The engineer showing us around said he’d never heard of a problem using nuts that you can’t see, and can almost touch. When I worked at Boeing, the 777 was actually designed for the mechanic. During development, Boeing had mechanics come in and perform certain tasks to verify procedures and such. If the mechanic couldn’t reach a certain component or hardware, the engineers designed an access panel.

[@quincekreb6798]

Sikorsky did a modification to it's older U.S. Army UH 60A Black Hawks in the late 1980's - early 1990's until all of them had nutplates installed for it's windshield installation. Local airframe mechanics did the modification or the unit or contract company doing the 500 Hour Phase Inspection. It sure made replacing one of the 3 front windshields easier and quicker!

[@ddll6709]

Fellow former C130 crew chief. I loved that plane but boy was it a headache. I remember not being about to find or get to half of the bolts on for a post hard landing inspection. You'll have to have the arm thickness of a new born but with the length of a giraffe's leg to get to them.

[@heathenshaunt681]

They barely r&d anything anymore they build it sell it and let the consumers be guinea pigs and the scary part is many of the issues could be dangerous and they only care about liability sadly

[@JombieMann]

I worked on the Canadian C-130 for many years, later as a civilian on the 737. For some reason I always got assigned to replacing the fuel boost pumps on the 130. Maybe because I was skinny and could crawl out to the end of the fuel tank. What a job defueling, removing piping, the hatch and the braces to replace the pump. Then putting everything back together. 3 day job. The first time I replaced a fuel boost pump on a 737 it took about an hour. Totally different design philosophy.

[@richardgerome4897]

Boeing actually takes workers off the floor and trains them to be engineers at least that’s how it is at the Ridley Park Helicopter Division just outside of Philadelphia. They didn’t want them coming out of engineering school and if they did hire someone like that they worked on the floor first…

[@mainamwareri6984]

I'm in Kenya, but really appreciate your universal advice on how to maintain a vehicle well. I know your target is the American public, but thanks all the same.

[@bartwaggoner2000]

Jambo!

[@codyzellner]

As the owner of a small independent shop, you hit the nail on the head with this one. Did one in a tundra that called for something like 5.5hrs and $40 part the guy was livid but it was stuck on heater with texas summer coming so he felt like he had to.

[@raven4k998]

and if the gears were steel the issue wouldn't be this big of deal cause metal gears would last 50 times longer sadly🤣

[@codyzellner]

@@raven4k998 as he mentioned you could feasibly make them metal but it would just find the next weakest component (likely mode/temp door) and break that. Some aftermarket manufacturers are making doors with metal arms or flaps but still require big labor to put them in.

[@jakethesnake4971]

Hey Cody, I have a 01 crown vic 105k that needs a new front upper and lower control arms and pitman arm. Could you give me a ballpark with parts and labor?

[@davidgenie-ci5zl]

Id install a shut off valve on the heater antifreeze supply for summer. 20 dollar fix.

[@modarkthemauler]

@@davidgenie-ci5zl I have that feature on my 1983 russian military jeep. That heater is so good that I can drive with the top down mid winter and still be warm.

[@byronn.2885]

This is what happens when we have an insatiable appetite for luxuries and amenities. What really torques me off is that we can’t even order/purchase a new car without these things anymore. I remember looking for my first new car in 2004 and even then I could only find a couple models without power locks, windows or a/c. I absolutely dread buying cars anymore.

[@kman-mi7su]

Or a manual transmission. They tend to be more reliable than a 10-speed coffee making, dinner reservation making, ball scratching optioned transmission. Good luck finding a vehicle equipped with a manual transmission these days.

[@waynes.2983]

Yep... 2004 was the last year of lots of things. Things like actual throttle cables.

[@BleedForTheWorld]

No, it's capitalism. Cutting costs everywhere is fundamental to capitalism. If you own a business, you know how this works.

[@byronn.2885]

@@BleedForTheWorld I actually do own a business and I understand that. My statement still stands. Consumers (vast majority at least) have knowingly bought into and now demand all of this. Most people don’t have a clue how complex and costly cars have become to maintain and own. They don’t care because just like every thing else cars are now disposable items meant to be replaced constantly.

[@BleedForTheWorld]

@@byronn.2885 I think you're wrong. I think most consumers do not know about this. It's not really common sense nor is it public knowledge that the majority of people already know. In any case, you're placing blame on the consumer and not the manufacturer whose goal was to save as much capital as possible. Even Car Wizard knows this and he's the mechanic on this channel.

[@andresferrari5859]

On the surface, the idea of using electric motors to move the various flaps and doors in the HVAC system seemed like a good idea. But as most of us know, the automakers have made the various parts involved, cheap, cheap, and cheaper!!! The old cable and vacuum motor systems may have been more complicated in some ways, but in reality, they were simpler, more reliable, and far less expensive to repair when needed. This also brings up a major issue I have with all the auto makers,... their belief that they have to run practically everything through a computer. My first experience with this mentality was more than twenty yrs ago when I was working on a 98 Dodge Caravan with inoperable windshield wipers. After replacing the wiper switch (which had burnt terminals) the wipers still didn't work and after looking at wiring diagrams I learned that Chrysler was running wiper operation along with many other functions through a computer (the BCM). Replacing the BCM at a ridiculous cost restored the operation of the wipers. As a technician, I have to wonder how the operation of lights, wipers, HVAC, and other systems is improved by involving a computer. The answer is that the improved control is minimal at best and not worth the added complication and expense. The auto makers have to stop over complicating things and reducing the bean counters say in quality of parts.

[@scottsellers9039]

What a great video! I had an actuator fail on my 2014 Jeep Wrangler. Fortunately it could be accessed by removing a few panels and parts, standing on your head, and cutting your hands and arms on every sharp piece of punched steel and plastic. When I finished I looked like I'd been in a fight with a tiger, and felt like it too!

[@raven4k998]

imagine how long they might last if they were made from steel parts🤔

[@shinjig]

@@raven4k998 perhaps, but how long does the average consumer keep their vehicle? I didn't start having trouble with mine until year 8. For most buyers of new cars at least, they'll have sold the car before these actuators start breaking.

[@leecowell8165]

that's funny! But at least you're young enough to stand on your head. yeah wait a few years when you can't do that anymore. yep get out the wallet.

[@barryj388]

Listening to Wizard talk about "there's more" especially when you've got "more" options reminded me of how it's just "more" to go wrong.

[@nsbhagwat]

I think for this very reason (high cost to replace cheap parts) it really makes financial sense to keep old cars running. Least automation, least complexity, easy maintenance.

[@ButchNackley]

Yes, you are making excellent sense. I've 5 vehicles, the newest one is a 1994. That is my cutoff date, nothing newer for me. OBD1 works just fine and is easy to understand, reliable and easy to get to anything related to the system. One of my old 'sayings' is; "If I won a brand new car, I'd sell it straight off."

[@robertthayer5779]

92 & 95...newer than I'd like but they're both fine. Barely 300,000 on my Toyota. Good for 300 more easy. Change your oil and sh-t.

[@oengusfearghas9608]

I agree, my current newest is a 96 and I all but refuse to buy anything newer than the 00ts. The new cars simply don't hold up like many older ones.

[@TheTonytiger89]

I love my 04 Corolla, new enough to have all the amenities you want, old enough to be built right.

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

But if the suspension system is worn, on an old car, how unsafe would that be?

[@georgepaust8416]

You're absolutely right. Plastic is for picnics. My first adverse experience with plastics was in a 1968 Camaro 4-speed. In 1967 the throttle lever passed through the floorboard and was braced with a metal retaining bracket. In 1968 they made that piece out of plastic and I broke them frequently. If that breaks in a race you will only get half throttle at best. Even passing someone you lose power in the middle of your maneuver if it breaks. Plastic is for decoration not mechanization.

[@michaellowe3665]

Steel has been ruining cars for over 100 years. Most cars go to the junk yard for excessive corrosion or impact damage. The fact that you can't replace many of the body panels without welding is the main reason there are many fewer 68 camaros on the road today as were built. Now car makers are using aluminum more, so they had to add 10 speed transmissions and buried actuators to ensure that the new cars and trucks go to junk yards to make room in driveways for the new ones they want to sell in 10 years.

[@paulh2981]

Plastic would absolutely be fine for very light-duty applications like opening and closing vents on cars, plastic gears should be able to handle 30, 40, 50 years or more of regular use for this. Using metal for these would be a waste. The problem is they're using the wrong kind of plastic, or the plastic they used was defective or contaminated.

[@deadprivacy]

Giggles in PEEK.

[@tinman6922]

This is the 1st time I've heard of this thank you. I'll call down there tomorrow to the big 3 and have them to start putting cables back on, thank you so much

[@alohamark3025]

I've seen similar weird stuff like this in home electronics, including tape decks, dvd and/or laserdisc players. The number of actuations and rotations in the gears far exceed what you find in a car. The problem always seem to go back to Rube Goldberg engineers to underspec the parts, and damn bean-counter accountants who force the companies to buy cheaper parts, to save a few pennies.

[@robsp32]

planned obsolescence, they basically engineer them to fail after a certain period to get you to either to continue to pay repair costs or buy a new one. they wouldnt be able to sell new cars in any sort of volume if cars didnt break down after a certain number of years outside of warranty.

[@markfisher7962]

The difference is that home electronics don't cost multiple tens of thousands of dollars.

[@Brian-yt8fu]

I used to work in a repair shop the old VCR like RCA were sturdy units the newer ones had a lot of plastic parts.

[@allewis4008]

​@@markfisher7962No, but a hi fidelity rig isn't cheap, which is why, like cars, older models are sought out for reliability.

[@estuardo2985]

i think that perfectly describes all "quality" german cars

[@MoparDan]

What seems to be even worse is the automobile manufacturers have lately integrated the HVAC controls into the infotainment systems making things even more complex to repair i.e. more expensive.

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

But wouldn't doing that free up more space for storage bins and drawers? So did we get any more storage bins, or was it just bad design that gained consumers nothing? My car is so old, that it has proper separate HVAC controls.

[@matthewjbauer1990]

@@yosefmacgruber1920 Nope. Instead of giving you storage, you get a bigger screen.

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

@@matthewjbauer1990 Sort of like the fablets. You know those computers that can't seem to decide whether they want to be a phone or a tablet. So why can't I find a smart-phone with a small screen? If it is to be portable, then shouldn't it be something that can easily fit into a pocket, or a small belt-case that allows me to sit and move around? Today's phones are humongous. Goes to show that if something goes out of style, it will soon be back in style again, as they are ever changing up everything to make it confusing. Except that those old heavy "brick" phones don't seem to be coming back? Well at least I don't smoke, that means in those old cars, those "ashtrays" are clean and can be used for little storage spaces.

[@amberlopez7477]

I went to the dealer to have that little black box changed. They gave me the same story. They didn't know, if the dashboard would have to be removed to fix it. I went to my local auto body shop.They replaced it by reaching up into the dashboard. It took them 15 mins to change it. I paid them with a tip at a cost of $50.

[@itsnoneofucar8792]

U should come to me amber..🌹

[@madelaki]

@@itsnoneofucar8792 lol

[@jd9119]

@@itsnoneofucar8792 It's a dude larping as a chick.

[@itsnoneofucar8792]

@@jd9119 u see dudes in all the chicks u maybe want a dude🤔

[@wildestcowboy2668]

Probably tossed their salad's and got it fixed cheaper...... didn't u

[@kiwihame]

Best video title ever. Never a truer sentence spoken. Cheap plastic junk. Cant stand cold, hot or wear, or any excessive cycle.

[@doogulass]

Ran into this on my Dodge Ram. Dodge had a recall on it that involved a software update, which had already been done, but one broke anyway. Maybe part of the problem is software driving the actuators too hard. I lucked out and the clicking one was easy to get to and replace myself.

[@dhparadox0974]

The more complex something is, the more that can go wrong

[@russellhammond4373]

@@FlameOnTheBeat Ha! I still rely on my two feet ;-)

[@Piccodon]

Engineering something to be simple is harder than making it complex. Planned obsolescence and "service retention" are concepts that's been design objectives among most automakers. Plastics are great, electronics better. Electrolytic capacitors, relays, semiconductors have finite lifespan, and that is temp dependent. Voltage spikes up to 50V can happen in "12V" automobile systems. Protection for these spikes need to be designed in. Plastics in cars reduce their usable life and second hand value.

[@noblsht]

@@Piccodon there's a quote from Leonardo da Vinci,>>> simplicity is the ultimate sophistication "Leonardo da Vinci"

[@lasskinn474]

well it's still pretty simple. the parts just not simple to change. but it's simpler than having vacuum tubes go everywhere.

[@TheGhost2612000]

That's why I go horse and buggy every where.

[@dennyj8650]

This is where DIY is essential. Nobody can afford hours and hours of labor at a shop to disassemble dashboards, etc. to replace a $10 part! Also another area where OLD vehicles rule. I'm constantly surprised how much plastic is on my 25 yo vehicle. Tip for DIYers: If you have to work with plastic parts, make sure their temperature is between 65 and very warm. Cold temps make plastic brittle.

[@tempest411]

Sometimes old plastic cracks just from looking at it.

[@pierreghazarian6087]

Disassembling car interiors does not take a lot of skill but it takes patience and delicacy, you can do it in your driveway… It’s my favourite part of maintaining my old cars because I can improve loads of stuff (LEDs for some backlights, breakers for some systems that only have a fuse like the blower motor(s)…) and fix everything at once quite easily.

[@dennyj8650]

@@tempest411 I can just imagine, in places where it's hot and sunny it's much worse. Here in the cold Midwest, they last a lot longer.

[@sunbeam8866]

As reliable as they are, old Toyotas seem to be the worst for brittle plastic parts. I've replaced more inside & outside door-handles and window-cranks on my own '90s Tacoma and Camry, and misc Toyotas owned by others, than any other make. Also HVAC & radio knobs. At least none required dash removal! So far, never a problem with similar parts on my '98 Altima. Most recently, while replacing the brake-cables on my '96 Camry, I had to pull up the center console. The grey plastic panel around the automatic-shifter shattered like glass. Fortunately, a replacement, with a hazard-switch already installed, was found on eBay. So I didn't have to risk cracking the replacement by trying to install my old switch!

[@gpapich25]

Wizard! Keep doing what you do! Thank you and your wife for taking the time to do these videos. I’ve owned Pontiac Fieros and I thought the 80’s GM was peak suck. Apparently we have new levels of frustration. This is why I buy service manuals and am not afraid of gutting an interior if it saves me hundreds. Just have to make sure I have a spare vehicle for my daily.

[@joevignolor4u949]

Some of the aftermarket actuators I've seen do have metal gears inside. They usually come with a lifetime guarantee. If you end up having to remove the dash its best to replace every actuator you can find under there.

[@paulpaintshop103]

Planned obsolescence plays a massive part in this.

[@dahobi]

...and savings in the cents on every model built, which under the line makes a big difference for the automaker. More profit under the line. German carmakers were (and probably still are) in the same boat. In 2007 they even saved cents on the radio antenna in the Golf, out of two window antennas, they put one outside and made the new model year look uglier than the previous. Or the VW T5 has so much plastic all around the car and especially in the dash, that you would think: VW, why don't you make the whole car out of plastic ... oh hey...true, that wouldn't be safe and...reliable. But who needs cold air in a 40C heat summer? Who needs a working AC control (that is broken in just one part because of the same damn plastic gear wheel that Wizard shows in the video). Rubbish Management. A proper engineer would never do stuff like that, but the people with the red pen do.

[@billydanzz]

It's just the 'race to the bottom' for the bottom line $$. The obsolescence is just a by-product of the former.

[@bruceg1845]

I bet they know just how weak to make each part...

[@szymon0900]

Nah, usually TIER 1 suppliers are fighting to even pass the design validation tests. It's just that you have to make everything as cheap as possible (and still functional).

[@Eibarwoman]

@@bruceg1845 In fact, the corporations in fact spend millions to determine when stuff will stop working with certainty as to force obsolescence.

[@pkt1213]

The other thing I hate about dash removals is most shops never get them back where there isn't a little rattle that wasn't there before or something else.

[@samadgriffin6853]

Friggin hate that!

[@jacobfleming565]

They'll tape your shit up

[@jamesdoyle5405]

There are always leftover fasteners. Don't forget it was assembled outside the car and then inserted into the car.

[@autophyte]

@@jamesdoyle5405 Very true! The dash, after assembly, which is easy when it can be inverted, and parts put in ,in order, one over the other, is held in an L_ shaped lifter, and slid into the car, and attached by fasteners which will eventually be completely inaccessible when the rest of the car is finished. They know that some parts will be impossible to reach without removing the dash again. It's criminal, in my opinion.

[@2Atreehugger]

That’s a higher quality vehicle and HOPEFULLY no screw tabs got broken off and it goes back together.. when I had my shop, I mostly worked on older domestics. We lived in an extremely hot environment… cars plastics were brittle as saltines. I made my customers very aware of broken off screw tabs thus stopping proper reassembly. My customers were awesome so I had to make mounts out of plumbers tape, copper wire loops and JB weld.

[@drewv1785]

Remembering the good old days when everything had manually operated mechanical linkages! Thanks for showing your '69 Citroen. It brings back memories for me. My sixth grade teacher had a Citroen like it in 1962. His was probably a '59 or '60 model, but I remember those little round brake lights up high next to the rear window! Cool!

[@joep.8805]

A topic you may want to cover is headlight replacement cost. 2 hrs labor for a Chevy Malibu because the 1st item of business is remove bumper cover. We always recommend both headlights be replaced because if one is burnt out the other is soon to follow and you don't want to pay labor twice. Plus we give a 12 month warranty and if one does burn out we will replace for free.

[@Goikongr]

The beauty of LED headlights!

[@peterschmidt1453]

Sealed beam headlights, what's wrong with just replacing a bulb. I've had cars with both types, throwing out a whole light assembly because a parking light or headlight filament broke is so wasteful.

[@donaldfrederick1557]

Just did one

[@warrenpuckett4203]

The Wizard has KZbin about a T-blazer or one of the clones heating/cooling dash mess. I simplified it. I removed the doors. So far no problems. I also only change the heat/cool doors 2 times a year. That one remains. But I also have one of the simple versions. Semi-manual controlled. The A/C still works. Also manual. Just takes longer to heat or cool. I can wait a minute longer. I also replaced the blower motor control for the fan. Now it is a simple simple switch and 60 amp relay. Now it is a 2 speed. On or Off. Also the headlights quit. Another Bright engineering phuque UPP. Your need to pulse the light to make them last longer for the daytime light burning $200 thingy. Replaced with 2 30 amp relays and enough 16 gauge wire to replace pulse module. They F'D up. The running lights are always on and on a different circuit. That always works. I guess all of these manufacturers are having a race to see who can cram the most failure prone crap in the most confined space. Mean while my 2003 Belch fire I-6 just turned the odometer to 200,000 miles. Why is that those the most reliable part of the DASH? Oh and the real radio buttoned AM/FM/CD player? Still works, including the CD. I miss my 1973 Pontiac LeMans simplicity. Comfortable seats and smooth quiet ride. Do not miss the junk from the factory transmission. Roseannadanna; "Well, Jane, it just goes to show you, it's always something - if it’s not one thing, it's another."

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

@@Goikongr _The beauty of LED headlights!_ I wonder what is going on with some cars impersonating a motorcycle? Really? Light on only one side? How do they manage that? Why is there not more emphasis on manufacturers to install lights that will last the life of the car? Is LED really very well meeting that challenge? It is either too expensive or too difficult to change bulbs? I recall many years ago Consumer Reports reported on the crazy-high cost of headlights. I remember when headlights were a simple replaceable part that fit a bunch of different cars, before all the sculptured aerodynamic shapes.

[@dennisfahey2379]

The failure mode is almost always lubricant gumming up the resistor "arc" inside the servo. The lubricant causes a loss of contact with the trace and the computer bounces it back and forth to try to get the right value. This chews the gears. Cleaning before the gear is gone can fix it. A good practice is to cycle ALL your settings periodically, this will move them back and forth and keep that lubricant out of the works. It also will stop "pitting" on the position sensor - this happens when a voltage is conducted on the same contact continuously. Similar to dirty contacts on an old relay. Note - Often the noise can be remediated by just moving the one actuator to an alternate position. Example set to interior air vs exterior or floor vs upper vent. In fact doing this methodically will help you find which one is the culprit. Obviously when its totally gone you will not have that mode. You might get hot air when you select AC etc.

[@WaseiSub]

Thanks. Could I ask where you got all that good information? Do you repair or design it or...?

[@JorgenLarsson]

I had an hvac actuator fail in a car I owned. Ripped the dash out and replaced it. Took me two days and an absolute pain to do because all trim in the car had to be removed first. 6 months later the new actuator stripped a gear. Tore it down again replaced the plastic gears with a set I milled from a tougher POM. I had the car a few years after that and it worked fine when I sold it. Bad engineering is what it is.

[@Bigbore57]

Super video! I remember the cable actuated heater doors in cars that rarely caused problems. Nowadays as you pointed out those are gone. Just replaced an actuator in my Dad's 2005 Silverado, but fortunately that one was easy to get to near the floor. Dad was going literally crazy with "that darned clicking noise!"

[@ogcowboy5743]

Yes, same here. I replaced one on my 2009 Dodge Ram that was easy to get to. Was glad I didn't have to remove the entire plenum box.

[@johne6081]

Your comment about potential metal gear replacements for the plastic reminded me of two things: 1) my 1973 Chevy Chevelle 350V8 stripped its plastic cam sprocket, leading to a $700 repair bill (1985 dollars) When the mechanic asked if I wanted to spent an additional $25 for a metal replacement, I asked, "Why would anyone not do that?" 2) standard reliability improvement on VW/Audi engines was to replace the water pumps with fragile plastic impellers with metal Great video, as always.

[@TheRetarp]

Yup people act like this is some new concept. As soon as polymers became cheaper than metal auto makers plastered them everywhere which includes many places they don't belong. My brother had an old 60's Buick which randomly broke down and had to be towed thanks to that same stupid cam gear. When I got my first car I immediately swapped that breakdown waiting to happen out for a proper metal one as preventative maintenance. Plastic side tanks on radiators are another stupid design notorious for failure that all the auto manufactures use because it saves them a few $$$ per unit.

[@gordowg1wg145]

They were used because they were supposed to be quieter - in practice, they were more expensive to make, and even more so when they failed in the warranty period.

[@johne6081]

@@gordowg1wg145 Initial cost aside, we all agree it was a dumb idea.

[@zshadows]

Had a plastic impeller go out on my VW, on a trip across state to my folks to do the timing belt and replace the pump with a metal impeller one. 🙄

[@Kenshuku]

A friend of mine had a Citroen 2CV in high school (we're only talking like 10 years ago) and we always got a kick out of the fact that the "HVAC" was a knob you'd turn to open vents from the front of the car to the cabin. Wanted more fan speed? Time to drive faster!

[@danielseelye6005]

Ahh, the ol Nut Cooler!

[@klwthe3rd]

Nice job Millennial!

[@wallacegrommet9343]

Tres gran vitesse!

[@juki6377]

i did that with a willy's jeep just put the windscreen down :D, however you wouldnt want to drive fast like that (not only because those things would drink like a sailor)

[@rslover65]

It's not just cars, it's everything. I worked with an old Amish guy who had an old Minneapolis Moline tractor from the 30's and a new John Deere. I asked him if he thought his new John Deere would still be running in 90 years like the old one. His response was that there was no way, the new one was filled with plastic junk like that. Even the wiring was thin and flimsy

[@91326]

Great video. I had a 2004 Armada (same vehicle as QX56) that started the clicking noise. Best SUV I’ve ever owned except for this noise and the brakes and the transmission. Lasted 100,000 miles before I finally tapped out.

[@i.r.wayright1457]

Hi Wizard, I was an aircraft mechanic for 42 years. Light planes were fairly simple to work on until you had to crawl under the instrument panel. You would NOT enjoy that. But, when Cessna was thinking about designing a plane for the short haul FEDEX and UPS haulers they came up with (clean sheet) a scaled up 206 and made the Caravan. That plane was developed with input form the end users, and that was a brilliant idea. They installed the most reliable turbine engine in it, the PT-6 from Pratt&Whitney and really considered the mechanics when it came to the airframe. For instance, both instrument panels slid out on rails after removing some front screws. I commented to my wife last night that one of the kit car companies that build exotics ought to try their hand at making an inexpensive kit for an everyday driver that was back to basics. Simple to build and work on, reliable, no power seats, windows, mirrors and economical to operate, cheap to insure, easily replaceable body panels and rust proof. I think the last car I bought that ticked a few of those boxes was my (54mpg) 1985 CRX HF.

[@warphace]

Yesss please!!

[@brandonduhon1933]

I’m sorry ….. what ?

[@palarious]

I would love to see that happen

[@Colorado_Native]

I have a Master Aircraft Technician from the USAF. On the RF-4C we had to remove the front ejection seat to access the radio. When the F-15s were being developed engineers actually came and saw some of the access problems and designed a much more serviceable aircraft.

[@i.r.wayright1457]

@@Colorado_Native I was in Vietnam and worked on Hueys, Cobras and OH-6A, they were fairly simple to work on. But, since they were flying so many hours, we had plenty of work to do, which resulted in 12 or 13 hours a day.

[@thommykent7785]

For longevity of the actuators do not use the Auto function, in Auto the actuators are constantly moving, thus causing failure. If you use it in a manual mode, the doors hold position and you can modulate heat or cooling with the fan.

[@pauldavies6037]

a very good point

[@douglasanderson1276]

or buy a Toyota Honda

[@justinminer1354]

Just use your car's HVAC system like a normal, sane person. That's obsessive behavior. Your actuators can also stick from non-use too.

[@blipco5]

I wholeheartedly agree. The less you use something, the longer it lasts. It’s not that difficult to manually control the temperature in your car.

[@jimv77]

@@douglasanderson1276 Well....My Lexus RX and Toyota Sienna has actuator clicking as also....

[@paradear]

Hey wizzard, mad respect for your skills and nonchalant efficiency. Cheers!

[@burgerjointgame]

Hi Wizard! Loved your video, but you'll be pleased to know that not all modern cars are ruined by cheap plastic parts! I have a Mitsubishi Attrage (sedan) and some of the HVAC actuators (the ones that control whether the air is vented into the cabin or recirculated) are very much mechanical (I'm fairly sure!) You can hear them moving the vent just like in that old car. So, if you go cheap enough, you don't have to get bogged down in expensive repairs.

[@flycorvus]

Just finished maintenance, AC cleaning on my daily driver, a '02 Focus Zetec. All mechanic. No electronic crap. Old school cables.

[@klwthe3rd]

Same with the early 1990's Corollas. All cables.

[@davidallen5783]

The biggest issue with these is the rotary encoder or the potentiometer wears down and creates a bad spot on the sensor strip. This then causes the the motor to over drive the gears causing the broken teeth. It's not so much the plastic that is the problem, it's the old rotary encoders and POTs.

[@gordowg1wg145]

Yes, there are contactless pot's that could be used, but they're a lot more expensive, so...

[@Shinobubu]

I prefer Hal effect over POT's for critical components.

[@ThomasZachary]

This is the best comment in this thread. You are exactly right.

[@captainpirate02]

If the issue can be rotary encoders it always is.

[@MichaelFlatman]

Absolutely this! I usually notice the POTs give weird readings which make the hvac behave odd. On the german cars i know (volkswage/audi) the flap motors were notorious for going bad.. but then later model cars had stepper motors, these do not require position sensors and so are less likely to go wrong.. They can still suffer from mechanical failure though unfortunately.

[@ogcowboy5743]

I had this exact problem on my 2009 Dodge Ram several years back (2016?). Seriously loud clicking from under the dashboard. I looked online and found a Dodge Service Bulletin about the HVAC blend door actuators. Thought maybe they would cover the cost as a recall. I also saw that it might cost about $400 to fix, as the entire plenum box might have to be removed to gain access. So I took the truck to the local Dodge dealer, asked about the Service Bulletin and was given the phone number to the Regional Warranty/Recall Service Manager. I dropped off the truck and told them to fix it. I called the Regional Warranty/Recall Services Manager and left a message with his secretary asking for a call back. To make a long story short he never called back. When I went to pick up my "fixed" truck, I was presented with a bill for $1,350. I called 'bullshit', they immediately lowered the bill to $850. I still called 'bullshit, then asked the Dealer Service Writer to call the Regional Warranty/Recall Service Manager and when they got the guy on the phone to hand the phone to me. They said they couldn't do that, that they would get fired! So I asked for the Service Manager, explained the whole situation to him, he lowered the price to $425, I paid and left with my truck. I looked under the dash and found a screwdriver that was not mine. So the mechanic left me his cheap screwdriver. I also didnt see any signs of maintenance being done, no fingerprints, no scratches, no sign of distrubance. About two years later the clicking returned. I climbed under the dash myself and realized that the blend door actuator that was clicking was easily accessible just by removing the glove box door. So 15 minutes of work and about $40 for the actuator, it was fixed again and has worked fine ever since. I opened up the removed actuator and sure enough there were some boken teeth on the cheap plastic gears. I have a suspicion that the Dealer also replaced the same actuator and tried to charge me $1,350. They did get me for $425 though and probably should have charged only about $125. Thieves.

[@Beer_Dad1975]

This is a great idea for a series - thanks Wizard and Mrs. Wizard!

[@aaronr5398]

This reminds me of the powered sliding door latch actuator I had issues with on my honda odyssey. It would hang up inconsistently. Took it to a dealer, they couldn't figure it out and charged me $200. I fortunately found a video and did the work myself. Took the actuator out, disassembled it, cleaned it, and re-lubricated it. Has been working fine ever since. Wish I just did the work myself from the beginning.

[@wildestcowboy2668]

How long

[@frankbiz]

People who get mad should not get mad at you, they should be thankful that they have an such an amazing technician working on their vehicles. Thanks for great content!

[@johnking9942]

I had the heater coil fail on 2003 dodge pickup. Removed the dashboard...Yes that is a big job...But while it was out I cleaned all the grounds, deleated most of the blend door actuators. Trimed the housing of the remaining blend doors so cold weather contraction would not bind them up, replaced those door actuators with new, Jumped the blower motor resistor so the heat fan is either on or off, (Dodge blower motor resistors are under valued for the blower motor amp draw) and finally reinstalled the failed heater core. Sounds like a lot of crazy work and I would agree but I dont ever want to pull the dash again.

[@mathiaskoenitzer9020]

Knock on wood! My family has 3 early 2000s Volvos (2000 V70 XC, 04 XC90 T6, 04 S60R) all with automatic climate control and over 250k on the clock, none of them have ever had issues with those actuators. They all still work in all vent locations, and heat/cool. I'm not sure what Volvo did differently with these actuators but I'm sure glad ours still work!

[@clarencesmith2305]

Car Wizard here is a good one that I got from one of my instructors in college when I was learning your trade. This guy worked for GM designing the body of cars. He did one that he liked so he bought it. The headlight died on him so he said to himself "I designed it I should be able to fix it" (famous last words) he worked on it for something like 4-hours just to change a headlight bulb.

[@frogsplorer]

Ha ha! That’s like one of my car repair stories. Had a headlight bulb go on a leased car and decided to just swap it out. Opened the hood and the engine bay was just packed. I could get hand down to the bulb holder but it was so cramp I just couldn’t turn it. Gave up and took it to the garage. They swapped out the bulb. I asked how they did it and they said they had a guy with small hands! 😂 Honestly things like bulbs and batteries should be easy and simple to access but they’re not

[@JG-HandleIsTheDumbestThing]

@@frogsplorer As a mechanic with small hands, it comes in handy. ;-) I can also fit under a new freightliner on a creeper front to back or a roll up door with a 7 inch opening. Have to take the right path under the truck and exhale at the right times.

[@DLYARMYVET9386]

Hey Wizard, This is long but valuable info. You are 100% right but there is more!!! As a Plastic Process Engineer with 40+years' experience I would like to add more insight on why some plastic parts fail. One reason is "RE-GRIND" !!!!!!!!!!!! Well known issue to any Plastic Injection Molding Company. When you have plastic from the resin supplier it is considered and classed as "VIRGIN" resin. It is processed with a lubricant additive. This enables the resin to be molded without stress to the polymer which is formulated to possess a required strength and longevity. Many times, a molder will mold some parts that do not meet specific quality requirements such a size defect. Typically, with dishonest molders they will re-grind the bad parts and put as much re-grind mixed with virgin resin as they think they can get away with to save money. The re-grind does not have the required amount of lubricant for proper molding to produce the strength and most important longevity. This is not such a big concern with most plastics such as ABS or low-grade plastic. What you have with the Actuator Gear is an "engineered polymer" which is very expensive compared with plastic such as ABS. A gear with too much re-grind can look the same and can measure the same as a virgin gear. So, gears that do not pass physical size or other quality issues can be a significant $ loss of resin that has to be scrapped if cannot be re-grind for reuse. Dis-honest molders can also use a lesser strength and lower $ cost polymer than specified which looks the same but longevity is compromised. Here is the most significant problem we face is that a molded gear such as these are. The only way to inspect it for strength and most significant the longevity is a "DISTRUCTIVE" test which is next to impossible to do during molding. Other factors are the strength and longevity of the gear changes, sometimes for days after initially being molded. Hot in environment such as the southwest can reduce the longevity of an engineered polymer. Having delt with China molders they are the least trustworthy in my experienced opinion. Bring the gear molding to the US where the car manufacturer and walk through the door un-announced and take a sample of the resin out of the molding machine hopper. I can suggest a hungry attorney should file a class action lawsuit and hopefully have better cars available.

[@gordowg1wg145]

You beat me to it, and added a lot more info' as well. The problem with Chinese made products is that while some are perfectly fine - where something is made doesn't have a magic affect - the problem is holding them to the demanded standards as, if they can supply sub-standard product, they will.

[@DLYARMYVET9386]

@@gordowg1wg145 Right on!!! Accountability is most important.

[@thedanyesful]

Man that was a strong intro. Love how you get right to the point Mr. Wizard.

[@philspaghet]

I work on these kinds of systems in cars and I constantly point out how overcomplicated these systems are. You basically need 2-3 teams to engineer a ECU module that simply opens or closes components. Keep in mind a lot of this has to do with safety, like what if a kid puts a finger when the window goes up or emergency operation in a crash but it's a lot of testing to make sure it lasts within the warranty period. We do try to make sure the parts are easily accessible but most of that is due to the manufacturer placing the components and a lot of programming is done with dealer specific password protected tools. Cars these days are so complicated you need cybersecurity tech implemented in everything.

[@raven4k998]

but wait there's more!!!!🤣🤣🤣

[@jantrammelant]

You should teach your children not to stick a finger when the window goes up.

[@philspaghet]

@jantrammelant government safety regulations my dude.

[@hayms7587]

Like one sensor malfunction...the whole car affected...

[@philspaghet]

@hayms7587 Yes and no. I know for the module we make, no other systems are really dependent on it and that's the way it should be. As many modules as possible should operate independently of each other and if one fails there should be alternate modes of operation

[@biopsiesbeanieboos55]

Car Wizard, as a content creator, you and your team really seem to have a knack of making really unique content that is constantly evolving. The changes have been gradual but it shows that you all are constantly asking yourself “what can we do to give subscribers the information they want”. Well done.

[@gregpaszt4671]

😊

[@AxeGaijin]

I like cars, I like computers, but I don't like them together. The most modern car I ever owned was from 1994. The more gadgets and gizmos you put in a car, the more stuff there is to break down. I like my cars analogue thank you very much.

[@britton6062]

My car is a 98 and I couldn't agree more. Long live analogue !

[@MrTilbin]

​@@britton6062 your 98 is very computerized for the engine, and is probably even worse off trying to uses electronics to run mechanical stuff.

[@MrTilbin]

If it wasn't built before the 80s, it was even more of hot mess in engine management trying to combine electronics with analog systems. Or have we forgotten TBI?

[@mattbrown5511]

I don't even like power windows or power locks. Just a/c, ps and pb.

[@georgebettiol8338]

The issue highlighted by the Wizard is not a computer issue as printed circuits & related systems are reliable. It's the cheap and nasty plastics (in this case plastic gears) that are at fault - an all to common 'crime' on recent cars, especially German cars equipped with the 'breaky-breaky' plastics. For example ECUs fitted to cars are very reliable even when installed in the engine bay and subject to enormous amounts of heat soak. (Engineer: ECU should be placed inside car to protect it. Response from Bean-counter: To expensive, fit it beside the engine and place a thin piece of aluminium to shield it from the heat.)

[@bruzagroves3651]

I love my 1966 and 1968 cars that are daily drivers. So easy to fix (for parts that are still available!) 😂

[@7477238]

Nobody does this better than BMW. Plastic EVERYTHING. The craziest part is the plastic electric water pump that has to pump 105C coolant through the system and of course it fails prematurely. BMW fans will say it's for efficiency and weight savings. How much efficiency is attained from using a plastic water pump?

[@wrightwc1]

From my own experience, I would suggest only using oem actuators. I went through 3 different aftermarket actuators in my tacoma. The longest any of those lasted was about two weeks before the clicking came back. Then I finally bought one from the dealer and it has been fine for the last 7 months. Hopefully it lasts as long as the original did (about 11 years).

[@WaseiSub]

11yrs is a very long time and I would accept if I don`t get problem for 10yrs.

[@jie1379]

I thought Tacoma never break, I guess it cannot scape from that. When it gets old just replace new car, it doesn’t matter it last forever

[@brennenjinks5613]

OEM for the 2nd gen Tacoma is GM oddly enough

[@JSFGuy]

Even on mother's Day.

[@vickimcintosh3004]

Yes, sad huh...

[@JSFGuy]

@@vickimcintosh3004 well .. I reckon not. If it was recorded on this day, perhaps. Most of the working world will not go there, even working overtime and weekends years ago they wouldn't touch mother's Day or Easter.

[@roberth3094]

I was a injection molder for over 20 years. Both custom an proprietary. There is only one plastic than I would recommend for cars. That is ULTEMP. When you drop this on the floor it sounds like a piece of metal. Carl Newell of the Famous Newell saltwater fishing reels used this plastic. I know because I worked there. All other plastics are worthless for the stress that they are subjected to in the automotive industry. They won't use it because it is expensive.

[@Michael-1337]

My wife's old jeep had this exact problem and it was so bad that the jeep was part of a class action lawsuit because the plastic parts were so weak and cheap. The big problem was that gears are all built into one large unit under the dashboard. You would think they would design it so that you could just pop the broken gear off and replace it but nope the entire assembly has to come out and be replaced. The part alone was $1100 and labor was going about the same. Absolutely insane that they use such cheap plastic in places that are mechanically moving. We ended up trading it in and let them eat the cost of fixing it.

[@Barbarapape]

Having worked in consumer electronics all my life these broken plastic gears are all to familiar. The difference is that in VCR's Laserdisc players etc the gears were available as spare parts, but the time and skill required in replacing them made many repairs too expensive and customers just said scrap it. Now cars are full of them and no surprise as the plastic ages it breaks hence all the dreaded clicking. So they next time you are ticking the options box for a new car just think about when not if all these parts will break and cost you a fortune.

[@elvalvinoskyo3307]

It’s getting to a point where the consumer is just gonna lease cars

[@maineiacman]

VCRs will eventually go extinct. They stopped making them in 2016.

[@Barbarapape]

@@elvalvinoskyo3307 That is the only viable option modern cars fall apart once the warranty expires.

[@Rover200Power]

If you are ticking the options they won't be your problem when they break.

[@Barbarapape]

@@maineiacman The shortage of new plastic gears will kill them off, the spares are very hard to find and most are fall apart due to their age.

[@joe6096]

Most GM vehicles used vacuum to actuate the blend door. Even with their electronic climate controls, which were fully electronic and automatic by 1984, still used vacuum to actually move the mechanical parts, they just had electronics sending signal to the vacuum to engage or disengage. That’s why even to this day 35 year old Cadillacs might be piles of junk but their climate controls still work.

[@yeahitskimmel]

Dodge Neon also still had vacuum into the 00s

[@JohnSmith-yv6eq]

1972 Jaguar XJ6...first things to go out are the vacuum heater controls....

[@kea1234]

Until there's a vacuum leak.

[@MrSloika]

I had a 64 Ford Falcon that had the blend doors actuated by the cables...they type you see on bicycles. When they got sticky a few drops of oil was all that was needed.

[@tdgdbs1]

Nothing wrong with steel cables, vacuum door locks in German cars are problematic.

[@bunster4322]

Oh I had the Aircon Actuators Broken on my car FOR SO LONG and I didn't know what it was, Then I looked around and Got 2 actuators that was broken and put it back myself For around 90 bucks(400 RON) and my car is a Passat b6, Good thing I didn't need to take out the dash!

[@ThePCgamewalkthoughs]

I had a 1996 Subaru legacy outback with this issue. Only happened on defrost mode and luckily the other modes worked. In the Colorado winter I had to get the inside to 85 or so degrees so it would defrost the windshield. Great heater great a/c but it still sucked.

[@FabiWann]

Failing electronics is one of the many reasons I love simple older cars.

[@Jmdp.94]

I'm glad I have the knowledge on how a car operates and how it's put together...but it's sad for people that really don't know because they havent been taught anything at all. I've replaced horns, tires, starters, blower motors, vital trim pieces and dead switches, gauge clusters, thermostats, radiators, hoses and coolant, headlights and headlamp assemblies and suspension components for any of my friends who don't have the experience to do any mechanical work and I offer myself to tackle the job and they pay me a little something for my help and I do it because I enjoy it and keep gaining experience each time.

[@klwthe3rd]

I wish you live by me! God

[@charlie_nolan]

Working on stuff is fun or at the least rewarding.

[@captainkirk4514]

I had one those stupid actuators fail while we were camping in northern Michigan. Of course it was in July, temperatures in the 90s, so the left side was blowing hot air like it was coming from the bowels of hell, while the right side was like air out of Antarctica. Fortunately I always have been a DYI person, so I had it narrowed down pretty quickly. Thank God for Amazon and the internet. I ordered the actuator on my cell phone, had it shipped to the campground we were staying at, and because I always have a basic set of tools with me on trips like that, and the actuator that controls the left vents was in a easy location, it took me 20 minutes to change it out, and it was fixed. Now if the right side fails, the entire dashboard, the steering column, seats and center console has to come out to replace a $30 part. I pray everyday that that right actuator doesn't fail, but it's inevitable. Thanks GM...you really know how to stick it to your customers.

[@petermcilroy3224]

The Australian falcon had a door in the ac system that let hot air in. The shaft for that was plastic and had a metal reinforcement up the middle. Unfortunately that steel didn’t go all the way so it broke off. The dash had to come out to replace it. They knew the problem so they extended the steel bit on the replacement part but kept putting the old one in new vehicles

[@grayrabbit2211]

I had a 2004 Infiniti M45, which I bought new. That car, due to poor engineering, cost more to keep on a road than a Bentley. My father had commissioned a 2006 Bentley Flying Spur, so we kept notes. I don't have the exact #'s anymore, but the Bentley cost almost half as much in repairs and regular maintenance after 10 years compared to the Infiniti. Case in point: Changing the main headlamp on the driver's side. On the Infiniti it required: 1) removing the wheel well/fender cover, 2) removing the front bumper, 3) removing the grille, 4) pumping down (removing) the refrigerant from the AC. 5) Loosen the AC condenser coil, 6) disconnect and remove the hard metal refrigerant lines from the condenser coil. 7) unbolt the headlamp assembly from the car, 8) Turn the bulb a quarter turn, 9) Replace the bulb... 10) re-assemble everything again. That headlamp replacement cost $450...and the dealership LOST money on it. The pisser? Changing the high beam was accomplished by just reaching under the hood, and a quarter turn on the socket. Just one of many examples of piss poor engineering by Nissan.

[@pursang6792]

Planned obsolescence that has made new vehicles even worse to own. To a degree this has been found in vehicles for years but it truly is getting ridiculous. I loved Wizard's comment at the end where he says, "it will tell you where to go". Yes, it says to go into your wallet and pull out thousands of dollars. If you don't then it's telling you to go to hell and live, if possible, without some of these repair parts and subsequent labor. Glad to see this one because these are cases where people might think they're being scammed by the repair shops. No, it all goes back to the OEM's.

[@hoopty.]

I just have a old car with no options. Nothing to break

[@biking2cruze]

Modern everything now has more parts that break in turn, more money for the manufacturers… They don’t want the simple way and easy access in case you need repairs, oh no, because that would make them less money! Metal was much more durable. Plastic is for toys and they shouldn’t put material made for toys as material for making critical components 😒

[@sixtyfourchebby4507]

I drive antiques daily. My questions to you are, do you like never ending rust problems, constant upkeep, Chinese parts, and poor economy? Or, do you prefer payments, poor customer service, Towing, Chinese parts, poor economy, and losing your job because of it? Forced obsolescence is a political issue in Canada likely the U.S. Too. You cannot get new parts that last due to the new ways of EV enforcement. Thus keeping older stuff alive is way way more pricey than ever before. Rust is the forced obsolescence of the past, and is the single most expensive problem all drivers will encounter period.... if you fix it....then it becomes a saftey issue and on...This coming from a lifetime of being in industry.

[@yosefmacgruber1920]

@@biking2cruze _Plastic is for toys?_ Toys used to be made of durable wood or metal.

[@colvinator1611]

I'm so so happy with my '67 Morris Minor, All the complex electronics are under the bonnet on the bulkhead ( firewall ). It's called a flasher unit. Mind you, I'm going to install 4 way flashers so there'll be 2 little aluminium cylinders. Thanks for the video's. Much appreciated. Colin UK 🇬🇧

[@k.kristianjonsson1537]

Same here: Hillman and Sunbeam from the sixties!

[@calthorp]

You got more than that you have relays for the lights, regulator for the charging circuit, solenoid for the starter. A wiper motor. Or do you use a string tied to the arm going from driver window through the passenger side & back to the wiper arm?

[@Fydron]

@@calthorp But with older cars everything that breaks most of the time isn't hidden behind dashboard that requires 2 days of teardown and anger to access. Or when stuff breaks it doesn't cost thousands of euros to replace. I have had lots of cars and personally i rather drive older cars just because those are extremely easy and cheap to maintain compared to everything built after bean counter revolution took control of everything.

[@colvinator1611]

@@calthorp you're right of course, AND , it's a de luxe model with an electric heater !

[@colvinator1611]

@@k.kristianjonsson1537 Fantastic ! A local shop owner had a Sunbeam Rapier ( 1960 ? 2 tone green I remember ) and I used to wash and polish it on a Saturday afternoon for 2 bob!

[@timzzz9963]

I had my blend door actuator go in my 2004 ranger. By the time October rolled around it was getting very motivating to fix it. Fortunately my bony hands just barely fit in the little space under the dash.

[@mikep490]

I can relate. It seemed to start in the late 70's. I was impressed that my '80 Brat had everything in a single box. IIRC 6 bolts held the unit in place. Plug in a power connection, 2 water hoses, and good to go. Everything was in that box, blower, heater core, etc controlled by a couple cables. Yank it in 15 minutes, all mechanical. Add AC and it was just a couple extra tubes and an AC coil at the back of the box. These days everyone wants push button everything. My current car has a temp sensor outside the car (no need for AC if it's cold outside) another in the dash. Then electronics to determine if the temps match, figure out which door needs to open, whether the AC needs to be running, and such. Then a humidity sensor to determine if AC needs to be running even when the car needs to warm up. Of course, with most, you can't disable auto-temp control to simply bring in fresh air from outdoors. Then to keep temp perfect, these doors adjust the mix continuously. "Oops, temp is 1 degree too warm, open the AC door" sort of stuff. Then there's "passenger wants to be 80 degrees, driver wants to be 60" type of stuff, so another set of doors. Then we'll bury this deep inside the dash because it's easier to install, saving us (the mfgr) $50 per unit.

[@stevesmith6236]

I replaced one of those electronic actuators in my 2005 Buick LeSabre, Cost was under $50, no labor fee ( did the repair myself thanks to a KZbin vid) and took about 15-20 minutes start to finish. Easy peasy. Unit was on the right side of the dash and relatively easy to access after the glove box was removed.

[@Argedis]

I owned 2 Firebirds with the pop up headlights and both of them had the plastic gears break in the motor. The aftermarket sold brass gear replacements for permanent fixes. Cheap plastic parts break.

[@angusmac2037]

Had this happen with air handler for my house. Actuator for the re-circ/defrost flap had a stripped tooth…I pulled it apart and rotated the tooth 180 degrees so the it was meshing with fresh teeth, been working great two years later…saved $250

[@newtonlee7849]

Very informative video. thanks for producing this!

[@jwelchon2416]

This started back in the 60's. Ford started using nylon gears in power window motors. On hot days people would bring their new T-Bird's into the shop complaining that the power windows would not work. What happened is the nylon gears would fuse together. Often a whack on the door would free it up and the windows would work. But, after spending a fortune on a new T-Bird, the owners were less than happy that banging on the doors was part of the window function.

[@ryanlight1013]

Ford sucks!

[@BobbyFranco]

Did one, not too long ago, on a 1995 Mercury Grand Marquis. There are some "short cuts" that can be used to get to it but it STILL took me a few hours to do it and I am not a shop. Simply a DIY. This video is DEAD ON in it's discussion of the potential issues!

[@alb12345672]

I have a 98, did it recently thru the glovebox. Now I am dealing with an 11 F150 with a blown evaporator. Whole dash has to come out. Will be replacing the 3 motors when I do the job.

[@dave_n8pu]

@@alb12345672 The very first time I had a heater core in a 1974 Jeep Commando replaced, A friend of mine did it for me because I didn't have a clue. After seeing him feet up over the seat back and his head on the floor, I was blown away at all the work he did. Thankfully that hasn't needed to be done again, but I can only guess what a shop would have charged.

[@alb12345672]

@@dave_n8pu Yes it is very intimidating even for a pro mechanic. You also need another guy to hold the dash, it has to come out.

[@mohabatkhanmalak1161]

Dashboard repair jobs can be challenging.

[@Blue_Flame_Raptor]

​@alb12345672 replace every part while you're in there, heater core, recirc flap and all the motors.

[@eaglerider1826]

I'm reminded of Harley Davidson who was bought out by a Chinese company who started replacing steel parts with plastic to lower the cost of production . End result is a cheap product that breaks down more often .

[@chrispritchard4676]

Talking of dash removal reminded me of a time when I rewired a1971 Lotus 7 series 4. Well, that was fun !! The dash was fibreglass and part of the main body. I had to lie backwards and upside down in a very cramped space and only thanks to the Smiths dials being removable was it possible. If I attempted it today I would probably have a coronary Thanks Mr and Mrs Wizard for your excellent programmes and advice.

[@FinallyMe78]

I pulled my dash on my 2005 Tahoe and replaced all 4 of the actuators. Working great now. The hardest part was finding a quality replacement that wasn't even cheaper than the originals. It also took me 3 or 4 days of my time.

[@LOBrien_]

I was the original person to bring up 3D printing the gears for Bentley and I'm happy to hear that you're having gears made. In that application it makes total sense to have gears made as it's not a critical piece to the car or a component to cause compromise. I'm sorry it's going to cost you so much to have gear manufactured - the 3D printing community is full of pro open-source and people willing to prototype designs and parts. If in the future you run into issues where you need a one-off part I'd be more than willing to put my efforts forward, you already pay us by providing content. As for the actuators it makes perfect sense to replace them with OEM components if available especially at that price point, the only reason someone would make their own gears would be to fix the broken teeth failure point, but on the business side again it wouldn't make sense.

[@georgebettiol8338]

Using a 3D printer to manufacture plastic parts is viable when spares are no longer available, or when the item that has failed is spectacularly expensive - I believe the Bentley component being manufactured by the Wizard ticks both of the aforemntioned boxes. Notably, spares 'non-availability' is now becoming more pravalent as OEMs stop producing spares sooner in a car's life cycle.

[@lasskinn474]

there's also other ways to fix(plastic gears with epoxies and such. you can mold the good section, remove some more from the broken section and cast in the place using the mold from the good section. note that at the bentley pricing it would even be viable as long as you can cad it cheaply to order it printed from nylon or even metal, though metal gear against plastic gears is not recommended.

[@swrzesinski]

In my 92 Mazda it could be frustrating too. Gears are good quality and they rarely fail. But potentiometer part does wear. So new actuator position "spots" develops and actuator starts oscillating and making variable speed cricket crackling sounds.

[@ProDigit80]

Ford fiesta had them accessible. I could easily replace them myself, on the passenger center console. It was only $12 in parts, and 20 min in labor. The clicking is a plastic cog that lost some of its tooth. They sell after market boxes for $18, which have wider cogs in black (carbon reinforced plastic cog). Its cheaper and durable.

[@davidgrisez]

Since I am soon to turn 72 years old, I have seen so many areas where cars have gotten a lot more complicated and a lot more expensive to repair. I do remember the days of simple lever and cable controls for the heating ventilation and air conditioning controls on cars. In those days a person just manually adjusted the levers until they were comfortable. Today cars have automatic climate controls. These require all these actuator units where the gear teeth can break.

[@surferdude4487]

I thought that stuff was all powered by vacuum. The drawback being that if a vacuum fitting that powered the HVAC broke, not only did HVAC control stop working, it could also cause major performance issues with the engine.

[@davidgrisez]

@@surferdude4487 In times past I owned a 1992 Ford Crown Victoria where vacuum lines were used operate the various doors on the cars HVAC system. So some car models did use vacuum lines on the HVAC system.

[@peterschmidt1453]

I have an 80's Porsche and all the HVAC is run by vacuum, that's also a nightmare as the rubber diaphragms in the actuators fail. I have 3 under my dash and all don't work and replacing those is a major disassembly job I am not looking forward to.

[@kmath50]

I remember this too. Mostly lever operated cables or pull knobs. Some had vacuum controlled actuators. I had some fan switches go bad, along with some blower resistors, but that was about it. My daughter has a 2000 Chryser with a worn out blower switch. They are no longer available from Chrysler, and salvage yard parts won't be any better.

[@acquasanta6676]

Cadillac and top end Chevy cars went to " climate control" in the 70s on my GMC van vacuum line ran the HVAC in 98 . More luxury cars are more expensive to fix .

[@chrisbirch4161]

My Mom's 48 Ford had few heat/vent issues. Little "cozy wings" on the front doors could be rotated to supply fresh air in the summer. In the winter the optional, extra cost heater, which hung beneath the dash, had little doors which could be opened to supply a bit of heat...not the greatest system but we didn't have too many actuator problems on that car.

[@BlainsTube]

3:38 I'm in love with those purely "mechanical" controls! 🤪 I would have this affinity for them, had I not been burned by electrical controls, time after time. * There was a reason for the "Cash for clunkers" program in 2009. *

[@joelferguson8714]

You're a new channel to me, glad you found me. I agree with you completely.

[@petej.8676]

The actuators on both my 2002 Windstars click for the temp control..if you go all the way cold they click..move it slightly off full cold and it stops..air is still icy cold and saved me $$..✌️

[@alzender7826]

Problem is car designers are now making the things that used to be simple more complicated than they need to be. Perhaps if the designers had to spend time repairing the cars they designed, then would then think twice about what they had come up with?!

[@Scorpioking1987]

Excellent presentation - I loved the video 👍🏽

[@archygrey9093]

One thing I've noticed is that is not really simply plastic thats the issue, but rather CHEAP plastic, alot of cars I work on from the 90s and 80s seem to have plastic parts that never fail, but after about 2005 those same plastic parts seem to break and literally deteriorate.

[@felixbaum48]

Wizard. That "click click click" sound was happening to my girlfriends's Mazda 6. Silicon Valley hourly rate is now $300! For a Mazda!?!? Porsche shop next door is $600/hr!! The Mazda shop said it was going to be $1k-2k to fix, but showed how to permanently disconnect it for FREE! :-D So we have fresh air all the time rather than fresh vs recirculating but it's NO LONGER MAKING THE NOISE and we get both heat and AC!

[@DSP1968]

A great video, Car Wizard. I don't think most people realize how many of these there are, so I think it was a wonderful idea to explain what they are, what they do, and how they work.

[@JasbirSingh-zj1fg]

The more features a car has, the more the chance that something will break. Luxury vehicles, like the Infinity QX56 in the video, of course have more features hence more electronics. IMO the solution is to go for a car with as few features as practical.

[@Graham_Langley]

My first car (UK, 1966 Hillman Imp) had a directly manually operated flap with four positions: OFF, SCREEN, SCREEN + CAR & CAR, a hot-water valve operated by a lever and cable plus a single-speed remotely-mounted fan that I added.

[@amorphousblob2721]

10:11: The only place I've ever seen plastic gears like that has been in toys I took apart when I was a kid. The insides of those actuators look just like the inside of a cheap model locomotive or a wind-up car. No wonder they break. Metal actuators _are_ the solution, if you're going to have actuators (which make it possible to have things like rear heater vents that can be controlled from both the front and the back seat). These things aren't jamming. The teeth are wearing out because the actuators are built like toys.

[@MrKevin920]

It's amazing how cars went from reliable to very unreliable over the years

[@Bornchiller123]

cause they no longer sell them, they lease them out and that changed everything

[@chrisE815]

Cars from the 90's to 2010ish are amazingly reliable and now fuel economy and emissions standards are ruining that. Extremely low interest rates also eliminated the market for stripped down base trims on cars- Now nearly every car sold in the US has multiple packages added from the factory, simply because consumers as a whole aren't interested in buying affordable cars.

[@jimp1646]

Absolutely. Cars from the 80's and 90's are more reliable than modern cars in my experience. But some parts are either difficult to find for vehicles from that era or no longer available OEM.

[@1marcelfilms]

​@@chrisE815 Too bad almost everything from between 2000-2010 is hideous

[@chrisE815]

@@1marcelfilms where I live its all rotted out in the scrap yard

[@jeffschuh6771]

I appreciate your honesty. I worked at a collision center and heard the ever since thing too many times, lots related to these actuators! Excellent content

[@richscott2483]

I'm 100% with you about Plastic ruining the quality and longevity of automobiles. Build cars cheaper and lightweight making them consumable throwaways.

[@joelfenner]

Helped a buddy replace a turn signal switch on his early 1990s Thunderbird. Real easy job. It had been a while since I worked on a car of this vintage, and it's not even THAT old. After getting the covers off the steering column, I stood in awe of the switch. Half of the switch body was a zinc/Zamak casting. Electrical is two heavy multi-way interconnects with double-clips to retain the cable harness. After releasing the clips, the connectors slide off effortlessly. No struggle (wow). The two-axis pivot for the lever stalk was constructed using steel pins riding in a die cast zinc yoke. All the mechanics were crisp and stout. Lever itself has a black-oxide treated steel post as its backbone, and it spring-detent clips in (I kid you not). If you break the arm, but not the switch, you can just wiggle it loose of its retaining clip (with a little fiddling), and pop in a new one, without even pulling a single piece of the dash apart. Darn switch was huge and felt like it weighed half a pound. I had gotten so used to crappy all-plastic switch assemblies that will crack if you even look at them wrong. I forgot this was once "normal" in my lifetime. Here I am, bug-eyed over a switch. We used to know how to make a quality part. Engineers used to consider this "acceptable". Now it's all garbage by comparison.