FREE FIX [GM Recirculation Door Actuator Failure]

Various GM vehicles used this exact actuator in the early to mid 2000s. As these vehicles age you'll likely see an increase in failures become more common. If you have a clicking or thumping under your dash when you have the recirculating feature off.
This failure is common among GM vehicles but this specific part was used in several vehicles about 20 years ago; Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Isuzu I Series Trucks, Chevy SSR, and Pontiac Vibe.

[@timandersonks]

spent $25 to buy two 5.5mm sockets, a 'thumb ratchet', and a set of small open-end wrenches that included 5.5mm. That was and about 2 hours was all I needed to complete this repair. Saved me several hundred the mechanic quoted me to replace it (labor to remove the dash). I did lose one of the sockets as I expected and was glad I bought an extra. Thanks for posting this. I love my Colorado, and being able to do these sorts of repairs allows me to keep loving it!

[@BadlandIndustries]

Heck yeah man

[@sikh70]

Your thumb ratchet idea saved me. Got it replaced in 30 mins. Was struggling with regular ratchet for 3 days lol

[@sikh70]

Your video and a 20$ finger ratchet got this job done in 30 mins. Thanks a million. Bending that tab is was a game changer

[@BadlandIndustries]

I'm glad it helped!

[@sidelvar]

Huge help. As another commentor mentioned, the silver box when you open the access panel is the onstar module. There are 4 connectors and a black handscrew right in the center (where connectors are) that attach everything to the bracket. Towards the center of the truck is where the 'clip' for the module is. Pretty easy removal, but you will have to bend the tab to the top right of the access panel to get the module out. Once you have done this, you're pretty much working blind as shown in the video. If you have another actuator handy, you can follow the lines of the case to find where the screws are. Once loose, pretty easy to get out by hand. Now onto fixing the blower motor resistor and pigtail....

[@isaacprice6633]

Thanks this was a huge help I had to remove this silver box that had the LG logo and a Bluetooth symbol to access it. I believe this is on star related so I threw it out and called it weight saving

[@BadlandIndustries]

Awesome. Hopefully you didn't loose tools like I did.

[@REG3305]

Socket will be in the door frame. Been there, done this. Cut my bracket out and used a 7/32" impact drive socket on a ratcheting 1/4" drive wrench. The 180 of the gear is a perfect fix for me circa 2019.

[@BadlandIndustries]

Legit just found it too.

[@REG3305]

@@BadlandIndustries Now if only I was just as much of a hustler as you as to have made/edited/uploaded a video to help the world. Good on you sir!

[@ArkaniumGaming]

Dealership told me it'd be 2k in labor alone. I had no idea how to get to it at the time so I asked. I've never left a place so quick.

[@BadlandIndustries]

Yea you don't need to pull the dash to get to this.

[@rebel1097]

@@BadlandIndustriesis there a way to repair the blend door? I took it to the dealership and they broke the blend door while they were attempting to change the actuator. It shows the blend door is discontinued

[@BadlandIndustries]

@@rebel1097 if you have all the pieces maybe glue it back together but honestly you might need to tear the dash out of another truck at the junk yard.

[@BruceHendrickson]

At least you will have it functioning for your second trip to Moab

[@billybonz112]

I think that gear keeps rotating or they may have tried to save money and place a quarter-gear or half-gear in there? If you don't switch the polarity it will end up on the same broken gear teeth?

[@BadlandIndustries]

The door only moves 90deg. So flipping the gear uses teeth that were previously unused

[@d.b.1419]

Thank you

[@BadlandIndustries]

Hope that helped

[@michael.morrow]

my 2007 colorado clicks from behind the glove box but the air also sounds like it's pulsing instead of coming out steady like it used to. the whole HVAC system often won't even turn on anymore but sometimes will. Does this all sound like one problem or several?

[@BadlandIndustries]

Might be several but one thing at a time. Pull the cover or pull the radio and see if you can tell where the noise is coming from. Clicking might be from this re-circ door.

[@jessicapeacock7530]

I’m trying to get mine back in place. I can see abs reach with hand but can’t seem to get it back in the place. I’m losing my mind. Any advice?

[@BadlandIndustries]

Might just have to find someone with smaller hands. You might need to manipulate the gear to align with the doors current orientation. It was a struggle for me as well.

[@MadSceintist]

Aluminum duct tape stop the slices from plastic and sharp edges

[@BadlandIndustries]

Thanks for the idea

[@jamesmedina2119]

You can order a new gear only. I'm sure that fix won't last long before that side break's

[@BadlandIndustries]

Many of these are breaking well into their vehicles usefulness. If it's a free fix and it lasts another 100k miles I'll call that a win.

[@POTFULLOFGREEN]

Will this work with ram?

[@BadlandIndustries]

I'm sure the there's a similar fix for you truck. You'd have to source a good video on how to fix your exact vehicle as I'm not familiar with Ram trucks.