Blend Doors Malfunction
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
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From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
Blend Doors Malfunction
The blend doors malfunction on my 2002. Cold air from center vent and drivers side; warm air from passenger side. Recalibration did not resolve the issue. Heat is not important to me in Florida, is it possible to close, or partially close, the two passenger side vents without harming the HVAC?
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Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 324
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From: South Carolina
The blend doors malfunction on my 2002. Cold air from center vent and drivers side; warm air from passenger side. Recalibration did not resolve the issue. Heat is not important to me in Florida, is it possible to close, or partially close, the two passenger side vents without harming the HVAC?
The Dorman replacement is a bit more durable, but make sure you get the one for the correct side.
The passenger side actuator does require removing the seats, battery, dashboard, and airbag.
You can remove the dash without pulling the seats, but just do it to give yourself much more room.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
It's likely the blend door actuator cracked the plastic gear on the inside. Happens to them using the GM one due to the plastic gear being pressed onto a metal rod for lack of a better explanation.
The Dorman replacement is a bit more durable, but make sure you get the one for the correct side.
The passenger side actuator does require removing the seats, battery, dashboard, and airbag.
You can remove the dash without pulling the seats, but just do it to give yourself much more room.
The Dorman replacement is a bit more durable, but make sure you get the one for the correct side.
The passenger side actuator does require removing the seats, battery, dashboard, and airbag.
You can remove the dash without pulling the seats, but just do it to give yourself much more room.
Last edited by blackvette58; Jan 30, 2025 at 05:34 PM. Reason: additional information
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 99
Likes: 1
From: Lakewood Ranch, FL
Reaseach: If your Corvette C5 is experiencing a faulty passenger side blend door actuator causing only warm air to blow, you can temporarily close the passenger side vents to manage the temperature without significantly impacting the overall HVAC system; this is a common workaround while you plan to replace the faulty actuator
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Since I only drive my C5 in warm weather, I did an end run around this until I got new actuators. That would be cutting a heater hose and splicing in a petcock/shutoff valve near the coolant tank. Can't even see it unless you really look. That way no hot water can enter the cabin. You'll get nothing but cold A/C, if that is working. Oh, and even after I got new actuators, I kept the valve. Why? Because as hot as the C5 interior gets, it doesn't help that you have a 200° heating element in the dash at all times. If you ever need heat, it's only a hood raising and twist of the wrist away.....
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When I had some issues with my blend doors, I took a flexible hose and inserted it through each side vent until it stopped (did not force). I hooked the hose up to a vacuum. Apparently some 'stuff' was sucked out since both have been working. For how long 