Temperature Control Actuator

[Vahn55]

Ive done plenty of searching but haven't been able to find my answer. I had the loud clicking noise behind my dash a while ago and my ability to change from hot and cold came and went sporadically. Now im trying to fix it so I can have heat again from what ive read a few names were thrown around as the problem. One as the title suggest the other is the heater control valve, also another member reported something by the gas pedal was the problem. So im coming to to you know with what you think your opinion is as to what the problem is.

[jeremy666]

I have the same problem, in mine it seems to happen most time going from cold to hot, and will seem to fix its self after a couple days. the cable from the control does go to a white plastic thing (for lack of proper word) gotta be in there somewhere. of anyone else has fixed this problem please post.

[Fishboy55]

The heater control connects to the air mix damper via a cable. The cable moves the damper between the hot and cold position. Take the heater control apart and make sure the cable didn't come loose or break.

[Vahn55]

Well I figured it out, it was a combination of the thing near my gas pedal not being able to move by the control of the thermostat and also the actuator. I will be attempting to write a hot to on getting to the actuator but seeing as how I havent replaced mine im not ganna go any further yet.

[6G72Galant]

This seems to be the popular topic as of late. But im always down to help out a newb!!!

Read carefully...

The noise you are hearing is from an actuator. That actuator controls a valve that regulates the flow of hot coolant into your heater core. When you switch to Cold, the actuator closes the valve, preventing any hot coolant from entering the heater core to produce heat. When you switch to Hot, the actuator opens the valve allowing hot coolant to enter the heater core to produce heat.

The actuator is located under the dashboard. Its a pain in the fucking ass to remove, but well worth repairing it when the time comes.

After removing the dashboard, look to the left of the passenger side airbag. You will see a small box mounted to a metal plate with a wiring harness attached to the box. And right next to that you will see the actuator. Its a small box with a white plastic arm attached. Inside this plastic arm will be a slot with a metal prong sticking through it. The white arm moves back and forward, causing the metal prong to move also. This is what opens and closes the valve. You need to replace the actuator (the part with the white arm attached).

*For a quick TEMPORARY fix, once you locate the actuator, switch to the desired temperature setting (Hot or Cold), and tap the actuator with a screwdriver. Continue to tap until you see the actuator begin to move.

**If you can do the temp fix like i mentioned above, the next time i go back down to FLA, ill grab you the actuator from a junk yard. That part retails for over $150. I paid $7 for mine.

[Vahn55]

This seems to be the popular topic as of late. But im always down to help out a newb!!!

Read carefully...

The noise you are hearing is from an actuator. That actuator controls a valve that regulates the flow of hot coolant into your heater core. When you switch to Cold, the actuator closes the valve, preventing any hot coolant from entering the heater core to produce heat. When you switch to Hot, the actuator opens the valve allowing hot coolant to enter the heater core to produce heat.

The actuator is located under the dashboard. Its a pain in the fucking ass to remove, but well worth repairing it when the time comes.

After removing the dashboard, look to the left of the passenger side airbag. You will see a small box mounted to a metal plate with a wiring harness attached to the box. And right next to that you will see the actuator. Its a small box with a white plastic arm attached. Inside this plastic arm will be a slot with a metal prong sticking through it. The white arm moves back and forward, causing the metal prong to move also. This is what opens and closes the valve. You need to replace the actuator (the part with the white arm attached).

*For a quick TEMPORARY fix, once you locate the actuator, switch to the desired temperature setting (Hot or Cold), and tap the actuator with a screwdriver. Continue to tap until you see the actuator begin to move.

**If you can do the temp fix like i mentioned above, the next time i go back down to FLA, ill grab you the actuator from a junk yard. That part retails for over $150. I paid $7 for mine.


Yup did the temp fix im just going to try and compile everything into a how to for everyone else.

[KaziKai]

Yup did the temp fix im just going to try and compile everything into a how to for everyone else.

and when you do let me know cause I need to do that next... 2 of my galants are doing the same...

[asilva]

any updates on this problem?

[Da_silvagride]

mine is doing this now. Is there a tutorial how to remove the dash? Could I get away with this by just removing the bottom of the dash?

[Da_silvagride]

Anybody?

[littlerick]

i just removed the lower dash

[Cheekz185]

I am having the same exact problem AGAIN. The first time I just took it to the dealer and they fixed it. This time I want to fix it myself. I have definitely found the problem.

I followed this tutorial:
https://thegalantcenter.net/forum/showthread.php?t=17591

But the blower motor was definitely not the problem. While I had everything disconnected and out of the car I found where the problem is coming from. I do not know what the part number is or what it is even called so if maybe some1 can help me out that would be great. The part has the following letters on it:

WSV
CAA501A 169
3E12
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y61/Cheekz185/IMG_1966-1.jpg


I need to replace that part. here is a picture:

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y61/Cheekz185/IMG_1967.jpg

[Cheekz185]

Update:

I called my Mitsubishi dealership and they gave me the part # its MR958603. And its $137.

[Ruslik]

ill go to the jy today pick a couple of these up if you need one pm me

[BIGMONEYDAY]

One of my G's is doing this now too. Looks like I need to pick up some of these.

[6G72Galant]

Yeh something is seriously wrong with this bullshit part.

I replaced mine back in October, i think, and sometimes that rattling noise comes back whenever i switch from hot to cold or cold to hot. I pieced mine from a junkyard down in Florida for $6. Hell the one i originally had only lasted about a year.

However, my stock actuator shit the bed after a few front end collisions, relatively minor. The Galant i took the new one from was wrecked. Perhaps this actuator is very sensitive to impact???

[Wheelx5]

Here’s a little more info on the replacement of the actuator. The link on this thread to specific instructions is dead. I used the instructions at this link for taking the lower dashboard apart (https://www.thegalantcenter.org/showthread.php?t=17591). However, you do not need to take out the center console, just ignore that part. Also, watch the screws removed from the right side – they are not all the same.

Once you get the entire dashboard off you will see the actuator behind the blower duct. You need to remove the blower duct. It is pushed into another piece that is straight back and there is a single screw holding it in on the left side over by the controls. Remove that screw and pull it out.

Now you can clearly see the actuator, but there is a piece of electronics mounted on an aluminum bracket just to the right of the actuator. Move the electronic gizmo off the bracket by pushing it straight back (it is held to the bracket by sliding into a slot. The bracket itself still makes it hard to get at the actuator. I removed the easy to get at top screw holding the bracket and then bent it out of the way (it’s thin metal) so I could get at the actuator easier.

Now you can remove the actuator. You need a stubby phillips head screw driver (~3”) and it needs to be #1. There are three screws holding in the actuator, 2 are readily visible and one is on the far side out of sight. The one that can’t be seen isn’t too hard to get at though. Look at the replacement part feel where the screw head will be and transfer that feel to the one that is installed. The actuator just comes right off, unplug the molex connector. Replace the new one ensuring that the metal pin fits into the slot on the white plastic. Turn the car electronics on and move the temp selector back and forth to ensure it is functioning. I thought that the valve would move gradually as the temp selection knob was turned. Actually the valve moves 180 degrees with just one more click on the temp dial. But, the air temp changes nicely across the full range of settings. There must be another system at work that modifies the temp.

The job took me 2 hrs. now I could do it in under an hour.

[wetamup2k3g]

I've been having the same problem since 2007, but here's how I managed to get around it until it finally goes...What I do is when it starts to get cool (around October) I move my temp control past fully cool into the warmer setting, and DO NOT move it back to fully cool until around May.

Between May and October when I know it's gonna be hot out, I keep it on fully cool and NEVER move it. I only actuate the thing twice a year and that seems to keep it operating. If it gets warm one day after October or before May, I'll move it to one "click" just before the max cool setting, and if it's not cool enough, turn on the A/C.

As long as you don't move the control in and out of its max setting, it doesn't actuate the defective part, and the blending seems to be unaffected. It's worked for me, it's a stopgap temporary hood fix, but it costs nothing and harms nothing.

[tamim13]

When I got mine done, we didn't remove the dashboard at all. We were able to reach the actuator, by taking off the passenger airbag and reaching in from the top left. It was a bit tight, and you have to be careful to not drop the screws, but it's possible.

[crashfirepm53]

W0133-1900519 should be the updated part number.

[tamim13]

Doesn't look like a Mitsubishi part# to me??

[paytons_mom19]

For the actuator can you get it from a normal auto parts store? or would a junk yard or dealer be a better option??

[tamim13]

It's a Mitsubishi specific part that I don't believe is available in the "normal auto parts" store. It's probably available at Junkyards for really cheap, but you don't know the history and if it's old, it's probably toast again. You can get it from the dealer, part# MR958603 (it might have been superseeded), or from eBay -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heater-Temperature-Actuator-Control-Motor-02-03-Galant-New-Genuine-Mitsu-/380381772503?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5890853ad7

I'm not sure if this is the correct link on Mitsubishi -
https://oemmitsubishiparts.com/parts/2003/MITSUBISHI/GALANT/?siteid=214331&vehicleid=1417216&diagram=6241095&diagramCallOut=3

[JDyal]

Can anyone here get this part from a junk yard for cheap? I'm suffering without heat

[03_Black_V6]

Here’s a little more info on the replacement of the actuator. The link on this thread to specific instructions is dead. I used the instructions at this link for taking the lower dashboard apart (https://www.thegalantcenter.org/showthread.php?t=17591). However, you do not need to take out the center console, just ignore that part. Also, watch the screws removed from the right side – they are not all the same.

Once you get the entire dashboard off you will see the actuator behind the blower duct. You need to remove the blower duct. It is pushed into another piece that is straight back and there is a single screw holding it in on the left side over by the controls. Remove that screw and pull it out.

Now you can clearly see the actuator, but there is a piece of electronics mounted on an aluminum bracket just to the right of the actuator. Move the electronic gizmo off the bracket by pushing it straight back (it is held to the bracket by sliding into a slot. The bracket itself still makes it hard to get at the actuator. I removed the easy to get at top screw holding the bracket and then bent it out of the way (it’s thin metal) so I could get at the actuator easier.

Now you can remove the actuator. You need a stubby phillips head screw driver (~3”) and it needs to be #1. There are three screws holding in the actuator, 2 are readily visible and one is on the far side out of sight. The one that can’t be seen isn’t too hard to get at though. Look at the replacement part feel where the screw head will be and transfer that feel to the one that is installed. The actuator just comes right off, unplug the molex connector. Replace the new one ensuring that the metal pin fits into the slot on the white plastic. Turn the car electronics on and move the temp selector back and forth to ensure it is functioning. I thought that the valve would move gradually as the temp selection knob was turned. Actually the valve moves 180 degrees with just one more click on the temp dial. But, the air temp changes nicely across the full range of settings. There must be another system at work that modifies the temp.

The job took me 2 hrs. now I could do it in under an hour.
Just did the replacement and this was really helpful (bolded). Thanks for that.

I used a Dorman brand for the replacement. Cost was about $78 shipped at eBay. I figure since the OEM part was a POS from the beginning, what did I have to lose using an aftermarket.
Job went as well as they go when you're taking dash apart, and then working in tight spots, but have heat again and am ready for Fall.
Thanks for all the help here.