FREE FIX!!! 8G Heater Control Motor / Actuator Write-Up - Did I mention FREE!!!

Mods - I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this so feel free to move it or sticky it :023:

I haven't posted on here much but I lurk occasionally since we have a 2003 Galant. It's not driven a lot anymore since my wife and I have other vehicles but it's been a great car and relatively problem free even with 155k miles. Every now and then something pops up so I check out the site for fixes.

I figured I would finally contribute something to the community with a write-up on how to fix the very common Heater Control Motor problem for FREE! From what I can see most people either go with a temporary fix by moving the actuator manually after pulling apart the dashboard or by spending $100+ for a new Heater Control Motor. Instead of doing either of those this write up will show you how to fix the original Heater Control motor instead.

First step - Watch this video LOL. I'm too lazy to include how to get the Heater Control Motor out so this video will show you how to do it, he doesn't actually unscrew and remove the part in the video but he shows you how to get to it. Once you get to it just remove the 3 screws holding it in and unplug the electrical connector and proceed to the next step.

http://youtu.be/HywkYSNRGug

Once you're finished following the steps in the video this is what you'll have -

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...psd576cc4c.jpg

Next step - You'll need to remove the white actuator arm - it's pressed on to a splined shaft. Take a flat head screwdriver and pry between the arm and the body of the unit. It might be a little tight at first but as you get it moving it comes off pretty easy and you may be able to just grab it and yank it off.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps58edb0bb.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps9a184126.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps40daca2d.jpg

Now that you have the arm off you will need to separate the unit. There are 6 tabs around the sides of the unit that you will need to pry up in order for the two halves of the unit to come apart. It's a little difficult to do since they tend to snap closed as you are prying on opposite sides but keep at it and pry between the two halves of the unit while opening the tabs to help out.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps47aa008d.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps34c449ad.jpg

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps54a57986.jpg

Once you have the unit open you can see what the problem is -

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps94eaaa3d.jpg

What I'm pointing to is the worm gear on the motor. The worm gear is pressed on to the motor shaft and after enough cycles of moving the other gears and actuator arm it starts to get pulled up off the shaft and eventually lodges itself against the round white gear. At that point it no longer functions correctly and you freeze your ass off in the winter time LOL.

So how do you fix it? Pretty easy actually. First remove the round blue gear - just pulls right off, then remove the round white one next to it. There will be another round white gear underneath but you can leave that in place.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps635393c3.jpg

Once you have those two gears off just press the worm gear back down the motor shaft as far as it will go by squeezing the top of the worm gear and back of the motor together as shown -

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps22ccb549.jpg

You can see how far the worm gear moved by comparing it to the earlier picture.

Now it's time to put it back together! First, look at the pie shaped gear at the top of the next picture. CENTER that gear as shown - basically take the center rib that I'm pointing to on the gear and put it in line with the brass shaft holding the round white gear on.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps4af7be84.jpg

Then without disturbing the pie shaped gear (it may move slightly but try to keep it as centered as possible) install the round white gear first then the blue gear. Here's what it should look like when that's done -

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...psbd4f7a70.jpg

Finally pop the cover back on to the unit then press the actuator arm back on to the splined shaft BUT make sure you center it by pointing it straight up as shown in the picture!!! It's possible that because of the splines it may be skewed slightly left or right but that shouldn't affect it's operation.

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps6db55f75.jpg

Finally - put it all back together!!! BUT before you reinstall the unit turn the temperature knob to the midpoint (white part) instead of full hot or cold since you have set the actuator arm to the midpoint. Also I do suggest testing the unit before completely reassembling the dashboard - basically screw in the unit and plug it in, turn your key to the run position and the move your temperature knob back and forth between full hot and full cold while checking that the actuator arm moves as well. Once you have confirmed everything works, slap everything else back together - you're DONE!!!

Keep in mind after enough usage the problem might reoccur so to it may be wise to pull the worm gear off the motor completely and put a dab of thread locker or super glue in the hole then press the gear back on the shaft so the fix lasts longer. I didn't do that - but only because I just thought of it as I'm typing this up LOL.

Anyway thanks for the read and I hope this saves a few of you some aggravation and $$$!

Nice write up! I was going to suggest some blue loctite on the shaft (green might actually be the better stuff for this type of application but I don't know how that stuff reacts to plastic) but you put that in at the end. :thumbup:

Man i just replaced mine with a used one. And that one makes noise as well. Might as well try this.

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