2005 Pontiac Vibe AWD Question

[Dragonsm]

Recently, a clicking noise began to occur on my wife's Pontiac Vibe. This car has all the different vent options on the knob and then two buttons on the dash for A/C and also recirc.

The noise will begin "clicking" on startup unless the recirc button is clicked. Once the recirc button is pushed in, it is fine. The clicks are coming from an area over by the passenger front dash side. (I haven't had a chance to look any further)

I am guessing it has something to do with a solenoid or motor probably used to shut/open the recirc vent? Any idea on pinpointing where to look?

Any and all help is appreciated.

Thanks,

Steve

[Jeremy airjer W]

I would pull the glove box (very easy to do) and remove the cabin filter. You should be able to see the recirculation door and the parts that control it. Turn on the car and turn of the fresh air and see if you can see anything.

Have you ever replaced the cabin filter?

[Dragonsm]

The air cabin filter was replaced maybe a year or so ago.

Doing a little searching this morning on the web, I ran across a vibe forum where some have posted that this potentially is a common problem with the vibes/matrixes/corollas?

There is an HVAC actuator/motor that over time strips out some of it's gears and that is where the "clicking" comes from. (it is probably like 100 clicks a minute or so)

From the "reads" some have had to tear their entire dashes out to get to this part and some have been able to access it without having to remove the top dash.

If this is the issue, and it does potentially sound like it is, is it something that can be tackled at home or am I shop bound? (not sure if this is the right number, but someone posted up a GM part #88970277 for what I am looking at)

[Jeremy airjer W]

That motor is on the left side of the fresh air door if I remember right. With the glove box out you should be able to see it. I don't know if it is accessible/replaceable or not through the glove box. Worst case scenario the upper dash panel would need to be removed. Not a big deal and mush easier than pulling the entire dash assembly.

[lotsofish]

I don't know for sure about this, but it seems reasonable to think that the motor that opens the recirculate door could have slipping gears and the noise is coming from that. That would also explain why you wouldn't hear it when it's set to recirculate.

If you have the time, I would do it yourself. If it's a common problem, you can probably find in your other reads a step by step on how to do it. Tearing the whole dash apart, if that's what you have to do, does take some time and you have to watch out for airbags and things like that. Like you said though, maybe the "recommended" procedure is to take the dash apart, but if some people have been able to squeeze the part in without completely removing the dash, you probably can too. The shop will most likely be following the book, which might mean higher labor costs.