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A/C Recirculate flap


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Now that I have been using the AC more I have noticed something. You don't need to turn on the AC to see if this happens. If you start the car then press the recirculate the flap under the dash shuts then opens then shuts and opens. It does this like 4 times until the motor shuts off in recirculate mode. Then if you press of recirculate it does the same thing in reverse ending with recirculate mode off. I started to notice this if I leave the recirculate on when I turn off the spark. When I would turn it back on then immediately turn the air on high you can here the air go in and out recirculate for about 10 seconds. I know it's the recirculate door because I removed the glove box and watched it happen. You can get it to repeat by just pressing the button without the AC on.

So can anyone tell me if your Spark does this?

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Typical run around, it seems the Chevy dealers are schooled in these tactics, more so than on actual repairs. I can't blame you for being pissed, you have been more than patient with these issues. I h

Have to remember I'm just north of you in North Broward and understand our climate. I understand your point about being preventative but it's still less than 3 years old and I nor anyone else should

I hear ya, but it looks like this will be another trade in if that's the case. I used to do all that stuff if the dealer or factory did not, but not anymore. At the end of the day it's just a car. I

I wonder if this has anything to do with the A/C issues I have been reading about? If it cycles from recirc to outside (fresh air) mode while driving it would certainly cause the air to warm and cool like the complaints I have read. Just a thought...

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No it only happens when turning the recirculate on or off. It will also happen if you start the Spark while in recirculate mode. If its in fresh air nothing. If you put the fan on high you can hear it fluctuate back and forth about 4 times.

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You don't need the air even on. Just press the recirculate button with the glovebox removed. You can see and hear the flap move slow to one side then go back to center real quick and repeat 3 more times till it stops in the correct position. Then it will do the same thing in the opposite direction if pressed again.

I asked the mechanic yesterday during the Mylink update and he was unsure of the relearn. But it sounds like the actuator needs replacing. He said the dash needs to be removed. I told him I could do it but it will take time without dash removal. It has 2 5 mm screws and one wire harness. I can see it with the inspection mirror. Also might get some access to it through the passenger dash speaker removed.

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I bet the computer needs to be programmed after the thing is replaced, it really sounds like a logic problem where the computer can't find the position of the flap. I don't think mine has ever done this, pretty sure it just goes open or closed depending on which setting I choose. May have to pull the glove box tonight and take a look, maybe point a camera at it too.

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Greg, the actuator only has 2 wires so how would it communicate back to the computer? Maybe there is a tension piece in the motor that is broken. When it gets tension it cuts the power. If it does not cut power maybe the computer sends a power signal for only say 10 seconds regardless if its working or not.

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  • 2 months later...
Stupid question, how do I remove the glovebox to see the flap?

Open the glovebox, then you have to bow the sides in to get the pins past the dash. After you have it past the dash you have to pull the glove box straight out at an somewhat upward angle, about 9-10 o'clock. It's just clipped to the dash on each side at the bottom. You can see it if you look. It's a C channel that clips to the dash. It's hard to explain.

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Thought there was a thread, mine has started doing the recirc. dance, going in tomorrow to lay a load of problems on them.

Greg please let me know what's up with our issue. I'm happy and sad that you have the issue. I'm not the only one. I disconnected mine in the recirculate position to minimize more damage. There is 3 possibilities what can be wrong. Broken actuator motor, reprogramming, or bad AC control module. Boy does the 3 fix sound familiar.

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The bad A/C controller is looking like a serious possibility. Again the funny thing is I never noticed anything when I was using the heat in the winter, and probably only noticed it now because I was trying to cool the car down with the half functional cooling system so I needed recirc.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Video is here, don't blink because there are some neat spasms when you least expect it.

Is that just by pressing the button once?

See mine after pressing the button once if the air s on or off it will do that bounce back 4 times and end up in whatever position you selected. You can see in my video above.

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No, it was pretty mild today, I added some notes in the video (top left corner during playback), it was pressing the button twice during that minute of time. The last day I used it I had several cycles from a single recirc. fresh cycle. I found it interesting that no only did it spasm in the closed position, but it also spasms in the open position.

The squiggly lines are silver sharpie I put on it to make sure I could see it open and close, probably should have pulled the filter and shined a light inside.

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Ok, then yours does what mine does. If you press the button once it should cycle 4 times ( go one way then twitch 3-4 times) then stops in that position. Then if you hit the button again it repeats the process but the other way. The AC and blower can be on or off.

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