E
lectronic climate con- can be as simple as a relay or solenoid
trol systems were once
limited to high-end
luxury cars. Today,
they can be found on
almost any vehicle.
Why the switch? It actually has be-
come cheaper to actuate the HVAC
doors with a motor rather than a ca-
ble. This article focuses on diagnos-
ing problems with the actuators used
to control the Mode, Blend and Re-
circ doors of these systems.
First, a little background. Any de-
vice that’s electrically connected to a
control unit and performs some kind
of work can be called an actuator. It
32 April 2000
The motor is driven by applying
or as complex as a motorized door ac-
tuator with a built-in logic circuit.
Most ECC door actuators consist
of a reversible DC motor equipped
with a gear train that outputs to a dri-
ve gear, with an opening for the end
of the HVAC door shaft. This shaft is
usually square and engages with a
similarly shaped opening in the out-
put gear. Crayons, lollipops, pens and
anything else dropped in the vicinity
obviously can spell disaster for these
systems. By design, the door shaft is
stronger than the output gear, so if
something breaks, it will be the actu-
ator.
power and ground for the desired
movement. The polarity is reversed
to change direction. The HVAC con-
trol head usually provides the voltage,
and in most cases, it’s somewhat low-
er than system voltage.
Most ECC actuators contain a po-
tentiometer that’s geared to the mo-
tor’s drivetrain. As you might expect,
the potentiometer is used to deter-
mine the position of the door. Its sig-
nal is a variable voltage, usually in the
range of 0 to 5 volts.
Note that some actuators that drive
Recirc doors contain only a motor.
Since there are only two required po-
Although used by most manufacturers, ECC
actuators differ greatly in design and function. Here’s
how to troubleshoot and cure typical problems on
these all-important behind-the-dash components.

BY JEFF MASTERMAN
sitions, the HVAC control head sim-
ply drives the motor in the desired di-
rection for a specific number of sec-
onds until the door reaches its stop.
There’s no feedback circuit necessary.
Some newer designs don’t use a
potentiometer for feedback. Instead,
the controller senses the current
pulses that occur each time a com-
mutator bar passes beneath the
brushes. The controller establishes
the position of the door by the num-
ber of pulses, or “counts,” that occur
between the stops, much like an IAC
valve.
The degree of diagnostic sophisti-
cation varies greatly among systems.
Some manufacturers include the abil-
ity to set and retrieve trouble codes
when a malfunction occurs, while
others flash the climate control dis-
play. Still others have no built-in diag-
nostics at all.
It’s important to note that, unlike
an engine control system where
there’s generally one control unit for
the system, electronic climate control
systems can have several. For exam-
ple, some systems use a BCM to con-
trol some functions, the HVAC head
to control others and the PCM to
control the activation of the a/c clutch
and cooling fan.
When troubleshooting an HVAC
complaint on an old cable system,
many technicians would cycle the
temperature lever to see if they could
“feel” if it went to the cold stop. While
this check is still necessary, it must be
done differently. Also remember that
even if a system is equipped with an
electronic actuator, a more traditional
vacuum motor may control the Mode
and Recirc functions.
System Types
For the purpose of this discussion,
ECC systems can be grouped into
three different types, based on the
content of the circuitry in each com-
ponent-smart head, dumb actuator;

April 2000 33
 DIAGNOSING ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL ACTUATORS

The GM C-60 system will flash portions of the display if a malfunction occurs in the Mode or Blend actuators or cir-
cuits. Once the problem is corrected, the display will return to normal.

smart head, smart actuator; and
dumb head, smart actuator.
Smart Head, Dumb Actuator.
On this type of system, the HVAC
control head contains the logic cir-
cuits and provides the reference volt-
age for the potentiometer and the
drive current in the correct polarity
for the actuator motor. An example of
this system is the GM C-60 used on
C- and K-trucks.
If the control head detects a mal-
function, it will flash the display for
two minutes after each key cycle and
again anytime a button is pressed.
Once the malfunction is corrected
and the control head successfully
moves the actuator, the display will
return to normal. This type of system
can be reset by disconnecting the
battery cable.
Chrysler uses a similar design, al-
though the control head is more so-
phisticated and has a number of
built-in tests. If an actuator fails here,
the HVAC control head will display a
trouble code by a flashing a panel-
mounted LEDThere’s also a built-in
sweep test for each actuator that can
be accessed after the HVAC control
head is placed in diagnostic mode.
During the test, the control is operat-
ed and the movement of the door is
represented by a change in the flash-
ing rate of the LED.
An interesting feature of the
Chrysler system is that all actuators
have one side of their motor circuits
wired in a common circuit. This cir-

Some actuators are easier to get to than others. On this Chrysler unit, the connector is accessible, but the mounting
screws are another story.

34 April 2000
 DIAGNOSING ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL ACTUATORS
This GM actuator is controlled by the HVAC control head. It contains a feed-
back potentiometer.
cuit is either high or low, depending
on the desired direction of rotation.
The design requires that only one
door at a time be operated by the
control head. The doors move fast
enough that the driver is unaware of
this limitation. Care should be taken
when diagnosing this circuit; connect-
ing the common circuit to ground or
voltage at the wrong time could result
in damage to the system.
Most Automatic Temperature Con-
trol (ATC) systems also use this actu-
ator design. In most cases, the HVAC
control head has built-in diagnosis for
the actuators and will either display
codes on the HVAC display or send
them to the PCM or BCM through a
data bus. The codes can then be re-
trieved with a scan tool. You’ll find
that the diagnostics for ATC systems
are often more detailed than manual
36 April 2000
systems, and using a scan tool helps
speed diagnosis.
Note that some ATC systems can
drive the actuators through their
range of operation during special test
modes. Others display the feedback
value of the actuator as part of the
BCM data stream.
Smart Head, Smart Actuator.
This type of system has a logic circuit
in both the control head and the ac-
tuator. The control head outputs a
voltage representing the desired door
position. The actuator contains a logic
circuit that interprets that voltage and
powers the motor to move the door
to the corresponding position. The
GM C-67 system found in W-body
cars uses this design.
In addition to an electronic Blend
door actuator, the GM C-67 system
uses a solenoid box to operate the
Mode and Recirc doors through vac-
uum motors. Be aware that many of
these vehicles are equipped with a
“slave door,” which works in conjunc-
tion with the Blend door to control
temperature. In the past, GM used a
water valve to block coolant flow
through the heater core for maximum
cooling. Now they use a vacuum-op-
erated door to block off airflow
through the heater core instead. If
the door malfunctions and does not
move into the proper position,
there’ll be reduced airflow when the
temperature lever is in the Cold posi-
tion.
This system has no provision for
self-diagnosis. If the output tempera-
ture doesn’t match the command
that’s set on the HVAC control head,
the circuit must be manually diag-
nosed.
Dumb Head, Smart Actuator.
In this type of system, the actuator
contains all the components neces-
sary for operation with the exception
of the input potentiometer, which is
mounted on the control head. The
actuator is supplied with battery volt-
age, which it uses to drive the motor.
It also contains a voltage regulator to
provide a steady 5-volt reference for
the potentiometer connected to the
motor as well as the one on the dash.
Ford uses this system in most vehi-
cles with manual a/c.
Typically, these systems have no
self-diagnostics, and operation must
be checked manually by choosing a
setting on the HVAC control panel
and verifying that the air exits the
vents at the correct temperature. Be
prepared to remove the dash panel to
gain access to these actuators.
Diagnosis
As mentioned previously, some of
these systems have no visual indica-
tion that there’s a problem and must
be manually diagnosed. Most of these
devices require extensive dashboard
disassembly in order to gain access.
Therefore, it’s important to take some
basic steps to avoid wasted diagnostic
time.
It may be possible to listen to the
actuators to see if they’re working.
With the windows rolled up, key on
and blower motor disconnected, try
running the actuator through its
range. If you hear clicking or popping
noises, the actuator gears may be
stripped.
A common complaint in the spring
is insufficient cooling. Fortunately,
the root cause is usually found under
the hood, not under the dash! How-
ever, in some cases there may be a
problem with the Blend door actua-
tor. It’s important to determine if any
work has been performed recently
under the dash. Some radio and
alarm installations I’ve seen left a lot
to be desired, and have caused more
than their fair share of actuator prob-
lems.
After you’ve gone over the basics,
always perform a refrigeration system
performance check. You need to
baseline the system to be sure it’s ca-
pable of removing heat from the pas-
senger compartment. Always follow
the manufacturer’s guidelines for this
procedure.
If you’ve determined that the re-
frigeration system is operating prop-
erly, it’s time to head for your service
data to find out about the system.
Read how the system works and
check to see if there are provisions This Ford actuator contains both the logic and drive circuits. The only com-
for self-diagnosis. Then try to operate ponent that’s separate is the potentiometer, which is located on the dash.
all of the controls and check each
mode of operation. Make sure you the Blend door actuator. To repair technicians encounter when they at-
identify all functions that don’t work the customer’s a/c, I had to replace tempt to follow one of these proce-
before you continue. the instrument cluster, which was the dures. In many cases, it’s valid to select
Look at the schematic to identify cause of the blown fuse. the steps you think are more probable
the power and ground circuits in- Once the preliminary checks have and perform them first. There also
volved. While you’re examining the been completed, review the diagnos- may be faster ways to check the circuit
schematic, try to identify any circuits tic procedures in a manual. Most if you have a good grasp of fundamen-
in common with the devices that technicians enjoy 87-step pinpoint tal electrical troubleshooting. You can
aren’t working. Often, the most likely tests about as much as a trip to the always go back and start from the be-
area of the fault can be located by dentist. However, valuable informa- ginning if you don’t identify the prob-
identifying common circuits. That’s tion can often be gained about the lem. Remember, the engineer who
why is important to thoroughly check circuit just by reading through the wrote the diagnostic procedure you’re
system operation at the start. procedure and asking yourself the using cannot make the assumption
Identify any fuses in the circuit and following three questions: What do that you understand the circuit. He
check them before proceeding. In my they want me to check in that step? can only lay out all of the possibilities
experience, it pays to routinely check How did they do it? Do I have the and describe how to eliminate them
all of the fuses when dealing with an tools needed to perform the step? with basic tests.
electrical problem, especially those Remember, when an engineer You’ll frequently encounter proce-
that (you think) “probably don’t have writes a circuit diagnostic procedure, dures that ask you to measure open-cir-
anything to do with this problem.” he must take every failure possibility cuit voltages. Note that these types of
Last summer, I discovered that the into account, no matter how improba- measurements show only voltage po-
gauge fuse on a particular car also fed ble. This is one source of frustration tential and not the circuit’s actual ability

April 2000 37
 DIAGNOSING ELECTRONIC CLIMATE CONTROL ACTUATORS
Replacement
Once you’ve determined that an actu-
ator requires replacement, you can
expect a lengthy installation process.
After the part is installed, you may
need to perform a “Calibration or Re-
learn” on the system. This is also true
if the HVAC control head is replaced.
The end points of the actuators are
stored in keep-alive memory in the
control head and must be updated to
ensure proper operation. Refer to the
service manual to see if this step is
needed and how to do it.

Watch Those Air Bags!

These edge connectors have always spelled trouble for early GM ECC sys-
tems. A thorough cleaning with an eraser and the application of a contact en-
hancer, like Stabilant 22, should solve most problems.
to carry current. A circuit that passes an
open-circuit or resistance test may fail
miserably when it’s powered up.
Often, a diagnostic procedure may
ask you to perform a couple of resis-
tance checks and then instruct you to
replace an expensive component based
on the results. If this happens, always
back up the diagnosis with loaded-cir-
cuit tests. Remember, most of the time
these components cannot be returned
if they don’t solve the problem.
Diagnosing and servicing HVAC
components often requires you to
work in close proximity to air bags.
While many shops choose not to per-
form air bag service, you must have a
thorough understanding of the prop-
er procedures for disabling them. If
these procedures aren’t followed, a
very dangerous and costly accident
can occur.
Note that if the vehicle is powered
up with a disconnected air bag com-
ponent, a code will be set. Some
manufacturers have been slow in re-
leasing the protocol needed to erase
these codes to aftermarket scan tool
manufacturers. If your scan tool can-
not erase air bag codes on the vehicle
you’re working on, you’ll need to
connect a special simulator in place
of the disconnected air bag before
you turn the key on. This will pre-
vent a code from setting during the
diagnosis.
Armed with good service informa-
tion, a DVOM and an understanding
of these systems, electronic climate
control actuators can be no more dif-
ficult to repair than the old cable-op-
erated systems. The hardest part will
be gaining access to the components.
Happy hunting, and don’t forget to
use proper precautions when working
around those air bags!

For a free copy of this

article, write to: Fulfillment Dept.,
MOTOR Magazine, 5600 Crooks
Rd., Troy, MI 48098. Additional
copies are $2 each. Send check
To avoid replacing expensive components needlessly, always back up an or money order.
open-circuit or resistance check with a voltage drop test.

38 April 2000