even if the passenger side **** is not working i dont think that shhould cause such a problem
in my GXP when i start my HVAC it goes automatically into driver control mode unless you touch the passenger side **** then you switch to dual climate control

what im saying is, if the **** is not working, it shouldnt effect it once you start the HVAC

just my $.02

The part is #7. There are two of them. This may be somewhat involved..........



Remove the glove box by backing out 3 @ 6mm screws
Remove 4 screws and take off the glove box door (optional - I didn't want to bend the piano hinge)
Remove the trunk pop connector
Remove the glove box light (optional)
There are two air mix actuators (electrical motors). The one on your left near the console (see pictures) controls the hot/cold signal from the passenger side setting.
Remove the plug to the electrical motor and remove 2 @ 5.5mm screws. The motor will slide off a white shaft. You can move this by hand if you temporarily want hot or cold air until you get your new motor.
Installation is the reverse.
Time to complete - less than 1 hour
Time to find the 5mm socket that you dropped between your seat and the console - 30 min

My heat now changes when I roll that little passenger ****!

Root Cause: I put a blower motor in about a month ago. There is a triangular mess of wires that I had to move out of the way to drop the blower motor. Apparently when pulling on those wires, I unplugged the air mix actuator. My clue? I saw the plug and thought "how the hell does it work without being plugged in?" (brilliant deduction I know).
Now in my defense, when you change the blower motor, you can't see that actuator because you don't remove the glove box. I didn't know it was unplugged and didn't need warmer air until it started to get cool.

I did quote a price on the electrical motor - about $100 from Rockauto.

The 2nd actuator buried deeper into the dash, but still easy to remove controls the driver'* side. For once, GM didn't hose us on a repair. This was easy!

I am going to go buy a lottery ticket.................

HA! Easy fixes are the best. Glad you figured it out and didn't have to spend any more.

What amazes me is that one member quite awhile back took his to the Dealer for this and was hosed $1000 for the repair. Incredible. Thanks for the writeup, specs, and photo'* Man! With your permission, I'll Merge the 3 posts of yours into one, Upload the pics to our server, and place this is our Tech Info with your name on it. Really impressive.

A write-up on air mix actuators in general would be nice. Mine has been groaning like it wants to get stuck for years. Sticky them well, Venom!

Glad you cleaned up the posting. Much more legible. Hopefully someone else may find this useful. I have been at the mercy of a dealership and it is no fun.

I have the same problem but on the driver'* side in my 04. On a cold day the mix door seems to get stuck open. For a while you can feel the system cycling to maintain temp then it just blows cold air, both sides can be set at 85-90 and the passenger side is max hot and the driver'* side is ice cold, feels like outside air or max ac. Anyone have directions how to access the driver'* side actuator or other ideas?

It'* the same as explained in a post 5 up. It'* just the one to the left.

Pull the glove box. Straight back toward the firewall. See arrow on the pic. A little harder than the pass side, but still not bad. Get a 5.5mm socket.

Thanks !
Do you think that'* what causes it to function intemittently? Anyone know if there is a sensor that could be bad? This is an 04 SSE with electronic climate control.