Need help A/C issue 2010 Ram 1500

[Smith556]

Hello all, I have a 2010 Ram 1500 Crew Cab 5.7 with single zone temperature control. I am experiencing an issue with my heat and A/C. What occurs is a popping or knock sound from the center of the dash behind the radio and temperature control unit. It's like a loud "Pop, Pop, Pop" and it does it sometimes when I start the truck, turn the truck off, and now it is doing it consistently when I turn on the A/C and set the control so that air is coming through the vents facing us. What occurs is that I will turn the knob to the vents facing us, then the air will shift to those vents for just a second, then " Pop, Pop, Pop" and then a "Kathunk" and then the air is no longer coming through those vents, but is kinda cut off from those vents. If I set the control back to defrost it will cycle and stay there no problem. It will also move to the floor no problem. I have noticed the vents cycling when I turn the truck off and you can hear them draw up in tension then it will (you guessed it!) "Pop, Pop" etc. It's a loud deliberate pop, not a tick. Definitely is behind the heater A/C controls. I have researched a bit and found that an actuator could cause this. I am taking the truck for diagnosis at the dealership this Thursday and I need to know my stuff before going in there. Could it be something else besides the actual actuator(s)? I have read about the blend doors, could they be broke and causing it? I gotta figure this out as I don't have a great deal of money to get cheated out of. Any help or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Burla]

I just had mine replaced, but I'm still under warranty and it is a 2010 also. I always pry a little because I have a good relationship with my dealer. He said if it wasn't a warranty issue the part is only a "hundred or so" his words, plus an hour labor. I will look up exactly what they did if I can find the receipt. My symptoms were not like yours, but I believe the fix was the same.

 

[Smith556]

Thanks Burla, I forgot to mention that mine has the shifter on the column. I don't know if that makes a difference or not, but if anything for the sake of being descriptive.

 

[blkrstr21]

i actually have this problem currently on my 09. i posted about it and everyone pointed the either the blend door actuators or the hvac recall (idk if that applies to 2010 though)

i decided to check the actuators and they seem to be working fine. at first glance they were turning as they should and the plastic gears inside (which when broken/worn down cause the the popping) were intact. so i pulled the center console and swapped in a new actuator in place of the old actuators (theres 3) to see which one it was.

upon seeing that all actuators were good, and while i had the glove box down to check the last actuator, i noticed the popping came from behind the glove box, in the main ac unit.

i havent had the hvac recall done yet, so im gonna assume its that since it wasnt the actuators. but it could be something way worse. either way, i have to take it to the dealership

 

[Smith556]

blkrstr I can certainly appreciate your position. As I recall mine did have the recall done by the previous owner according to Chrysler. I have hope that others will chime in. no matter what though I will post the result from the dealership for people like yourself. If I have to take one for the team I will. I should say that my dealership has taken care of me before with my truck when I had a rear end issue and they politely stuck me a new set of gears in free of charge. I would just like to have opinions and experience from you guys as to the rear world findings of this as it will not be free this time. I find the more I research and ask, that forums are truly a wealth of knowledge.

 

[noclass]

If it's in the center it's not too bad just remove the radio trim turn the truck on feel which one clicks if it's on the passenger side it's the recirc door not so easy

 

[Ramzaq]

Posted this a while back on another forum. This is for the blend door motor or when the only position air blows out is on the floor. Some dealers will not fix this under K-17 once it already has been done, some will. Normally if you hear a clicking or thumping the gears are stripped out.

For those out of warranty and like to fix your own things, here is a quick guide for that clicking noise.

Chances are it is only the motor that is bad if it is clicking or thumping.
Not very hard to fix really. I think most of these cases are the motor gears stripping and not the doors themselves.

If you know how to take the center stack bezel around the radio off you are halfway there. Don't forget about the screw over the 115V out let. Take the bezel off then the two side 12V acc. plugs. Remove the ring bezel around the cup holder if equipped, also remove the cup holder.

The culprit is the lower center motor, unplug remove two screws and remove.
If the gears are stripped you can position the big gear 180 out from the smaller gear. The door only travels about 120 degrees so won't hit the stripped part.

Reassemble and you should be good to go. 1 to 2 hours of your time. If you want to get a new motor it is about $40 from Chrysler.

Hopefully this is the extent of your problem.

 

[Smith556]

Thanks Ramzaq, I hope mine will be that easy! What is the name of the device that the actuators actually connect to? And, would an actuator make a very loud pop like mine? It is definitely not a tick. Also, my dash is nearly identical to the one in the pics save the radio being different.

 

[Ramzaq]

Some make ticking noises because of the stripped gears, mine made a very audible "thump" noise as the door was lifted and then dropped on the stripped teeth. It would do this for about 10 seconds stop and sometimes do it again for another 10. It is pretty loud. I don't know the actual name but it is some kind of lift pawl connected to a door inside the unit. There have been very rare instances were these have broken.

All the single zone units are all the same from 2009 to 2012, the dual zone units are slightly different.

 

[Smith556]

Well I am taking it to the dealer in the morning. I will post back with the actual results and diagnosis for the forum. I would do this myself, but the dealer obviously will warrant the parts and labor to me for 1 yr. Then again it is my understanding that there are 4 actuators and 2 of them are more difficult to get to, which would be my luck with such things. Regardless, thanks for the tips. I'll post back with the damage.

 

[Smith556]

And the verdict is.....covered under K17. I know they had one actuator on hand reserved for me, but they had to order another part in addition to that. I'll assume the possibility of another additional actuator. Truck is scheduled to go back in Tuesday for complete repair under the K17 bulletin. Which actuator(s) are in need of repair? I don't know yet. Regardless, I think it a score considering I bought the truck used. They just put a new gear set in the rear end of this truck after the M34 recall was done and then the pinion bearing began to sing anyway. Perhaps my prior worries of past stealerships has biased me to the side of caution. However, maybe it's just that for the first time I'm actually getting my monies worth in a vehicle. It's note worthy for future readers to research this bulletin if they have a loud "Pop, Pop, Pop" from there dash and the A/C or heat is involved.
I'll post back with the complete parts order and labor associated when I get my truck back Tuesday.