1996 Buick Park Ave, V6 3.8L Automatic: Air flow from different vent levels

FISHHUNT301

MEMBER
1996 BUICK PARK AVENUE
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
118,000 MILES

This has electronic switches that change the vents that the air is flowing from. It will only switch from defrost to the floor vents. It will not switch to air flow through the dash vents. If you try to switch it to the dash vents it will start to flow from the defrost vents. This happens if you push the vent button and it happens if you use the "air flow" button. I have seen a couple mechnics already and no one seems to be able to pin point what controls the vent levels that air is flowing from. The attached picture is what my climate control center looks like.

Image (Click to make bigger)

4 Replies

DOCFIXIT

MECHANIC
18,828 POSTS

Recomend taking to Dealer they have equipment to diagnose. System selfdiagnostic and a scan will display fault

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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 6:16 PM

FISHHUNT301

MEMBER
2 POSTS

Thank you for your reply however that is not an answer to the problem. I know to take it to the dealership. I am on this website to see if any knows the possible answer before going to the dealership.

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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 6:22 PM

DOCFIXIT

MECHANIC
18,828 POSTS

Maybe programer, Mode selector, acctuator or vacuum

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Thursday, June 9th, 2011 AT 6:37 PM

BILLIE SHERROD

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1 POST

We had a very similar problem w/ our 1996 Park Avenue w/ about 110,000 miles. The airflow would come out the "wrong holes" for the button we pushed. After about 1 1/2 to 2 years of frustration, I logged every airflow response for every button pushed. An additional complication was that when we accelerated, the airflow would change all by itself. This lead the dealership (Stutzman Chevrolet, Winchester, VA)to check the vacuum harness underneath the inside dash and they discovered it was crimped, thereby "leaking" vacuum pressure, which changed the a/c airflow! Our problem was not an electronic circuit board or computer chip. It was the crimped vacuum harness under the dash. Billie

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Friday, June 24th, 2011 AT 10:16 PM