So today I changed my 2 cabin air filters...shame. They were original Nissans (though they could have been replaced before with OEM). There was so much leaves and trash in there, I had to vacuum it out.

While I was at it, I said oh let me see if I can find the blend door since I have no temperature control function. I found it, started undoing some bolts...But now I'm confused if I'm even doing the right thing. I've been reading all over the FSManual, but it's just too technical. I'm thinking, if my blend door motor is out (at the suggestion of a member here, thankyou), shouldn't I hear something or see some sort of movment at all?

I've just never had a stuck blend door motor before. I'm still wondering if that little wire on the drivers side fender inside the engine, has something to do with it not working. The book keeps referring to the temperature control sending signal to the auto amp. When I look at the wire ground on the side of the engine, it says auto amp...but that could be for something else.

But then I'm thinking...if that was a major bolt...I wouldn't have any climate control function. And so far I have all functions except temperature change. So I stopped for now, trying to find a replacement blend door though.

With the motor removed does the mix door move freely by hand? Have you bench tested the motor to see if it operates in both directions with jumpers from a battery?

mac , yeah at least that test not exactly "Rocket science" they got a little "worm-gear mechanism and I took my motor apart (easy) and found that in over 106 deg. heat a plastic gear sort of "swelled" and almost seized - it took the right size drill-bit & ratail file and lithium grease and got it working like new.

Let us know if you get anywhere with the blend door motor repair. I have no heat and no ac temperature adjustment. The dash control diagnostic says the blend door motor is bad along with some other motor (forget which one). I thought the dash had to be torn apart to get at those motors. But you seem to be saying you can get at them without tearing the dash apart.

Hey, hey, hey..Great news! I have heat!! It was my motor, but I didn't have to buy a new one: $0 spent.

So despite finding the blend door motor replacement on infiniti parts (had no luck finding it elsewhere), I decided before I go plopping down money or more s***...to see if I could atleast remove the motor from the attachments and see what it's doing.

No tearing of the dash required. The FSM shows where it's at, but even that was too technical. All you have to do is remove the lower instrument panel which is that part under the steering wheel. 2 bolts for the brake release and 2 bolts for the hood release and 2 other screw bolts, and it pops out. you can actually even see the whole mechanism without removing that, it's sitting right there to the right of the gas pedal.

It took me awhile to get it off because it's in a tight spot. Well here is the kicker: I could have probably avoided all of that. Once I cleaned up the mechanism joints, I should have just unplugged and replugged the motor (though it's hard to do with it on). With the motor off I turned the dial and sure enough it was rotating. Then I played around with the mechanism it's attached to and made sure I could hear a door opening and closing (sounds like a fireplace damper)

My conclusion is: Being there was gunk and crap all over the mechanism (just like the cabin filter area was filled with leaves and crap). The motor likely went into a permanent state of disarm because even after I cleaned the mechanism, it wouldn't turn. Once I cleaned and unplugged, it worked as usual.

So yeah, clean your cabin air filter and your blend door mechanisms...unplugged, and should be good to go.

Good on you!

I took off the trim piece under the steering wheel to have a look. I did not see as much debris as 98Q45, but the linkages that move the doors were pretty dirty and gunky. I cleaned them in place as best I could with a rag and some WD40. I started the car and moved the AC temp dial all the way up to 85 to see if anything would move, but I got no movement. However, I have not tried to unplug and replug the motor as 98Q45 had done. I have a feeling that my motor is actually dead.

I also see a second motor in the gas pedal area that drives a linkage that heads toward the passenger side. For some reason I can't open the FSM to see what that motor does. I am getting a message that says I am forbidden.

I looked online and I can't find any of these motors for sale for the second gen Q. I see third gen motors on ebay for $45 per motor. Does anybody know if the third gen motors will work with the second gen HVAC system?

my12by60 wrote: ↑

Wed Mar 14, 2018 9:13 am

I took off the trim piece under the steering wheel to have a look. I did not see as much debris as 98Q45, but the linkages that move the doors were pretty dirty and gunky. I cleaned them in place as best I could with a rag and some WD40. I started the car and moved the AC temp dial all the way up to 85 to see if anything would move, but I got no movement. However, I have not tried to unplug and replug the motor as 98Q45 had done. I have a feeling that my motor is actually dead.

I also see a second motor in the gas pedal area that drives a linkage that heads toward the passenger side. For some reason I can't open the FSM to see what that motor does. I am getting a message that says I am forbidden.

I looked online and I can't find any of these motors for sale for the second gen Q. I see third gen motors on ebay for $45 per motor. Does anybody know if the third gen motors will work with the second gen HVAC system?

I should probably mention: you may just want to go ahead and remove the motor off the links, and move the links by hand just to free things up. Even a little bit of 20 year old crud can prevent it from turning. You can’t turn the motor arms by hand, that’s why it’s better to take it off the links (leave the plastic arms on the motor as that’ll turn when you move your dial if it’s still alive). Also if you look further under the center of the dash along the link...there’s another hinge. Clean that one too.

As for the other motors, don’t worry about those. Those are either for bi-level doors or the intake/recirculate door. So if you can change your air from floor to vent, you should be good.

Other hint: when you get the motor off, if it is working...turn the dial to 65 degrees. That’ll give easier access, and help it reset. The hinges will already be in place, as you wont mess it up because it’ll only fit to the position it’s set. It’ll move around a bit and then adjust itself.

I’d say try that first before even buying a motor, as it’ll be easier. I honestly thought mine was dead too because I bought it that way.

....btw I don’t know for sure if the 2000 is configures exactly the same under the dash, so that other motor with a linkage going to the passenger side may be something else. I just know I only had 1 motor connected to the visible links.

My model is q45 before November 98...so I don’t want to get hopes up. But, nonetheless...it’s likely the same concept.

Well, just as I thought I was getting away with a free self-repair...the blend door motor stopped working again after a few days. Just be sure, I lubed it up and unplugged it again (without unscrewing anything)...and it worked again: for 5 miles. Now it’s stuck in hot. Which is okay for this time of year, but not in Florida.

Fortunately, it’s easy enough to reach under there and manually move things around...but I’m just gonna end up buying a new one on infinitipartsdeals for $80.

What makes it even worse, cross referencing the part with the available junkyard cars seems to show I can’t just pull it off a 99 or 2000. I have a 98 California speck, and the blend doors all have different part #.

That said...I haven’t actually looked at how the blend motor is situated on 99 models. And unfortunately the nearest place is 60 miles away. I don’t want to risk driving that far for a non-fitting or equally worn motor.

Now I see why some mechanics just change out parts even when they seem to be working fine even after some adjustments lol.

The two motors that I was working on by the gas pedal in my 2000 AE looked almost identical -- a black rectangular box with a tab for screw mounting at each corner of the rectangle. It made me wonder if these motors are compatible across model years and possibly even across Nissan models. If that were the case, then it would be easy to find replacements.

my12by60 wrote: ↑

Thu Mar 22, 2018 7:25 am

The two motors that I was working on by the gas pedal in my 2000 AE looked almost identical -- a black rectangular box with a tab for screw mounting at each corner of the rectangle. It made me wonder if these motors are compatible across model years and possibly even across Nissan models. If that were the case, then it would be easy to find replacements.

I had did a cross reference on a 2000 model which was at the yard 60 miles away (that's what I meant to say, is that the nearest q45 in salvage is 60 miles away).

When I crossed it with my model, it said not a fit...if it wasn't a California emissions model design. Considering I'm further out east now, I don't know if the one at the yard would have been a cali spec or not.

If it was closer, I'd of definitely just went to look and see. As simple as the part is though, I'm not looking forward to sitting on the ground, and pinching my hands to get to the silly thing again. So I'm going new this time.

Yes, the work location to get at those two motors requires that you attend a yoga class beforehand to limber up. At least they are accessible without tearing the dash apart. But still, I don't blame you for buying new. I don't know how one would test a take-off blend door motor at a scrap yard to make sure it was working.