What would you guys do here?

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

So this a bit conspiracy theory level right now but I'm not sure what else to think and frankly pisses me off.

Back on May 12th I had taken my Tahoe to a local shop for some work to be done, one of the things being the AC to be charged since it wasn't working and I suspected a leak. No leak was found at the time so the system was charged and sent on my way. The charge ended up lasting about 2 weeks which seemingly turned out to be the condenser. I got it swapped and charged the system and all seems to be functional. My rear blower hadn't been functioning since about that time for whatever reason. I traced it to the ground circuit for the rear control module (auto climate control) and got that working today. Now I find out today that I have no temperature control at the back. I connect my diagnostic tool and I have a B0434 fault code which is related to the temperature blend door. I go to look at the actuator but it's not there. And there a drywall screw holding the end of the door sticking through the case. Where is my actuator? I know when I took my vehicle to this shop in the spring that system was functional. I used it through the winter. Do I go back there now wondering what the hell is going on?

 

[mountie]

So this a bit conspiracy theory level right now but I'm not sure what else to think and frankly pisses me off.

Back on May 12th I had taken my Tahoe to a local shop for some work to be done, one of the things being the AC to be charged since it wasn't working and I suspected a leak. No leak was found at the time so the system was charged and sent on my way. The charge ended up lasting about 2 weeks which seemingly turned out to be the condenser. I got it swapped and charged the system and all seems to be functional. My rear blower hadn't been functioning since about that time for whatever reason. I traced it to the ground circuit for the rear control module (auto climate control) and got that working today. Now I find out today that I have no temperature control at the back. I connect my diagnostic tool and I have a B0434 fault code which is related to the temperature blend door. I go to look at the actuator but it's not there. And there a drywall screw holding the end of the door sticking through the case. Where the is my actuator? I know when I took my vehicle to this shop in the spring that system was functional. I used it through the winter. Do I go back there now wondering what the hell is going on?

That is odd……. Unfortunately, you probably, don’t have a before/after picture of that area…...
Be ’nice’ to your mechanic,….. Let him ASSUME, you knew the actuator was there,….. and ask him,..
“ What's the story about my actuator” ??
See what his reply is…..

One thought…… have you ever used the rear system, with it set to heater?? Maybe it was missing already…..
( Did you buy your Tahoe new ?? )
Look closely, at those 3 screws…… is there dust on the 3 screws, the same as the other screws, evidence, they have been recently turned?

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@mountie I had the trim panels out after I had bought it because I redid the headliner (bought in 2022). It sat at my parents place for about a year while I did work on it. I'll have to look and see if I have pictures of that area but I doubt I do.

I used the heat back there the last two winters so far I've had the vehicle and the AC the summer before last summer.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

Here's some other pictures of it now.

 

[mountie]

Here's some other pictures of it now.

Photo three….. someone had their fingers on the plastic next to the 3 screws….If your “mechanic” had access to the rear, WHY IN THE HELL WOULD HE LEAVE IT LIKE THAT, AND NOT TAKE CARE OF THAT, AND ALSO NOT TELL YOU???

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

Yea something smells bad. I'm fighting the urge right now to just go pick up the part I need and fix it myself vs leaving everything as is and going in there tomorrow to talk to the owner.

 

[Tonyrodz]

Just another reason why I don't trust "mechanics" to work on my vehicles. Or anyone else.

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@Tonyrodz I tend to my own work too except for tires or if some other job comes up that I don't want to do. But in this case I just hadn't had time to mess with it and figured just pay to have the AC done so I didn't have to worry about it. Now wishing I had just done it myself.

 

[mountie]

Just another reason why I don't trust "mechanics" to work on my vehicles. Or anyone else.

I am so fortunate, I have an honest & smart mechanic……. and fair on his rate. ( not cheap, but fair)

 

[Doubeleive]

So this a bit conspiracy theory level right now but I'm not sure what else to think and frankly pisses me off.

Back on May 12th I had taken my Tahoe to a local shop for some work to be done, one of the things being the AC to be charged since it wasn't working and I suspected a leak. No leak was found at the time so the system was charged and sent on my way. The charge ended up lasting about 2 weeks which seemingly turned out to be the condenser. I got it swapped and charged the system and all seems to be functional. My rear blower hadn't been functioning since about that time for whatever reason. I traced it to the ground circuit for the rear control module (auto climate control) and got that working today. Now I find out today that I have no temperature control at the back. I connect my diagnostic tool and I have a B0434 fault code which is related to the temperature blend door. I go to look at the actuator but it's not there. And there a drywall screw holding the end of the door sticking through the case. Where is my actuator? I know when I took my vehicle to this shop in the spring that system was functional. I used it through the winter. Do I go back there now wondering what the hell is going on?

1st question
are you the original owner? (this not clarified)
if not have you ever opened that cover before and looked inside the same area?
if not and if the ac was not working previously and if the blend door/actuator was already missing then it would have worked fine thru winter because all it would make is heat and the blend door/actuator would do nothing to change it. (no ac so no cold air function) all you would have is heat no matter what.

 

[mountie]

1st question
are you the original owner? (this not clarified)
if not have you ever opened that cover before and looked inside the same area?
if not and if the ac was not working previously and if the blend door/actuator was already missing then it would have worked fine thru winter because all it would make is heat and the blend door/actuator would do nothing to change it. (no ac so no cold air function) all you would have is heat no matter what.

Kenobi said he is not the original owner….. also said, both heat & cooling was operating…..
I believe he had that panel opened before,…… maybe he can’t confirm if that screw was there or not…..

But same issue is….. what was going on with his mechanic, this time around??

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@Doubeleive I am not the original owner. I bought the vehicle back in 2022. I have had the interior panels out before but never had any repairs in that area I need to do until now. I had charged the AC in the past myself and had it working back there the first summer I was driving (that would have been 2023. It wasn't working last summer). The heat was also working and I've used it each winter I had been driving it. I checked last night and I have no heat there now.

 

[mountie]

@Doubeleive I am not the original owner. I bought the vehicle back in 2022. I have had the interior panels out before but never had any repairs in that area I need to do until now. I had charged the AC in the past myself and had it working back there the first summer I was driving (that would have been 2023. It wasn't working last summer). The heat was also working and I've used it each winter I had been driving it. I checked last night and I have no heat there now.

Apparently, your actuator is ‘manually adjusted’ at the moment….
Fortunately, that part is around $45 bucks. Do NOT buy at a dealer….. they wanted to charge me $145.00. !!

 

[mountie]

Not all mechanics are ‘car guys’…….. many are just “parts installers”…..

( PepBoys as an example )

 

[Doubeleive]

I would just hit the junkyard and grab one, take out the screw, clean up the plastic bits a little and install a actuator from the junkyard and call it a wash.
no telling what happened previously, where or when.
and without proof your just barking up a tree
if you "feel" it was said shop, then leave A BAD REVIEW and never go back.

 

[Doubeleive]

some battles are worth fighting and some are not worth the stress, stress takes YEARS off of your life. what's that worth?
that's all I can add

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@Doubeleive I see where you're coming from and yea part of me wonders if it's worth getting into. It's a fairy inexpensive part as mountie states. But aside from Pomps no one has ever worked on it. The mechanic could have been in the area when he was doing a leak inspection. He had told me went around the entire system with a sniffer.

 

[mountie]

some battles are worth fighting and some are not worth the stress, stress takes YEARS off of your life. what's that worth?
that's all I can add

True……. But a simple question to the shop, may be an easy resolution….. … Then leave , or let them correct it at their cost.
I have seen, a shop, has a lazy employee, and the owner was unaware. ??

 

[Doubeleive]

@Doubeleive I see where you're coming from and yea part of me wonders if it's worth getting into. It's a fairy inexpensive part as mountie states. But aside from Pomps no one has ever worked on it. The mechanic could have been in the area when he was doing a leak inspection. He had told me went around the entire system with a sniffer.

well I guess you could take it over there with the cover off, ask for the manager to come over and pop the rear hatch and say WTF? that may or may not get you something....
when they say I don't know? then say well I was told the mechanic went over the whole system, why was this not brought to my attention? or noted on the paperwork, I mean this is a recommended repair is it not? something that would bring you money in right? so??????
just bypass the mechanic, all they will do is play dumb

 

[Jobi-Wan Kenobi]

@Doubeleive the mechanic had told me too that after he charged it everything working and the AC was nice and cold. I noticed later that the rear blower wasn't working and had wondered at the time of he didn't turn it on back there or it wasn't working and he didn't say anything. But I didn't think you could fully test the system unless everything was functional. But to your point the AC can't be tested there if the actuator isn't there.

And yea nothing was mentioned about it "missing" or noted on the workorder.