1997 Blazer Blend Door Issue / Glove Box Removal
 

1997 Blazer that the controls that move air flow is stuck and I need to replace the glove boxbut I'm stuck. Has a "Relay Access" and all visible screws are out...... I need to get to the blend door. Any help???

Just did this today actually.....I took everything apart only to find out.....there was nothing wrong with what was in the dash. Check your vacuum hoses on the driver side rear of the brake system. Mine had pulled out of the vacuum reservoir and cracked at the line that controls the door system. You'll see a t there. Make sure the hoses are good and connected. If you hand/fingers turn black when you touch them, replace them. I bought 2ft from AZ last night to have extra and it was $3.

That might be what my issue is as well. When taking off the upper plenum, the small hose that goes to the fitting with the PCV elbow was broken and just turned to powder when I touched it. That's line seems to go back between the brake booster and the firewall somewhere, and I think it might be the one for the interior vacuum actuators.

Returning to the blend door actuator issue, here is a video showing the whole procedure on a 1998 Blazer.


If you don't have a flexible wrench (at least similar to the flex ratchet shown in that video), you need a double jointed wrist and a rubber forearm to get in there with a more conventional wrench.

The procedure is the same, no matter which system you have.

The only difference between the "automatic temperature control" system and the manual control system is the control head and the actuator. All the other parts, the HVAC case, the evaporator, the heater core and all the valves, doors and flaps are the same. The actuator is in the same place, on top of the HVAC case, held by the same screws.

To remove the glove box, remove the glove box door hinge screws and the little support cables, take off the door, then remove the screws on either side of the glove box. I honestly don't remember if there's another screw or two in back, but it will be fairly obvious. Once all the screws are out, pull the glove box out. That part is so simple and obvious, it's not really documented anywhere in the factory service information (or Chilton or any other repair manuals).

Yes, remove the screws and figure out how to take the glove box out of your way. If you can't remove a glove box, take it to the stealership and let another person do it for you.

People come on these sites FOR HELP.....
02-22-2009, 02:16 PM Thread Starter monette999
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Join Date: May 2008
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Re: Heater core blow up on 97 blazer, how to remove dashboard
Hello is this the correct procedure for a 1997 blazer heater core change.

What are snap on vent

· first remove speaker panels top of dash, then remove screws underneath.

· remove snap on vent on top of dash remove those screws also.

· take off all plastic covers at floor under dash.

· there are two bolts one on each side under sides of dash, remove them.

· now the steering column bolts are I think 5/8 you will have to remove these there are two of these.

· now when you take these off the dash will lower.

· under the R/S and L/S of dash you will see where the dash sits on hangers lift off both sides

· and you should be able to get to the heater core cover,

· remove cover and you will see core, there will be two core holder clips over the core.

· remove these, make sure hoses under hood are off heater core pipes or the core cannot pull out.

I also have found this..... 95-96 dash removel - S-10 Forum I know mine is a 97 BUT it looks the same.

For anyone who finds this in a search and wanders in here, here's some additional information.

The procedure @TheDevilsDaddy gives for removing/replacing the heater core is substantially correct for removing/replacing the heater core.

If you look in the factory service manual, the procedure for the temperature control actuator and the mode control actuator is also very similar. The factory shop manual says to remove/swing out the entire dash. When these vehicles were new, GM paid dealer techs for over 5 hours of labor to replace the actuator under warranty. Many techs love this job, because you could take out the glove box and do the job in under 30 minutes, but get paid for over 5 hours.

GM eventually figured this out and issued a "service bulletin" with revised repair information and revised payment for warranty service for these actuator parts. Instead of paying 5+ hours, they would only pay for about a half hour after the TSB, and the procedure was revised to (I'm paraphrasing): Take out the glove box, access the actuator through there with an appropriate wrench.

So, while you can take out the entire dash to change the actuator(s), most technicians find it easier, quicker and more convenient to remove only the glove box and do the job that way. If you're a professional tech, you probably won't spend 5+ hours for a job where the customer will only pay for about a half hour of labor.

If you take it to a shop, and they quote you over 5 hours (sometimes over 10 hours) for this job and explain it with "We have to take out the whole dash," RUN AWAY!!!!

Even if the shop doubles GM's warranty schedule, one of the actuators should only be 0.8 hours, the other one 1.2 hours (warranty payment is 0.4 hours and 0.6 hours). I don't remember if it's the temperature actuator or the mode actuator that takes slightly longer.