I want to thank everyone for the feedback and im glad i was able to help so many of you with this issue. At this point in time (as of 2017) we have gotten rid of the Equinox so there is no more videos of the vehicle itself. I did replace the exhaust manifold due to it splitting in two pieces (again no GM parts coverage), and it did begin to jump time due to the timing chain tensioner failing (another common issue with the 2.4). The body control module was failing and the AC compressor failed. Ive never liked GM and the reputation ive acquired with them from a tow truck drivers perspective aswell as my own has made me see how far down they've fallen from the muscle car days... Simply stating BUYER BEWARE! Hopefully you all have better luck than i have with GM and hopefully my future videos will help you again with other vehicles once i start posting again.

TIP: I never heard the tapping, but it was the blend door actuator. After watching many videos (getting no help)I ran across yours. I removed the actuator, used pliers to open the door, opened the actuator turned it to the open position ,put the actuator back together, reinstalled it. Now I have heat. The hole process took less than 30 minutes. When I need the ac I will be purchasing a new actuator. Thank you so much for your video. My mechanic wanted 300 dollars to replace it. Now I can do it myself, thanks to you.

Thank you for sharing! This "tapping" sound and no heat are the exact symptoms i am experiencing with my equinox.

Thank you so much, I heard this noise but didn't mention it to my shop. They thought I had a blown head gasket, causing combustion gases to mix with coolant, and that was why my heat wasn't working. I wanted to make sure the heater core wasn't the issue, your video helped me find the issue two shops missed. I was able to accomplish this repair in a few hours in the dark.

Awesome video man. Really appreciate it. I followed your video and it worked like a charm for my 2011 Equinox.

Thank you kindly, you helped me fix my 2015 equinox this way. The dealer wanted $2500 to fix my heat after they charged me $$500 plus labor for a new thermostat I didn’t need!

Thank you for the video, it was very helpful. I have a GMC Terrain with the same problem and you just save me some money and time. Thank you again..

I opened up this actuator on my 2009 Equinox and there were teeth missing on the gears. Replaced it and now I have heat again. Thanks for the video.

Thaks for sharing your experience with us it actually was the problem I had too I replace thermostat and same experience as you😅

Wow i made it!!! That freaking Firestone ripped me off last time went back there they said wasnt the same problem they gave me diagnostics and that actuator is not even included in their diagnostics what a freaking thieves.. thank you so much i only spent $35 instead of hundreds of dollars again.. now i have to deal with the abs light😅

I hear the tapping and I'm facing a huge bill for it on Monday. will check this out. if it works God thank you. If it don't then at least thanks for the effort. Good video. Short sweet and to the point.

Thanks for your video, after watching, an hour later and replacing the blend door the heat works again. Couple weeks ago a guy charged me $300 to replace the thermostat because it sits on the bottom of the engine and had to refill the coolant. So, at least I have new coolant for my $300. I have a 2011 GMC terrain with 130,000 miles. Part was $38.51

Yeah, i changed that one a little over a year ago because of problems with my AC. Now, I have no heat, which someone at AAA mentioned that it may be that again. Im going to go get another and get my heat back on lol. Im glad i ran into your video! Thanks!

Thanks very much! VERY HELPFUL INFORMATION.

I have 2014 equinox and It gave me lots of problems.window regulator needs to be changed and actuator needs to be changed and before I hade problems with this GM car I will never buy it again and thanks for ur help I learned something from you sir

Thank you for the reply. It didn't come off on the old one. I'm wondering if I can remove that part of the dash to retrieve it.

Thank you so much. I needed this!

I now have heat. Thank you for this video.

Thanks for the tip I did the same as you fix this fix that check this and it was a a little motor

I know I'm late but thanks for the info and great video bud

You're the best ... I have the same problem .. I'm going to find a friend who knows English well ... mine is limited ... but you're right and Nadia had hit the problem with my car ... I have an Equinox 2010.

Awesome mine does the same thing well it did before now I dont hear it anymore plus dont have heat ..no that the weather is cold ima have to cheeck it out asap thanks for the info..👍🙏

@covertskyline thanks for this video i don’t have heat ether so i remplace the actuator today 8-18-2021 but still no heat in any vent you think it could be the thermostat on mine case or i just got a bad actuator i do not have any weird noises coming from the dash thank you in advanced

Thank you for telling me about Rockauto and this video you saved me lots of money!

Thanks man. You save me a money and a time

I purchased a new actuator, it’s working fine. However when I shut off the fan that door knob does not budge. You said you used a pair of pliers. I am afraid I might break something. Could not turn it with my hand it’s like stuck. What can I do. Any suggestions. Thx.

Best video yet

All the vents are working does not overheat. Just no hot air. The blend door m, the black knob not turning. Any ideas.

What if you can get heat only if set on front? When you change to defrost or floor it turns cold

What size actuator would my 08 chevy equinox need?? TIA

Thank you I just fixed it on my 2011

What if I'm not hearing that clicking noise? .. U think it may be the thermostat?

Hey una prwgunta y cuantos controles de estos que abren la Puerta tiene Las equinox 2015 la mia se ropio adonde va El control y Como puedo areglarla

Thanks Covert Skyline, I'm having the exact same problem on my 2011 Chevy Equinox. Hope to fix it this week and whenever the part comes in...if you hear that kinda loud tapping sound around the dash, you will know its a bad blend door actuator and the teeth are slipping in the gear and not working as it should. BTW, never heard of a blend door before when I started having this problem....I also replaced my thermostat thinking that would fix the problem...oh well.

What happens if the little black thing falls inside the hole?

Well jeez louise!!! That's it!!! Best video I've seen for solving this problem! This LTZ HAS HAD ONE PROBLEM AFTER ANOTHER and its ridiculous that Chevy gets $40,000 for vehicles that have one problem after another, I'd take my 2000 Jimmy any day of the week over this Equinox LTZ any day of the week and the Jimmy had alot more perks on it than this thing. I wont buy another equinox, and I should have stuck with the GMC anyway.

Thanks man!

hello brother. I have 2007 Pontiac torrent blowing lukewarm air so I changed the thermostat, water pump, coolant sensor, got it flush it and I only use the orange antifreeze my truck is not overheating at all but it's only blowing lukewarm air temperature air I had the heater cord changed few years back too. but the actuator doesn't make noises or sound like the one when you was tapping on the actuator. do you think it might be actually the actuator? because I spent way to much at this point.

My daughters AC is not blowing at all. Recently tried some electrical troubleshooting and replaced fuses, blower motor still not working...is this same component for AC??

They make a repair kit for the door when it fails my 2007 torrent was covered under a recall that was done in 2017. Apparently the door itself malfunctions so instead of tearing the dash apart they drill a hole with a clothes pin style actuator that goes on the door itself.

So I had the knocking sound and then replaced the actuator and all worked, now less then two years have passed and I am not getting hot air - just cold air.. do you think the actuator I installed is a bad one? Those parts are supposed to last!?

thanks

Hi, I changed the actuator but when I put the new one in. I did not see that black knob in the hole. I don't know if it fell down in or what. Any thoughts on how to get it out. Thanks

Can this also cause the ac not to blow anything at all, i have this prob on my 2010 chevy equinox today but blower does turn on just no air coming from vents

Thnx yu!!

So could a weak actuator cause the air to blow cold only, and the heat to not work? I'm having that problem currently, it looks like something I can replace myself.

I changed that actuator last year on my 2011 GMC Terrain because the front vents stopped working. Now I have no heat and in the terrains im pretty sure there are 2 more, one on the driver and one in the centre. Would anyone know which one would control the heat?

Hey guys I wanted to ask to see if it is this. The other day the heater was working just fine and then i was driving and then it threw cold air all of sudden in the front driver and passenger side and back of the truck. No matter how high or low the setting was it still blew cold air. Would you think that my actuator went bad?

Also to all that hear the tapping this is the correct remedy im just saying the replacement doesnt last

Had this issue i replaced the actuator now a year later have the same problem, blend door works fine, all mode functions work correctly i have intermediate heat, blower wrks fine, no over heating issue

thnx

You were lucky it was just the actuator. A lot of the actuators were turning past their stop point and breaking the blend door requiring removal of the while dash to fix.

explain? are you saying the problem you have here is that your Vents blow, you can change from floor to in your face to defrost the front windshiled, that knob works. and the vents blow but no heat ? or are You saying that the air does not blow through the vents. I have air, I have no knocking, I do not have heat. it's just all of the sudden not working. I replaced the thermostat about 2 years ago, also the sensor, It was stuck OPEN but I still had heat when it warm up a Bit, it just took forever and never really got that hot because the fans were on and it was 25 degrees outside so the engine was never warming all the way up even if I let it sit idle. now I have no HEAT, blows fine, like the best a/c available. I burped the system for air bubbles, added coolant to make sure its 100% and still no heat, just cold blowing like crazy. The temp gauge is just under 1/2 pretty much all the time.

What does it mean when the pipes are freezing up and no heat is working it come on when it wants to

replaced ECT, thermostat, water pump and purged air from the system and still overheating. i noticed that no hot air blowing from dash but A/C ok. would a faulty actuator cause overheating alongside no heat from the dash? Thank you

Is this driver side or passenger?

What’s the name of that part please and thanks

Can also be a broken blend door....not a fun fix

That actuator looks like mine. Has the black burn mark around it

Where is ur thermostat located

U can see how weak it is while it's turning clicking go to Napa everyone else parts are weak it's a common problem all vehicles mostly American

My 2011 equinox is the biggest pile of garbage I’ve ever owned, and I’ve owned lots of garbage. It started turning to shit at about 55k miles.

Ok everyone needs to know i have changed that 3 times ,,but when you shut the car off stay in it for 10 mins the blend door will always close anyway then in the morning sometimes it will work sometimes not. I have at a stop sign turn my car on n off ant the heat will start blowing . I have heard from many DOORMAN brand sucks.. which is what all the auto part stores sell . Again this is my 3rd one it will only work a short time. N fail again . Has anyone had any other actuators fail?? . The blend door is the one that fixed it heat but always not for long. UPDATE I ORDERED AND FOUND GENUINE GM ACTUATOR ONLINE AND SO FAR IT WORKS AGAIN. THE AUTO PART STORES ONLY CARRY DOORMAN JUNK THAT FAILS

Funny how theyre suppose to "better" their shit every year specially if its the same generation. Well I have the same issue in a 2017, the last model for this generation.

My equinox is garbage. It burns about 3 quarts of oil every 1500-2000 mile. I noticed that at around 86,000 miles. I will never own another equinox. They are garbage

Sucks on an 06 you have to remove the entire dash ..this is bullshit I just need fucking heat in my mother's car. Blend door was done least year and now I'm back chasing utube vids again fuuuuuck