Chevy Traverse Climate Control Problems [5 Issues Explained]

In this post, I’ve covered the common problems with Chevy Traverse Climate control system.

Before we get started, you want to know why your Chevy Traverse climate control may go bad.

Here are the common causes of climate control problems in a Chevy Traverse:

A broken blend door actuator.
A bad mode door actuator.
A faulty blower resistor.
A leaky low-pressure AC hose.

Table of Contents

Chevy Traverse Climate Control Problems

1. AC blows warm air on the passenger’s side

If your AC blows warm air on the passenger’s side, your climate control system might be faulty. You may experience this issue because your blend door actuator is broken. The blend door actuator controls the flow of air that moves through your car’s vents.

When you turn on your AC, the blend actuator is supposed to block the heater core to ensure that only cool air blows out. But because your blend door actuator is faulty, it may leave the heater core partially open. This will cause your AC to blow warm air on one side of the car, instead of cool air.

You can resolve this problem by replacing your blend door actuator. The blend door actuator is located on the passenger’s side of the dashboard. Remove your glove box to reveal this actuator.

2. Air only blows out of top vents

Another sign of a bad climate control in a Chevy Traverse is when air only blows out of the top vents. If you try to switch to other vents, they won’t blow air.

If your climate control system only blows air through the top vents, your mode door actuator might be broken. The mode door actuator controls the direction of airflow through your vents.

When you select a vent to blow air, the mode door actuator leaves the chosen vent open and blocks other vents. Once you switch to another vent, the actuator closes the current vent and opens up the new vent.

But since your mode door actuator is broken, it may remain stuck at its current position, thus failing to open up a new vent. This is why air flows through your top vent, but you can’t get any air through other vents.

To fix this issue, you’ll need to change your mode door actuator. Look for this actuator at the top left area of your climate control case.

3. Blower keeps running after engine is off

A common indicator of a Chevy Traverse climate control problem is that the blower keeps running after you’ve turned off your engine. The usual culprit for this issue is a bad blower resistor.

The blower resistor is the component that regulates the speed of your blower fan. When you turn off your engine, the blower resistor receives a signal from your climate control module to switch off the blower.

Because of the fault in your blower resistor, it might not identify the signal from the module. As such, your blower motor will keep running.

The quickest way to fix this issue is to change your blower resistor. You’ll find your blower resistor under your glove box.

4. AC control light blinks thrice before going off

If your AC control light blinks three times before going off, your climate control system may have a problem. This problem often occurs when you have a refrigerant leak.

Usually, a refrigerant leak occurs because your low-pressure AC hose is worn out. The function of this hose is to pump leftover refrigerant from a previous cooling process back into your AC compressor.

If all your refrigerant leaks out, your AC will blow hot air. This can make your vehicle uncomfortable, especially if you’re driving in the summer.

To avoid losing the comfort in your car, you must fix the refrigerant leak as soon as possible. You can stop the refrigerant in your AC from leaking by sealing the tear in the low-pressure hose.

The low-pressure AC hose is located in the engine compartment, just between the AC compressor and the evaporator.

5. Front vents blow hot air when AC is on

One popular climate control problem in Chevrolet Traverse cars is that the front vents blow hot air while the AC is on. In contrast, the rear vents may blow cool air, as they should.

This problem is caused by a faulty front blend door actuator. The front blend door actuator determines the temperature of air that your vents release.

When you turn on your AC, your front blend door actuator is supposed to set the front vents to blow cool air. But because your actuator is malfunctioning, it may cause the front vents to blow hot air instead.

You can resolve this problem by resetting your blend door actuator.

Here’s how to reset your blend door actuator:

Search for the fuse block under the passenger-side instrument panel.
Pull the HVAC fuse inside the fuse block.
Wait for 30 seconds. Then reinsert the fuse into the block.
Turn your car on, but don’t put the key in START.
Wait 2 minutes.

You can now start your car and turn on your AC.

If your front vents still blow hot air after the reset, you’ll need to replace your front blend door actuator.

You’ll find your front blend door actuator behind the lower panel on the passenger-side dashboard. Remove your glove box from the dashboard to reveal the actuator.

Chevy Traverse Models with the Most Climate Control Problems

The Chevrolet Traverse models with the most climate control problems are:

2010 Chevy Traverse
2011 Chevy Traverse
2012 Chevy Traverse
2015 Chevy Traverse

Reports from carcomplaints.com show that the 2010 Chevy Traverse is the most notorious Chevy Traverse model for climate control problems. This model got 23 complaints about climate control issues, which is at least nine more than any other Traverse car.

The 2011 Chevy Traverse takes the second spot on the list of Chevy Traverse models with the most problematic climate control systems. 14 users of the 2011 Chevy Traverse reported issues with their climate control systems.

Following closely behind the 2011 model are the 2012 and 2015 Chevy Traverse cars, which garnered 12 complaints each about climate control issues.

Chevy Traverse Models with the Least Climate Control Problems

2016 Chevy Traverse
2017 Chevy Traverse
2019 Chevy Traverse
2020 Chevy Traverse
2021 Chevy Traverse

Data from carcomplaints.com shows that none of these Chevy Traverse models received any reports about climate control problems from their users.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix Chevy Traverse Climate Control Problems?

You may need to pay between $424-$690 to fix a climate control problem in your Chevy Traverse. That said, fixing an issue yourself may cost less than paying a dealer or technician to do the repair.

Tips to Prevent Chevy Traverse Climate Control Problems

Change your air filters monthly.
Use recirculation cooling.
Wash your car every day.
Recharge your AC once a year.
Don’t forget to maintain your AC.

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Wrapping Up

Apply these tips to eliminate the climate control problems in your Chevy Traverse. If the problem persists after you’ve tried the recommended solution, contact your dealer.