GMC Envoy Climate Control Problems [5 Common Issues & Fixes]

In this post, you’ll learn the common climate control problems in GMC Envoy and how to go about them. Sounds like you? Then keep reading!

Table of Contents

GMC Envoy Climate Control Problems

1. Temperature reads wrongly

The fastest way to tell if your GMC Envoy climate control has problems is if it doesn’t read your car temperature correctly. For instance, the climate control system may display the temperature in your car as 60°C, no matter how many changes you make.

An incorrect temperature reading is often caused by a bad ambient temperature sensor. This is because this sensor handles temperature readings in the car.

You’ll need to change your ambient temperature sensor to get correct readings on your climate control module. This is located behind the radiator support bracket on the top rail of your GMC Envoy car.

Look towards the center of your top rail to find the radiator support bracket.

2. AC doesn’t blow air through the front vents

If your AC doesn’t blow air from the front vents, your climate control system is faulty. This problem often occurs because your mode door actuator is jammed.

Your mode door actuator controls the airflow from the vents. This actuator works by opening and blocking different vents so that air only passes through one vent at a time.

Inside the mode door actuator is a plastic gear motor that rotates to open and close the mode door actuator over each vent. As time passes, the gears may weaken and eventually break. Because your mode door actuator can’t move without the gears, it will remain stuck in one position.

In this case, the plastic gear motor might have broken when your mode door actuator was blocking the front vents. That’s why you can’t get any air through them.

You can fix this issue by changing your mode door actuator. This actuator is located in the top left area of your climate control case.

3. AC blowing warm air on driver’s side

Another way to detect a problematic climate control system is when the AC blows warm air through the driver’s side. This problem may occur because your door actuators, which control the direction and temperature of the air flowing from the vents, are malfunctioning.

You can fix the functional issues in your door actuators by recalibrating them.

Here’s how to recalibrate your door actuators:

Press the Auto button on your climate control system.
Look for a fuse box under the seat behind the driver’s seat.
Remove the HVAC1 and HVAC2 fuses from the fuse box.
Then, wait for 60 seconds.
Now, re-insert both fuses.
Turn your ignition to ACC, but don’t start the engine yet.
Wait until you hear the actuators moving.
Once the actuators are moving, start your car.

After starting your car, turn on the AC and wait for it to start blowing. If the AC is still blowing warm air on the driver’s side, change your driver’s side blend door actuator.

You only need to change your driver’s side blend door actuator since it’s responsible for controlling the temperature of air from the vents. Since you are only facing a temperature issue, other door actuators might still be in good condition.

Your driver’s side blend door actuator is located under the driver’s side dashboard. Search for the actuator above the throttle pedal.

4. Front blower doesn’t work

If the front blower in your GMC Envoy isn’t working, your climate control has a problem. Nevertheless, your rear blower might still be working properly.

Your front blower may stop working because your blower control module is bad.

Your blower control module, or blower resistor, provides the electrical current that your blowers need to work. That said, a faulty blower resistor may stop sending current to one or both of the blowers. As a result, the affected blower won’t be able to work.

In this case, your blower control module may have stopped providing electrical current to your front blower.

To resolve this problem, you’ll need to change your blower resistor.

Since GMC offers blower resistors in different part numbers, you might be confused about which one to select. We recommend using part number #89018788 for your Envoy truck.

5. AC blows warm air

You can tell that your GMC Envoy climate control system is faulty if the AC keeps blowing warm air. Usually, the AC blows warm air when it doesn’t contain enough refrigerant.

The air in your AC is originally warm. But your air conditioner uses the refrigerant to convert the warm air into cool air before releasing it into your car. So, if your AC lacks sufficient refrigerant, it may not be able to produce cold air.

You can fix this issue by recharging your AC compressor with the R134a refrigerant.

But first, you might want to confirm that your AC has low refrigerant levels. To do this, you’ll need to measure the pressure in your compressor with a manifold AC gauge set. If the device can’t find any pressure in the compressor, recharge your AC.

However, if your AC gauge detects some pressure in your compressor, you might still have a good quantity of refrigerant in the system. This means that another culprit is responsible for the issue.

If your compressor clutch air gap is too large, it may cause your AC to blow warm air.

Your compressor clutch contains two parts: an electromagnet and a rotating assembly. The rotating assembly consists of a pulley and a shaft, which are attached to each other. The contact between the pulley and shaft provides the mechanical force your AC compressor needs to function.

When you turn on your AC, the electromagnet sends a signal to your rotating assembly, which causes the pulley and shaft to move faster. This activates your compressor.

Between the rotating assembly and the electromagnet is an air gap. This gap prevents the electromagnet from touching the assembly when your AC is off.

However, if the air gap is too large, your electromagnet may not be able to send the signal to your rotating assembly. So, the rotating assembly will not engage.

This means that your compressor won’t be able to collect refrigerant for cooling, thus leaving the air in your AC warm. As a result, your AC will be left with no choice but to release hot air into your car.

To eliminate this issue, you’ll need to reduce the air gap in your clutch.

Before you adjust your compressor clutch air gap, confirm that the gap is too wide. You’ll find the right specification for the clutch air gap in your GMC Envoy user manual. Use a feeler gauge to check if your compressor clutch air gap is more than the specified air gap.

If the gap is too wide, match it to the specification in your user manual.

Once you re-insert the adjusted compressor clutch into your van, your AC should start blowing cool air.

But if the AC is still blowing warm air, the compressor clutch might be broken. Change your compressor clutch to resolve this problem.

However, if the problem persists after a compressor clutch replacement, your condenser might be leaky. Check the condenser for a leak and replace the part if you notice that it is leaking. You may also need to take a look at the rubber hoses in your AC.

GMC Envoy Models with the Most Climate Control Problems

The following GMC Envoy models have the highest number of climate control problems:

2002 GMC Envoy
2004 GMC Envoy
2005 GMC Envoy

According to carcomplaints.com, the GMC Envoy model with the most climate control problems is the 2004 GMC Envoy. While most Envoy models rarely received a complaint about climate control issues, the 2004 Envoy garnered about eight reports of AC/heater-related issues.

Following closely behind the 2004 model is the 2005 GMC Envoy, which got six negative reports about its climate control system from its users. The 2002 GMC Envoy also made this list, as five drivers complained about AC/heater issues in the vehicle.

GMC Envoy Models with the Least Climate Control Problems

Here are the GMC Envoy models with the least climate control problems:

2007 GMC Envoy
2008 GMC Envoy
2009 GMC Envoy

Carcomplaints.com stated that the 2007-2009 GMC Envoy models didn’t get any reports about climate control problems.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix GMC Envoy Climate Control Problems?

Fixing a typical climate control problem in a GMC Envoy costs between $249 – $737.

Tips to Prevent GMC Envoy Climate Control Problems

Maintain your AC regularly.
Wash your vehicle daily to reduce rust.
Fix performance issues as soon as they appear.
Don’t park your car in areas without a shade.
Change your air filters every month.

Related Resources:

Wrapping Up

Now that you know how to fix the climate control problems in your GMC Envoy, you can start resolving them. But if you experience an issue that we haven’t noted here, contact your dealer.