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Center Vents Won't Blow

Discussion in 'Prius c Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by GregPriusC, Jul 30, 2021.

  1. GregPriusC

    GregPriusC New Member

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    Hey all, found some threads with a similar problem but didn't see anything resolved.

    I've got a 2013 Toyota Prius C and the heat/air conditioning works, but it won't blow out of the center vents. Regardless of setting I get a weak flow to the windshield and then depending on setting, get a strong/normal air flow to the floor vents or the side vents.

    I replace the cabin air filter often. The blower motor seems to work fine. The HVAC Air Inlet Door Actuator connected to the blower/fan seems to be working fine. I've watched it cycle through different settings when I push the button to change air flows but never provides air to the center vents. It will close/open the damper as required. I manually manipulated it as well and works the same as it does when electronically controlled.

    The regular Prius seems to have some mechanical linkage related to air flow near the driver's right side under the panels but the Prius C doesn't seem to have that. I've tried rotating through the various settings of temp and airflow but no luck.

    I do see on the parts breakdown that there may be additional HVAC Air Inlet Door Actuator(s) but I'm not sure how to access them. I'm unable to attach a link but any of the Toyota Parts Centers have it available.

    Anyone have this issue and resolve it before?
     
    #1 GregPriusC, Jul 30, 2021
    Blake_2013PriusC likes this.
  2. GregPriusC

    GregPriusC New Member

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    Not sure if this will help anyone but I got back in there and realized there are two HVAC Air Inlet Door Actuators. Well, really three, but two are connected on the left side and there's one on the right side. It turned out to be an easy fix after all. I was initially working on the left hand side actuators and it seems the center vents are controlled by the actuator on the right hand side. If anyone has this problem take out you glovebox and look to the right of where you change your cabin air filter. Towards the back you'll see the other actuator. It was too far back for me to reach with my fingers but pressed a screwdriver against it and got movement. It then worked when using the electronic controls.
     
    #2 GregPriusC, Jul 30, 2021
    Blake_2013PriusC likes this.
  3. sam spade 2

    sam spade 2 Senior Member

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    In some/most designs, your problem can also be caused by a "hose" coming loose and one end falling off.
    That may not apply to any specific model though.

    I hope you will come back and let us know if your "fix" keeps working or not.
     
    #3 sam spade 2, Jul 31, 2021
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    There are three actuators, with different names: for the inlet door, the outlet door, and the air mix.

    The inlet door controls whether fresh air or recirculated air is let in to the system.

    The outlet door controls where the air is let out (floor, center vents, defrost).

    The mix door controls how much heat is added.

    Naturally, if your issue is something to do with where the air gets let out, there is one of those actuators that will be a lot more interesting than the other two.
     
    #4 ChapmanF, Jul 31, 2021
  5. MPDano

    MPDano Junior Member

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    Hey Greg. Got the same issue. I followed your instructions but to the right of the cabin filter is the recirc air actuator. I did see an actuator and maybe one behind it just to the left of the cabin filter. I tried to tap them but nothing. In your post, it seems like your saying the actuator for the center vents is to the right of the cabin filter but there is nothing far back behind the recirc actuator. Can you please clarify the exact location of the actuator you put a screwdriver to? left.jpg right.jpg
     
    #5 MPDano, Sep 4, 2022
  6. kndy

    kndy Member

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    I am now having this problem today....under 48,000 miles on my 2015 Prius-C. Side works fine if I select the air circulating downward and center, but just center alone...nothing from the front vents. I'll try what you posted earlier.

    UPDATE: I wanted to get the codes before I started, so as I plugged my Ancel computer via OBD, somehow the front vents started working again.

    I did a few searches on various threads on priuschat and saw some people have intermittent issues, so we'll see how things go for the next few days.

    OBDII errors pulled up B1142 and B1443

    Shouldn't be my cabin air filter as I installed the new K&N's back two months ago, but I'll do a thorough check this weekend.
     
    #6 kndy, Sep 12, 2023
    Last edited: Sep 13, 2023
  7. Fix My Prius

    Fix My Prius New Member

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    I just developed the same problem in my 2013 Prius C, right after I replaced the missing Ambient Air Temperature Sensor that was generating the B1412 code. Now I have codes B1442 and B1443 and the inlet and outlet doors are not working. Seems to be a computer/electronic issue, rather than mechanical; what are the chances that both doors/actuators malfunctioned at the same time right after I inserted a new Ambient Air Temperature Sensor?
     
    #7 Fix My Prius, Apr 30, 2024
  8. Blake_2013PriusC

    Blake_2013PriusC New Member

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    From what I can tell, these are the 3 possible positions of the actuator (to the LEFT of the cabin air filter). But nothing I press or adjust there is routing the air through the center vents.

    I know it's been a few years, but if anyone remembers how this fix works, please let me know.
     

    Attached Files:

    #8 Blake_2013PriusC, Aug 22, 2024
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