Is there a way to check and see if this lever is broke or disconnected? I don't think ours is working.

I seem to remember seeing a post about this but have been not able to find it with a search.....

Thanks

D Houston,

I posted that a few days ago, no response from anyone. I fixed mine 2 nights ago. My car has the MCC (Manual climate control), and I took me more than an hour to figure out how to install the new linkage arm (plastic) between the metal rod and the motor shaft!!!

First of all, you need to find out whether your damper motor is working or not. This is very easy. Turn the car key to "I" position, and with and fan off, windows shut off, press the recirculation button to ON. If you hear the motor noise, then the motor is not broken. Press the recirculation button to OFF again, you should the motor noise too. Then the plastic arm must be broken.

Another way to check is to remove the plastic cover under wiper arms. All you have to unscrew the 2 Torx-25 screws in the passenger side, then lift the plastic cover up. You will then see the fresh air intake opening with or without the pollen filter. I have the pollen filter installed. Use your hand to lift the black plastic damper door in the fresh air-intake opening. If you can lift damper door up very easy and it fall back down, the plastic arm is definitely broken.

The piece that broken is the plastic arm between the motor shaft and the metal rod. The replacement part from dealer is a bit different from the original in my car. The seems to re-enforce the plastic a bit to prevent the breakage from happening.

Hope this help.

Ching-Ho Cheng

Thanks for the quick response!

The motor does work but now my next question... How did you get access to the lever? Did you go in under the glove box to replace it?

Thanks dave

Dave,

Yes, you are correct. I took out the glove box to access the linkage. There was not much room for both hands, just be patience.

The way I installed the new plastic arm was to turn on the motor and watched it turning to almost the mid-position between fully close and fully open. Then I installed the plastic arm to the metal rod (white plastic bushing) and the other end of the plastic arm to the motor shaft. You CANNOT install the plastic arm when the motor shaft is at either end-point. I tried to do that for 1 hour without success!

When you remove the glove box, please use a very small screwdriver to release the latch of those 2 plastic arms (the best that I can describe) on the glovebox door panel. You can see that there are 2 small square holes on the glovebox door panel right next to the plastic hinges. You insert the small screwdriver into the square holes and push the screwdriver toward to the hinge and pull the hinge out at the same time. Then, you remove the 6 Torx-25 screws around the glovebox and take the glove box out. I recommend you to remove the glovebox light bulb too after the glovebox to save some electricity.

Hope this help.

Ching-Ho Cheng

FYI . . .

I had to have Volvo of Richardson (TX) repair mine five times in 6 months. While they used an improved plastic arm they finally glued the arm in somehow (I've never looked closely at it) and it's been great for 2 years. I suspect the arm may have been fine, but the piece it mounts to at the motor was likely cracked or somehow inadequate. I am not trying to discourage you but do be careful around all that plastic.

John,

The new plastic arm had the re-enforecement in the square hole where the motor shaft go through. My original plastic arm was broken in that area. That particular area of the plastic arm needs to withstand much high stress than other parts of this linkage setup especially when the damper is at close position and the car is driving at highway speed.

That may be why it fails much sooner than other parts of this linkage.

Ching-Ho Cheng