2017 Pathfinder No Heat, and Air Not Blowing out from Vents

2851 Views 21 Replies 3 Participants Last post by MonkeyRPN, 6 d ago

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · 11 mo ago

Hello everyone,

I've tried to search for similar topics on this forum and haven't found any that matches for my current issue. I hope I can get some here.

I went into my dealership service department last week because my 2017 Pathfinder doesn't have heat. I can crank the temp way up and the air is still cold. Then while I can hear the blower blowing at corresponding intensities, it will only blow out of the windshield vents and on the legs. I have nothing coming out from the front instrumental panel vents and the rear vents.

So I agreed for them to do a diagnostic, and the report came back as the following: SCAN SYSTEM, NO CODES FOUND. CHK A/C CONTROL UNIT OPERATIONS, GOOD. CHK POWER AND GROUND ON MOD DOOR, GOOD. REMOVED MOD DOOR MOTOR AND TEST, CONFIRMED MOTOR INTERNAL FAILURE NEW MOTOR REQUIRED.

They quoted me about $1400 CAD to fix this. So I went home and did some research, as to what this Mod Door Motor is. Anyway, with limited information, I tried researching this part online. I was confused because the Mode Door Motor is only about $170 CAD. I emailed the service department again today, and they clarified that it's actually an A/C amplifier that I need replaced, part 27752-3JC1B and it's about $876 for the part alone. Again... I'm trying to understand what the issue is with the Pathfinder and why this is the part I need. I cannot find anything about an A/C Amplifier.

Can anyone tell me what this part does? With this part non-functional, would it cause the issues I'm having with the HVAC system?

Thank you.

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Tutti57

· #2 · 11 mo ago

Id get a second opinion. The tech notes indicate that a mode door is needed and does not point to a AC auto amp at all. I'm pretty sure Nissan doesn't sell the motors separate from the whole heater box, so the quote is confusing. The box is probably at least $800 plus maybe 8-10 hours of labor, so I'm not sure where that number came from. The notes also don't address the lack of temp change, which is different door with a different motor.

These motors are installed on the side of the HVAC box. If you pull the trim panels off and get down on the floor, you should be able to hear and feel with your hand, these motors moving things as you change the settings. Usually what I find is that the motors are working, but the plastic hex on the box side is stripped out, so they aren't actually controlling anything. It sounds like that's what the tech was doing on the mode door motor, but found that the motor wasn't working, but had what it needed to do so. No mention of the other door motor though, so who knows.

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MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #3 · 11 mo ago

I got a second opinion and without taking the panels apart, my mechanic can only so far confirm the left side door motor is out. He said he can continue to work into solving the problem, but he would be going in blind and it depends on what else he finds. At the end it might be similar to the $1400 quote the dealership gave me. I’m still not sure what to do with the Pathfinder… I went back to the dealership and they showed me a photo of the part they pulled out that they said stopped working, which is this black little box that says 27752-3JC1B on it. I think as long as the dealership can reassure me that if I pay $800 bucks upfront to order this part (it’s back ordered too), and it will fix my temperature and the lack of air flow from the face vents and rear vents. I’m just not overly confident after already paying $150 for them to do a diagnosis and they came up with a very unclear problem and solution.

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PoManzPathy

· #4 · 11 mo ago

What is the history of the vehicle? Have you owned it since new? Has the a/c compressor ever been replaced or is there any aftermarket electronics on the vehicle?

Any link I've tried for Nissan OEM parts says the a/c auto amp is no longer available. I do see them on eBay, but it looks like the part numbers are all over the place between the 2013-2020 model years.

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MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #5 · 11 mo ago

PoManzPathy said:
What is the history of the vehicle? Have you owned it since new? Has the a/c compressor ever been replaced or is there any aftermarket electronics on the vehicle?

Any link I've tried for Nissan OEM parts says the a/c auto amp is no longer available. I do see them on eBay, but it looks like the part numbers are all over the place between the 2013-2020 model years.

I’m the only owner since buying it new in 2017. Never had any issues with the A/C or climate controls. I don’t have much options but to just fork over $1400 and hope that will fix the issues once and for all. It’s been torture without A/C this summer.

PoManzPathy

· #6 · 11 mo ago

MonkeyRPN said:
I’m the only owner since buying it new in 2017. Never had any issues with the A/C or climate controls. I don’t have much options but to just fork over $1400 and hope that will fix the issues once and for all. It’s been torture without A/C this summer.

I would dig out your a/c auto amp to get it's part number, then search for a new/used one online if I could find one reasonably enough to swap out and see if it makes a difference. You'd have to search, but I think the a/c auto amp is either behind the radio or in the console somewhere. Either is not too difficult to access. Lots of info online about that.

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MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #7 · 11 mo ago

PoManzPathy said:
I would dig out your a/c auto amp to get it's part number, then search for a new/used one online if I could find one reasonably enough to swap out and see if it makes a difference. You'd have to search, but I think the a/c auto amp is either behind the radio or in the console somewhere. Either is not too difficult to access. Lots of info online about that.

I’d take that advice and try to take out my current a/c amp and check the part number. I’m ordering some tools now to remove the panels around the radio. I looked up some videos on how to do it… and it appears I should be looking for a white box below the radio. I searched 2017 Pathfinder a/c amplifier and I came up with the PN 277609PJ6A. It’s a white box when I search on eBay, and it looks nothing like the black box the dealership said they pulled out and not working with the PN 277523JC1B. Guess there’s only one way to find out and that’s to pull the part out from my car. Stay tuned.

Tutti57

· #8 · 11 mo ago

The black box sounds like a door motor. AC auto amp is probably replaced often but is not usually the problem.

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #9 · 11 mo ago

Tutti57 said:
The black box sounds like a door motor. AC auto amp is probably replaced often but is not usually the problem.

I guess I'd like to know where they pulled that door motor from. I'm referring to the Heater & Blower diagram on the Nissan Parts website for the 2017 Pathfinder... since none of the actuators in the diagram matches the part they said I need (27752-3JC1A). I'm struggling to try to diagnose this myself.

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Here is the diagram for the 2014 Altima where the part they say I need correspond. It's 27752P. Where do you think this part might fit on the 2017 Pathfinder?

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PoManzPathy

· #10 · 11 mo ago

Unless it was shown to you directly from the tech working on your pathfinder, I would put no value in this mystery part.

I have never heard of a mode/blend door motor problem on a 2013+ pathfinder. Not to say it doesn't or can't happen...

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Tutti57

· #11 · 11 mo ago

If you go back to one of my earlier posts, I think I mentioned just popping off those little plastic covers on the side down there, and move some of the HVAC controls. You should be able to feel around in there for things moving. There are only a few motors.

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #12 · 10 mo ago

Tutti57 said:
If you go back to one of my earlier posts, I think I mentioned just popping off those little plastic covers on the side down there, and move some of the HVAC controls. You should be able to feel around in there for things moving. There are only a few motors.

Okay, I’ll do that later tonight. It’s 34 degree C out there right now, parked right under the sun and crawling into the car is the last thing I wanna do. Um, what’s the orientation of the diagram related to the car?

The dealership got back to me via email, and said they absolutely did take that part number 27752-3JC1B out of my 2017 Pathfinder, on driver side above the gas pedal. They said it’s probably not searchable because it might share the same part number as the Altima, but with the Pathfinder I’d have to order the whole complete unit instead of just that particular part? Anyway… I’m gonna see if I can find it.

I’ll report back tonight…

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #13 · 10 mo ago

Okay, so I pried off the panel next to the gas pedal. And looked up into the heater/blower unit. Can anyone tell me what part A is? And there looks to be an actuator (part B) of some sort behind the foot vent, can anyone tell me what that is? Omg… I’m too old for this… sticking my head upside down in that tight space gave me a literal headache….

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Tutti57

· #14 · 10 mo ago

A is part of what you circled next to it I believe. As sort of a linkage. You can take that vent off by removing a couple of screws. You can see one in the pic. I'm in pretty sure the motor under that one is the air mix/blend door but I can never remember. Those are the motors you can observe or feel moving. You should be able to determine which is which by changing the settings and touch those to see what moves.

Does this model have dual zone climate control? If so, see if the temp works normally on the other side. Dual zones have a motor and door for each side for temp control. The will also be a motor for the mode selection and one for outside/recirc setting.

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #15 · 8 mo ago

Well, there's an update but no good news. The part that the dealership said I needed, 27752-3JC1A, finally arrived after 1.5 months of waiting... I left the car with them and then they called back and told me it's the incorrect part. -_-

So I'm right back at square one. None of my vents setting works, and I still have no heat. They manually opened up the vent doors so my windshield, face, and feet all have airflow now. But no heat. Thinking maybe the air max door is also not responding. I'm leaning towards an issue with the control module behind the stereo panel. Not sure if it's 27760-9PM0A or 27760-9PF0A.

Thoughts?

PoManzPathy

· #16 · 8 mo ago

What a fiasco. I feel for you.

These systems usually default to w/s defrost and floor mode as a fail safe, but who knows with this particular system. In terms of the hot/cold blend door. I wonder if there's a way to manually actuate that so you have some heat in the meantime.

I'd lean towards finding someone who is really good at doing this type of diag work and have them see if they can solve this. It would be interesting if this was all a/c auto amp related.

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MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #17 · 29 d ago

PoManzPathy said:
What a fiasco. I feel for you.

These systems usually default to w/s defrost and floor mode as a fail safe, but who knows with this particular system. In terms of the hot/cold blend door. I wonder if there's a way to manually actuate that so you have some heat in the meantime.

I'd lean towards finding someone who is really good at doing this type of diag work and have them see if they can solve this. It would be interesting if this was all a/c auto amp related.

Dude!!! You were right about the AC Amp Controller, or the HVAC Control Module (they have both names listed as the same part on the Nissan Parts website)!!! I finally got around to ordering the part, coz the weather is getting hot and I’ve been managing with being stuck on hot air from the vents all winter. Anyway, ordered a used part for only $60 and swapped it out today. Fixed the problems!!! I now have cold air, I crank up the fan and the air flow increases, my rear climate is working again. I’m so happy! The dealership was useless~ and if they had fixed this I’d probably be out $400+

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PoManzPathy

· #18 · 29 d ago

@MonkeyRPN

Glad to hear you got it sorted! Thanks for posting back.

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #19 · 16 d ago

So.... my success appears to be short lived. A week after swapping out the control unit, and having proper functioning climate controls, it's starting to go wonky again. It was all good up until 2 nights ago leaving work, it was a good 25 min drive and the entire way I had no heat. Even turning it up to 32.0c it was only cold air coming out. The next 2 days it decided to work again. This afternoon getting off work, it was also working, then I stopped the car to gas up, turned the car back on and started going home, no heat again. This time I also noticed the air is stuck on blowing from the dash, I got nothing on the feet and nothing in the back, even when I changed the mode and turned on rear climate control. Well... anyone have any other ideas what might be my problem?

MonkeyRPN

Discussion Starter · #20 · 11 d ago

Hey everyone, this is an ongoing saga that I can't seem to resolve. I hope the hive mind can help me with some lead as to what to look into next. Here are some bizarre symptoms I've been experiencing.

As mentioned in my previous message, noticed first problem after 1 week of installing a new AC Amp Controller, I got no heat even after during the temp dial to 32.0c. Only cold air.
The next day, turning the car on to go to work, and the temp control worked fine, i can turn the heat up, and turn it down.
Another day I get in the car, I watched the panel and when I turned the temp up, I see that it turned my mode from face vent to leg vent. I did not touch the mode button.
Another time, I turned the temp up and it turned recirculating air off to outside air. I did not touch the recirculating air button.
The most recent symptom, I will turn the temp up and down, and I can hear something moving behind the dash. But the strangest thing is... when I turn the temp down, the air flow works as I set it, I can increase and decrease the air flow as per the control. But when I turn the temp up, the air flow completely stops, without me changing the vents. This is the same with the rear climate control.
I can confirm that the AC work, I can feel it when the temp and air flow works properly.

These problems are very intermittent... and I get a different combination of issues each time... It's weird that the new AC amp worked for a week, then started giving me issues. Is it an electrical issue? Do I need to reset something? Cause it seems like air flow works, temp can go up and down... they just won't work as commanded by the control panel.

Thanks in advance. 😕

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