Broken mode door linkage (Defrost)

[Karl Stevens]

Hi. I've looked at many youtube videos and these forum threads, and none address the problem I'm having. (96 Suburban 2500, 4x4)

The mode door actuator moves two levers back and forth. Here's an image:

http://ww2.justanswer.com/uploads/testedtuff/2012-07-05_130225_258020.gif

The lever on the upper left is for the defrost vent. On mine, the end of the rod that comes out of the driver's side of the air duct and connects to the linkage, appears to be broken. The linkage is dangling free and the end of the rod is just round, with no flat sides to fit into the flat-sided linkage.

So if the end of the rod is broken and cannot be re-attached to the linkage, what options are there? Is it possible to block open the defrost vent so I have its use during the winter? If so, how would I get access to the flap to block it open. If none of that is possible, does that mean replacing the entire air duct?

Thanks,
Karl

 

[Karl Stevens]

So here's the answer to my question: you take a piece of mechanic's wire about 12 inches and bend one end into a hairpin with a short tail of about an inch. This is the end you hold onto. Stick the other end down through the defrost vent. With the fan turned up and the selector on defrost, it's easy to tell when the wire has pushed open the defrost door deep inside the guts of the air duct. Hang the bent hairpin end over the defrost vent so that it doesn't fall down inside. Problem solved.