No defog/defrost air to windshield

[dbaker]

My Insight keeps fogging up in the mornings so bad, I have to get off the road. All functions of the Climate Control and AC seem to be working fine. Everything checks out. I just can't get any air to blow out of the defrost vents onto the windshield.

Anyone got a guess what to look for? Is there a stuck flap or bad actuator in the dash somewhere?

Don
2000 Insight, manual
240,000 miles

[talonmike]

Check if you don't have a water leak. Check for water under carpet.

[Rainsux]

Originally Posted by dbaker

My Insight keeps fogging up in the mornings so bad, I have to get off the road. All functions of the Climate Control and AC seem to be working fine. Everything checks out. I just can't get any air to blow out of the defrost vents onto the windshield.

Anyone got a guess what to look for? Is there a stuck flap or bad actuator in the dash somewhere?

Don
2000 Insight, manual
240,000 miles

Forgive me for asking the obvious, but you ARE pushing the second button from the left, right? The orange V-shaped one? I ask because I was trying to use the first (rear def) one until I looked up which was which.

Mine does the same thing for 1/4 mile or so, but then begins to clear. It doesn't help that I FAS down a couple of hills which makes the water take longer to warm up.

Sam

[dbaker]

Yes, I'm pushing the correct buttons. Trying all the different air combinations as well which show air is supposed to blow on windshield.

I've had Mercedes and a Porsche with a similar issue, in the case of the Mercedes it was a leaky vacuum actuator. In the case of the Porsche, it was a broken control rod that opened the flap, run by an electrical actuator.

The heat and AC otherwise are working fine. No problem with the coolant, heater core, ect. AC has fresh charge and dries the air like it is supposed to. Just won't blow that air onto the windshield.

I am wondering if anyone has an idea how the Insight is setup. What has gone wrong that air won't come out of the windshield vents?

Don

[Willie Williford]

You have to use the "mode" button, top left one. It will show a picture of a windshield.
HTH
Willie

[Need4Speed]

Look at this thread:

F.A.Q.: Climate Control

Make sure you are pressing the lower, second button from the left. The first bottom left button is for the rear window heater, the next button is the front windshield. Press "off" to get the climate control in a known state, then the second button from the left. If you don't get air out of the ducts under the windowshield something is wrong.

Go to this link to get the pdf service manuals:
Download 2000-2006 Insight Service Manual PDF and Others

Download the zipped file, unzip, open the "index" file, and click on the "HVAC" link, also look at the heater link. 182 pages of HVAC troubleshooting, 95 pages of heater stuff. In the heater pdf on page 89 there is a "mode control motor", that might be what changes the heat from the floor to the windshield. Page 2 of the heater pdf also has how to put the HVAC into the diagnostic mode.

[Eli]

I think it's reasonable to assume based on his reply that the flap actuator has broken or come loose.

First time I've heard of that, but anything is possible.

[Robin]

Recently my 2002 Insight developed an erratic fault where sometimes there was no warm air coming out of any the ducts, even when the engine temperature guage showed that the engine had reached its normal operating temperature; then some lukewarm air would come out, and sometimes there was no trouble at all. I had the car in to the dealers today for its 99,000mile service, and it was found that one of the heating system control cables had become rather stiff. It was freed off and lubricated, and that has cured the problem.

[dbaker]

It was something much more simple.. And silly. I said all functions on the air seemed to work ok.

I was really wrong. The rod from the "mode control motor" had come loose. Picture attached.

Thanks for the replies.

Don