The Chevy Silverado is a pickup truck well-known for its performance and longevity.
But like any other vehicle, it can have some problems down the road – primarily due to aging or lack of maintenance.
Most of those problems are related to the climate control system, such as:
- Climate control display not working
- The Climate control lights not working
- AC stuck on hot/cold air
- Climate control knobs not working
Generally, these issues can be resolved by resetting the HVAC/ECAS fuse. But sometimes, the problem is deep-rooted and requires troubleshooting.
Chevy Silverado Climate Control Problems
Here we’ll discuss these issues and their main causes.
1. Dual Climate Control Issue
Dual climate control is a feature in many Chevy vehicles that allows the driver and the front passenger to have different temperatures for their zones simultaneously.
The most common issue related to this feature (especially in the 2014 Silverado) is that the system blows cold air on the driver’s side but hot air on the passenger side (or vice versa).
In such scenarios, the first thing you should try is resetting the HVAC/ECAS fuse. If that doesn’t resolve the issue, you should check the blend door actuators.
They’re probably dead, and you’ll have to replace them.
2. AC Stuck on Hot (or Cold) Air
Many Silverado owners have reported their AC (both on the driver and passenger side) to be stuck on blowing only one type of air (hot or cold) regardless of the control knobs’ position.
If your AC is blowing hot air, you first need to check the compressor because it compresses and circulates the refrigerant through the A/C system.
If the compressor works fine, you should check the climate control buttons, AC hose (check if it’s cold), and blend doors.
You should pay close attention to the blend doors in particular. Since they direct the air to the cabin, you’ll get one type if they’re stuck.
3. Not Blowing Enough Air
Another climate-related problem is when you get your preferred temperature (hot or cold), but the air lacks intensity.
There can be multiple reasons, such as clogged air filters/ducts, low refrigerant levels, or worn-out internal components.
If you don’t have any of these issues, the blower motor is next to be checked. This is the component that pushes the air through the vents. So, a bad blower motor will prevent the air from circulating, and you’ll not get enough airflow in the cabin.
If the blower motor also works fine, the problem probably lies with the blend door actuator.
Since this motor controls the position of the blend door, a faulty blend door actuator results in inconsistent airflow.
4. Climate Control Knobs Not Working
This issue is widespread among 2003-2007 Silverados.
In this issue, the temperature doesn’t change exactly according to the knob turning in either direction. It can happen due to loose knob connections, a broken knob, or a dead control unit.
5. Other Chevy Silverado Climate Control Problems
Apart from the abovementioned issues, there are other rare climate-related issues found in Silverado vehicles, such as:
- Climate Control Display Not Working – due to a blown fuse or dead bulb.
- Climate Control Defaulted to Defrost – primarily due to the blend door actuators or the thermostat, but it can also happen because of wiring or software issues.
- Inaccurate temperature control – Faulty thermostat mostly.
- The heater not working – primarily due to a broken heater blower motor, a faulty thermostat, or a failed heater blower motor resistor.
How to Reset AC on Chevy Silverado?
In many instances, the climate control system in the Chevy Silverado can malfunction due to electrical issues with the vehicle rather than any internal component failure.
If that is the case with you, it can be easily solved by resetting the HVAC, aka. A/C system.
That’s because the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system controls different climate-related components, such as the blower motor, compressor, blend door actuator, etc.
To reset this system, you’ll need to pull out the HVAC/ECAS fuse and then plug it back into its slot.
Here’s a brief overview of this process:
- Turn off the vehicle and disconnect the negative battery terminal.
- Locate the “HVAC/ECAS” fuse. It should be in the main fuse box (under the hood), but you should also check the other one (near the dashboard).
- This fuse has different labels in some vehicles, such as climate control, air conditioning, or blower motor fuse. Go through the owner manual or the fuse box diagram to find its exact label and location.
- Once you’ve identified it, pull it out with pliers or hands.
- If that fuse looks to be blown (the inner metal strip will be melted or burnt), replace it with a new one.
- Otherwise, wait for a minute and then plug it back.
- Reconnect the negative battery terminal.
- Wait for roughly 5-10 minutes and then start the vehicle. The climate control panel should give you a ” 74 °F Auto” reading at this point.
- Do not touch any controls while starting the vehicle. Give at least two minutes for the system to recalibrate.
- Turn off the vehicle for roughly 12 seconds before turning it back on.
Can You Solve Chevy Silverado Climate Control Issues by Resetting?
Yes, but only in some cases.
If an issue is physical in nature, it can’t be solved by resetting the HVAC fuse.
Instead, it would be best to have that damaged component repaired by a mechanic or replaced with a new one.
Climate Control Bulb Replacement
The bulb replacement is suitable if the climate control lights are not working and you don’t want to replace the whole unit.
But I will still not recommend DIY as it involves taking the unit out of the dash and disassembling it. It’s a lengthy and complex task and rarely worth your time.
Therefore, you should get it replaced by a mechanic.
Conclusion
So these were some of the common Chevy Silverado climate control problems. To solve these issues, you should reset the HVAC/ECAS fuse before anything else, as it usually does the job.
If it doesn’t, then you should get your vehicle checked by a specialist as you have a hardware-related issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Air Conditioner Not Working on my Chevy Silverado?
Some common reasons for your Silverado A/C not working are low refrigerant level, blown fuse, A/C leak, etc.
What are the Most Common Climate Control Problems in the Chevy Silverado?
The most common climate control problems in the Silverado vehicles are Blocked A/C, faulty blend door actuator, climate control display not working, etc.
What causes Hot Air to Blow From the Vents in a Chevy Silverado?
If you’re getting hot air from the vents, it’s mostly due to some fault in climate control buttons, blend doors, or the compressor.
Why isn’t the A/C Cooling Effective in a Chevy Silverado?
There can be many reasons for ineffective A/C cooling, such as a refrigerant leak, blown HVAC fuse, bad condenser, bad blend door actuator, etc.
What are the Symptoms of a Bad Climate Control Module?
The popular symptoms of a bad climate control module include the inability to control temperature, inconsistent airflow, warning lights/messages, etc.
My 2003 Silverado 1500 AC suddenly quit working. I know the high side access valve has a slow leak and I’ve been charging the system once a month or so. When it stopped working I first checked the sealed system at the low side valve and the pressure was reading 104 with a hot discharge line to the compressor. That tells me the compressor isn’t running. I next replaced the relay and checked the fuse. I might add that both the AC and recirc lights are on and won’t shut off. All of these things say to me that either the clutch or the compressor has failed. What are your thoughts?
Given the symptoms you’ve shared, it’s possible that the problem lies with either the A/C clutch or the compressor.
When your A/C suddenly stopped working, you took the right steps by checking the low side valve pressure and noting the hot discharge line to the compressor. The fact that the compressor isn’t running is a key indicator. Kudos for already replacing the relay and verifying the fuse status.
The persistent illumination of the AC and recirculation lights, along with the non-engaging compressor, does indeed point towards potential clutch or compressor troubles. Visual inspection of the A/C compressor clutch while the engine is running and the A/C is on might provide some clarity. If the clutch isn’t engaging, it could signal issues with the clutch itself or the electromagnetic clutch coil.
Despite the relay replacement, it might be worthwhile to double-check its functionality by swapping it with a similar relay from another system in your truck. This quick test could help rule out any lingering relay issues.
For a more detailed analysis, you can use a multimeter to check if the A/C compressor is receiving power.
2020 Silverado: A/C working and the fan is going full blast, but no air comes out of the vents, does this, from what i can tell when the ac is in the auto mode.
Shut the truck off, wait….don’t have a specific time. I did it for 5 minutes with no luck. However, let it set for a few hours and the A/C is back to operating normal. Truck went to the dealer 3 times with the same issue in less than two years. The third time, the truck was malfunctioning……I get it back “fixed” after two days. They listed some sensors that were replaced. Couple months later, same problem happened.
With the sensors replaced, I am leaning towards the climate control module….. thanks for your article……
Considering the symptoms you’ve described – A/C working with the fan at full blast but no air coming out of the vents – it indeed looks an issue with the climate control module
My drivers side blows hotter had a new condenser put in mine is a 2014 Silverado I fill they should have recalled all this problem cost us owners more than we should be paying out of pocket so now I have to take another mechanic to resolve this problem
My hvac control shuts of randomly. I tried a new control but it shut off too. I read you article about reset with the fuse removal and reinstall but after 2 days it shut off again. Any suggestions?