Hello, so I'm new here and have researched different Accord forums (including this one) on the topics related to heat/AC imbalance between passenger/driver side, air-mix door motor, etc., but there's some additional questions I had that I couldn't find the answers to. First, stats on the car:

2003 EX-V6 (w/o navi)
~230,000 miles

I've got two issues currently:

1. Rapid clicking noise coming from under the passenger side dash whenever temperature is turned up (doesn't matter if climate control is on "Auto" or if it's on manual, or whether temperature is same on both side or dual) from between ~65 to ~70 degrees. Now, the clicking happens in nearly all temperature ranges other than "Lo". I've concluded it's coming from the passenger side air-mix motor. Although, if there's a problem with the air-mix motor I would expect there would be problems maintaining temperatures on the passenger side, but there isn't.

2. There is an imbalance between temperature on driver and passenger side when AC is turned up. When it's a cool day the difference is not that noticeable. But on a hot day (when the interior of the car is already very hot), the difference is substantial to where there is no cool air coming out the driver side at all. Strangely though, after about 10-20 minutes (depending on how hot the day is), the difference eventually evens out, although there is still a slight detectable difference. I've already had the AC clutch replaced, freon recharged, so the problem is not under the hood. The Honda dealer says it's a problem with the heater core, which would cost thousands to replace. But from my research online, specifically with regards to air-mix doors, I'm not so sure it's the core.

Given this, my questions are:

1. With regards to issue no. 1, is the problem as simple as replacing the pass side air-mix door motor?

2. With regards to issue no. 2, I'm tempted to also replace the air-mix motor door, but is there any other way to test if the problem is with the motor or the actual air-mix door itself not opening/closing completely and therefore causing the driver side to be hotter? In online photos/diag's I couldn't find anything on the actual doors itself, only the motor (are the doors sealed inside the heater unit and therefore, inaccessible?).

In light of No.2, another question I had is, if air-mix doors are used to control amount of heat/cold coming through, what is the neutral/natural temperature of the air that blows from the fan/core (i.e., if there were no doors at all)?

Thanks all for your time!

 

I did not read your whole thread yet, tired right now.

For a quick response to part of your question, see this other thread regarding low refrigerant:

https://www.hondaaccordforum.com/for...e-vents-62777/

 

The clicking is the smoking gun here, I'd say at least one mode or temp door actuator is failed. You can pull codes through the control panel to find out which actuator is at fault.

Procedure is too long for a copy paste here. Probably will find it online.