Hi All,

I'm about to have to say goodbye to my 2000 Maxima, as its AC cannot be fixed.
The Fresh Air intake door actuator is stuck open and that keeps the AC from getting cold.
In Texas, you need cold AC, lol.

This part is discontinued, and my mechanic says it is not available anywhere.
Looks like Nissan has discontinued a lot of parts for the car, which is sad, as it is a good solid platform that I would keep fixing if I could.

Any thoughts where I can get one other than the junkyard?
https://www.nissanpartsplus.com/oem-...tor-277302y900

Thought about closing it off permanently, but the mechanic says that would be a bad idea.

It's #12 in this image:

 

if the fresh air door is stuck open set up the door so it's stuck closed lol.

I live in Florida and I never put my A/C in fresh air mode. it's either on full blast A/C or on heat a few weeks of the year.

I don't even know why the fresh air option is even there....

 

Yep, gain access and jam it shut. It's broken in my Titan (like every titan). Completely useless feature if it's not going to be robust.

 

My shop refuses to jam it shut.
I can't find any pictures of the actual part (just drawings), nor a reference to where it is located.
Any idea where I can learn more about it and possibly jam it closed as suggested?

 

did they give you any reason why they won't do it? iI don't see it being a safety issue, outside fumes won't get into the car.


you could just remove the windshield wiper motor covers and plug it up under there somehow, that's usually where those things get the outside air from....

 

They are a mom n pop shop, and don't want to accept any liability that could arise from "rigging" something. I can't blame them for that.
I'll see if I can find a way to rig it.

 

I'm also in Florida. My damper is always closed. I hate fresh air.

 

For those of us in Texas, most of your work should be done in Mexico. Labor rates are typically MXN 500 to MXN 700 per hour. That's $25 to $35 per hour. I just bought my 2002 Maxima for $3K as a throwaway car to eventually drive to the Panama Canal Zone that no one would want to steal. Then I realized that it's not a throwaway car. I buy my parts in Eagle Pass, TX and get my work done in Piedras Negras, Coahuila. I did what amounts to a restoration for $8K, including painting it a different color, new struts, new AC, new clutch kit, new Michelins, brake job, new battery, new windshield. I did pay $1400 to a local shop here in TX to get it legal and roadworthy. Nissan de Piedras Negras is prohibited by the manufacturer to work on vehicles purchased in the USA. That means using an independent mechanic with good Google reviews.

Parts are expensive, hard to get and often counterfeit in Mexico, so fixing old parts is the usual way of doing things. I suspect that a Mexican shop would figure out a way to restoring your old actuator if that's what you want.

 

Nice way to save $ for sure.
Unfortunately, that is a 14 hour round trip and $90 in fuel for me in North Texas.

Not a trip I relish for such a small repair of such an old car.
I don't see any point in spending any money on a car that the manufacturer is starting to, or has abandoned.

 

Whatever you do, it pays to have a car that's at least 14 years old. Manufacturers are becoming predatory. They are using copyright and patent laws to create a parts monopoly for 14 years. Features such as remote start are becoming subscription based. What pushed me over the edge to restore my Maxima is that I went into a Honda dealership ready to stroke a check for a 2022 Civic Si MT. They told me that they needed to run my credit to take my check. What they really meant is that they wanted a way to make a $28K car cost $34K or $35K. The number of chips used in newer cars means a life of pain when things go wrong. My 2002 Nissan Maxima has been gone through and verified that there are no signs of a major collision. The engine hasn't been abused. If your Maxima has a standard transmission, you might want to think twice about getting rid of it.

Most parts are available at NAPA auto parts for a 2002 Maxima. I have owned several older vehicles, some as old as a 1952 model year. There are very few if any parts problems that can't be solved. For A/C, an aftermarket system is always a solution.

A 20 year old car is not going to be supported by the manufacturer. You have to keep in mind that it's a classic car.