The part that came to me was delivered on time and in secure packaging. It matched the one I removed from my car exactly and fit into place perfectly. After some difficulties (described below), getting the part in place took all of 5 minutes. The female connector on the part is kind of an oval or baguette shape and so you have to spend a minute or two lining it up with the male connector on the car. Once you line them up right, you can just wiggle the part into place and presto. No more ticking noise behind the dash.
I made the last payment on my 2003 Pontiac Vibe two months before the mortgage crisis hit, so when a ticking noise started coming from behind the dash it didn't seem to make sense spending hundreds or thousands of dollars to fix whatever it was. Now to paraphrase a certain action hero, "I'm a man withOUT any particular set of skills". I don't have any mechanics training or certifications and I'm not an engineer. When things break around my house, we call a guy. That's how handy I am. But after an hour of youtube research, I diagnosed the problem and it seemed easy enough to fix this myself. Hence, the ordering of this part.
The hardest thing about this repair is getting a hand into the tight space behind the glove box to remove the old part and install the new one. So, its a little tricky to remove and install but none of that is the part manufacturer's fault. Its just how the car is designed. There are 2 bolts holding the part in place and unscrewing and screwing them back into places is difficult. Due to the tight quarters behind the dash, using a ratchet is nearly impossible. It was easier for me to just hold the socket between my finger and thumb and loosen or tighten the bolts by hand. The socket size for the bolt is so small that it's difficult to grip it while bent in the awkward position you have to stay in to make the repair. It slipped out of my hand a couple of times before I found it helpful to either wrap the socket with some mounting tape (the 2 sided kind you might use to hold a picture on a wall without making holes) or wear a tight leather glove just to make it easier to grip and turn the socket once you've got it on the bolt. Once I used those tricks I sailed through the repair quickly.
I did that repair a month ago. The part is working great, the noise has stopped, and my vent control is operating perfectly again.
Like I said, it is the exact same piece that came out of the car. Sometimes you pay for a part and it looks different so you have to hope it fits or that it will be compatible in the long run. But no worries here. The price is very reasonable considering a mechanic was gonna charge me $300.00 just to look at it even though he thought he knew what it was.
| Manufacturer | ACDelco |
|---|---|
| Brand | ACDelco |
| Model | ACDelco - Actuatorair Inl (Slp) (15-72794) |
| Item Weight | 4.8 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 6.7 x 6.5 x 6.3 inches |
| Country of Origin | China |
| Item model number | 15-72794 |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 15-72794 |
| OEM Part Number | 88970277 |
