Vent control problem - 2004 Toyota Echo

[sandman065]

Hello: I am having a problem with the vent control knob on my 2004 Toyota Echo (4-dr sedan). The knob switches through the main settings but cannot seem to switch to the two outer-most settings (that is, the face-only setting and defrost-only setting). If I try switching to these settings, the knob simply springs back to the closest mid-point setting. I have also noticed that if I turn the knob to the left-most setting and then try turning back to the right-most setting, the knob will spring-back to the midpoint between between feet-only and mixed feet and defrost setting. Can someone please help me troubleshoot this and provide a possible solution. Thanks!

[birchy]

If you crawl underneath the drivers side footwell and look up and to the right, you should see a metal cable coming down from the instrument cluster (it has a rubber sheath around it), and heading back towards the firewall. That's the cable that moves the switch back and forth when you turn the knob. Actually.. if you turn the knob back and forth while you're looking for it you should see it easily. I would check to make sure it isn't catching on something.

I had a similar problem when I first bought by Echo.. except the knob wasn't changing the direction of the air flow no matter where I turned it. Turns out the cable had popped out of the metal clip that holds it in place, and there wasn't enough tension to move the switch assembly - the cable itself was moving back and forth instead.