Freshdesk-safe version: Paste this code into the Freshdesk HTML/source editor.
General Assist Technical Bulletin
KUCA / LUCA Intake Grille Gear Cracking
Wall-mounted RAC intake-grille drive mechanism
Reference: RAC-0077 — issued 31 August 2017
Important clarification: This bulletin relates to the intake-grille drive gear in selected wall-mounted indoor units. It does not relate to a compressor, refrigerant circuit or VRF outdoor-unit gear train.
A crack can develop in the plastic gear that operates the motorised intake grille. The issue is associated with insufficient gear strength and is more likely to appear after extended operation.
1. Bulletin overview
| Product category | Wall-mounted RAC indoor unit |
| Affected component | Intake-grille drive gear |
| Cause | Insufficient strength in the original gear design |
| Corrective action | Replace the original gear with the strengthened revised part |
| Original part number | 9319292007 |
| Revised part number | 9319292014 |
2. Typical symptoms
| 1 | The intake grille does not fully open or close. |
| 2 | Clicking, skipping or ratcheting noise is heard from the grille mechanism. |
| 3 | One side of the intake grille moves while the other side remains stationary or moves unevenly. |
| 4 | The grille stops partway through its travel or becomes misaligned. |
A cracked gear may still move intermittently. Confirm the fault by physical inspection rather than relying on noise or movement alone.
3. Inspection procedure
| 1 | Isolate power to the air conditioner and verify that the unit is electrically safe before dismantling. |
| 2 | Remove the front panel and access the intake-grille drive mechanism in accordance with the applicable service manual. |
| 3 | Inspect the gear around the shaft and hub area for a hairline crack, separation or distortion. |
| 4 | Check adjacent gears, shafts, linkages and grille hinges for damage or binding. |
| 5 | Confirm the intake grille can move freely through its full travel before fitting the replacement gear. |
4. Corrective action
Replace the original intake-grille gear, part number 9319292007, with the strengthened gear, part number 9319292014.
| Check after repair | Done |
|---|---|
| Revised gear part number confirmed | ☐ |
| Gear and shaft fully engaged | ☐ |
| No binding in grille linkages or hinges | ☐ |
| Grille opens and closes evenly | ☐ |
| No clicking or gear-skipping noise | ☐ |
| Front panel and filters correctly refitted | ☐ |
5. Applicable models and serial ranges
The bulletin covers a broader range than KUCA and LUCA alone. Confirm both the complete model number and the target serial-number range before applying the bulletin.
Australian and New Zealand model families of particular interest
| Model family | Examples in bulletin |
|---|---|
| KUCA | ASTG12KUCA, ASTG18KUCA, ASTG09KUCA |
| LUCA | ASHG07LUCA, ASHG09LUCA, ASHG12LUCA, ASHG14LUCA and equivalent regional models |
| LUCB | ASTG09LUCB, ASTG14LUCB, ASTG18LUCB, ASTG35LUCB and equivalent regional models |
| LTCA / LTCB | Selected ASHG, ASYG, RSG, HSG, ASCG, ASWG and ASQG models |
Do not replace the gear solely because the model appears in the table. The unit must also fall within the stated target serial range, unless inspection confirms the same failure and current parts information supports the repair.
6. Information required for technical escalation
- Complete indoor-unit model number
- Indoor-unit serial number
- Photo of the cracked gear
- Photo or video showing grille movement
- Confirmation of any damage to the motor, shaft, links or grille
- Current fitted gear part number, where identifiable
- Confirmation that the grille moves freely after the mechanism is disconnected
Based on Service Bulletin RAC-0077, issued 31 August 2017. This simplified reference does not replace the applicable service manual, parts list or current parts-supersession advice.