What is this thing???

[DogtorM]

I was driving this morning and kept noticing an odd mechanical sound... something like a CD that was trying to eject but was stuck. I finally found the source. It's a small motor behind the center console on the passenger side with a white arm connected to a metal pin. It seems like it's trying to rotate, but it keeps moving back and forth. I took a picture, but I'm a noob and I don't have an active flicker account. Anyway, it has a white #11 on it, and it's very visible when crouching in the passenger floor board.

Can someone tell me what this little device is and how I should fix it?

Thank you!

 

[slapdappy]

the actuating motor to open and close the vent flaps. Select 'defrost' and it shuts vents to all places but the defroster. Select 'foot well + defrost' and it opens flaps so air flows through foot wells vents, also. You can usually hear them whirring as they do their thing.
lube pivot points? anything drop down in there and jam it, preventing movement? Clean it if all dusty and manky? Motor tired and worn?