How to: Cold air in glove box -OR- No air flow from vents on Max AC - Here's a workaround

[sfbayjay]

Could a malfunctioning recirc door be part of the reason that my defrost/defogger doesn't work very well?

When you set the air to defrost, is the recirc door supposed to change positions? I think when you hit "defrost" on the dial, the AC kicks on to remove humidity from the air in the cabin. It would make sense to me that the system should kick the recirc door open to circulate and dehumidify only onside air, correct?

This might explain my nagging problem with fogging windows...

 

[ericsauvage08]

air out of defrost vents only?!?!

I fixed it! I had a line pinched so there was no suction.

Where was the pinched line at? the air blew great right after I pulled the door and drove around town yesterday, but today all i get is air out of the defroster vents

Thanks.

^^^^Got it, for future people, there are a couple small hoses, they look like wires (Mine, on an 04 Exp XLT, were black and grey), that WILL get caught in the seal of the blower when you put it back on if you don't move them out of the way. There is also some more obvious wiring that will get in your way as well. Once I removed the pinched hose (the grey one in my case) The air was working again out of the face vents.

Also, another observation. When Curtis says, "Then you can split the two pieces with a couple of flat screw drivers. The pieces are not glued so they can be pryed apart easily." I figured the thing would just pop open, that is not the case. The pieces are not glued, but it should be understood that you are essentially prying open and half opened box just enough to get the door out. There are screws on the back side of the box that you cant get to, hence the using a couple screwdrivers to hold and pry it open just enough. Don't get too carried away prying though.

I can't get over how good my air flow is now!! Thanks so so so so so much for the pictures and step by step. If anyone thinks their air flow might be inadequate, pull the blower and see if the door is open. It's easy, a little awkward to get to, but VERY worth checking, glad I did.

I ordered a new box, so sometime this fall i'll put that it. If anyone has more to add to the install for that box in addition to the link Curtis posted, let me know. I am not excited to pull the dash open.

 

[mdisalvo]

I always thought my air wasn't blowing very hard, but just assumed it was normal. Just checked and sure enough the recirc door was sitting on top of the blower. I wasn't able to grab it with my fingers, so I used needle nose pliers instead, but after removing it I noticed a huge difference. Feels like I have a fan in front of my face now, thanks for the info!

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>

I always thought my air wasn't blowing very hard, but just assumed it was normal. Just checked and sure enough the recirc door was sitting on top of the blower. I wasn't able to grab it with my fingers, so I used needle nose pliers instead, but after removing it I noticed a huge difference. Feels like I have a fan in front of my face now, thanks for the info!

>>>>>>>>>>>

Mdisalvo,

Prior to removing your failed air recirculation door, did you ever have weak air flow through your defroster vents on top of your dashboard to your windshield, besides problems in your AC vents? I have that problem, weak defroster air flow to the windshield and I am assuming the recirculation door is out of align and blocking the air flow to the defroster vents. I may try this fix by removing the recirculation door completely if it will improve my defroster vent air flow. Winter is just around the corner here and I could use better air flow to the defroster/windshield. Also, how long did it take you to do this fix? Was it easy to get the 4 screws out of the recirc box and seperate it? Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Curtis]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mdisalvo,

Prior to removing your failed air recirculation door, did you ever have weak air flow through your defroster vents on top of your dashboard to your windshield, besides problems in your AC vents? I have that problem, weak defroster air flow to the windshield and I am assuming the recirculation door is out of align and blocking the air flow to the defroster vents. I may try this fix by removing the recirculation door completely if it will improve my defroster vent air flow. Winter is just around the corner here and I could use better air flow to the defroster/windshield. Also, how long did it take you to do this fix? Was it easy to get the 4 screws out of the recirc box and seperate it? Thanks for any feedback.

If your recirc door has fallen out, you'll get decreased air flow everywhere.
Easy to check, just look up though the blower motor on the passenger floor with a flash light, you'll see the door.

You should be able do this 'work around' in an hr or so... most likely less.

 

[mdisalvo]

Yea I never thought it was great either, which I think was also from the door blocking the blower. From the sound of it, this is the case in all these cars so I would check if I were you, odds are good its sitting there blocking the airflow. It's not a hard process, took me about an hour. The worst part is the awkward position you have to be in to get in under the dash. After removing the 4 bolts that hold the box together I was able to pry up the right side with a long flathead screwdriver and use pliers to remove the door, since I couldn't seem to get my fingers on it. Once I grabbed it with pliers it came right out.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you just remove those 4 bolts holding the box together, and remove the recirc door without ever removing the blower? Isn't that step just to make sure the door is actually sitting there out of place?

 

[TheFlyingTurkey]

Here's another thank you!

I pulled the blower and saw a bunch of leaves and the door on top of the wire screen. I pulled out the door and leaves and now she really blows!

Now I just have to fix that annoying clicking sound coming from the rear A/C.

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>>>>

If your recirc door has fallen out, you'll get decreased air flow everywhere.
Easy to check, just look up though the blower motor on the passenger floor with a flash light, you'll see the door.

You should be able do this 'work around' in an hr or so... most likely less.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the info Curtis. I have looked up through the blower housing and I can see the air recirculation door. It hasn't fallen completely down on the bottom of the blower housing box laying flat, like some pictures show it, but it appears to be on an angle or crooked still somewhat attached. An hour won't be bad, thanks again.

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>>>>

Yea I never thought it was great either, which I think was also from the door blocking the blower. From the sound of it, this is the case in all these cars so I would check if I were you, odds are good its sitting there blocking the airflow. It's not a hard process, took me about an hour. The worst part is the awkward position you have to be in to get in under the dash. After removing the 4 bolts that hold the box together I was able to pry up the right side with a long flathead screwdriver and use pliers to remove the door, since I couldn't seem to get my fingers on it. Once I grabbed it with pliers it came right out.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you just remove those 4 bolts holding the box together, and remove the recirc door without ever removing the blower? Isn't that step just to make sure the door is actually sitting there out of place?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for all the info Mdisalvo! I'm sure it is my recirculation door that is the problem with my defroster vents. Do you have to remove the entire blower motor and housing to do this job or just remove the 4 bolts on the air recirculation box and then seperate the 2 halves of it to get out the air door out? I see you mentioned here about removing the blower itself, but I thought from what I saw in that previous post with the temp fix and pictures of the repair, it was just removing the 4 bolts on the air box, then seperate the 2 halves. I'll double check that repair post again, Thanks!

Update, I double checked on those intructions, I do have to un-bolt the blower motor 1st, then the air box 2nd. I also printed up the pictures to have with me at the truck when I go to remove the air door. I'd rather have proper heat flow to the windshield with 6 month winters in Buffalo than have ice cold AC for 1 or 2 months out of the year. I really don't use the AC in summer, just open the moonroof and windows works for me. Maybe when I'm done, I'll take that air recirculation door and the old blend door actuator I recently changed, and throw both of these shotty, half assed parts through the front door of the nearby Ford Stamping Plant with a note saying, "make quality parts that last"!

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>>>

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but couldn't you just remove those 4 bolts holding the box together, and remove the recirc door without ever removing the blower? Isn't that step just to make sure the door is actually sitting there out of place?

>>>>>>>>

I think you are correct in your assumption here, that the blower motor does not need to be disconnected to remove the air recirculation door. I just took a look behind the glove box on my EX, and the blower motor is far away from the area where you remove the air recirc door, actually at the bottom end of everything. Unless the blower motor is in some way connected to the air recirc door, or impeding its removal, I believe I can remove my air recirc door just by removing the 4 screws that hold down the 2 halves of the air recirc box and just pry them apart from there. I'm going to try it this way either today or by mid week next week. I'm also going to leave out that 4th screw, the hard to reach one that is located around the corner edge of the right side of the air box. I think the 3 screw across the front and back are plenty to hold down a light weight plastic air box half. I'll only install that screw if necessary. I'll post the results either way that I do it. Thanks Mdisalvo.

 

[mdisalvo]

I'm not sure if you're saying you are going to try to remove the recirc door without removing the 4th screw or if you're just not going to put the screw back in when you're done, but the 4th screw on mine wasn't any harder to remove or reinstall than the other 3. I just moved the orange antennae wire from it's clip in which gave easy access to the 4th screw which sits behind it. If you are trying to remove the door without taking out all 4 screws, I think it will make the job a lot harder since you're kind of prying it apart while pulling the door out, I would take out all 4.

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>

I'm not sure if you're saying you are going to try to remove the recirc door without removing the 4th screw or if you're just not going to put the screw back in when you're done, but the 4th screw on mine wasn't any harder to remove or reinstall than the other 3. >>>>>>>>>

No, I am going to remove the 4th screw, or all front screws, just not re-install it when done, the 4th screw. Don't see a need for it since it's a plastic housing. 6 screws front and back should be plenty. The 4th screw looks harder to reach for me. I'm a big guy and room and flexibilty could be an issue for me.

>>>>>> I just moved the orange antennae wire from it's clip in which gave easy access to the 4th screw which sits behind it.>>>>>

One question though, do you see a problem in prying apart the air box to remove the recirc door putting pressure (the torque or twisting of the air box housing) on or a risk of breaking the fan blades on the blower motor if I leave the blower motor in place when I go to do this? I'm about to go outside in a few minutes and give it a try. Also, did you disconnect the negative battery terminal prior to working on this air recirc door removal because of the safety air bag issues?

Thanks for the addtl info.

 

[Curtis]

>>>>>>>>

I'm not sure if you're saying you are going to try to remove the recirc door without removing the 4th screw or if you're just not going to put the screw back in when you're done, but the 4th screw on mine wasn't any harder to remove or reinstall than the other 3. >>>>>>>>>

No, I am going to remove the 4th screw, or all front screws, just not re-install it when done, the 4th screw. Don't see a need for it since it's a plastic housing. 6 screws front and back should be plenty. The 4th screw looks harder to reach for me. I'm a big guy and room and flexibilty could be an issue for me.

>>>>>> I just moved the orange antennae wire from it's clip in which gave easy access to the 4th screw which sits behind it.>>>>>

One question though, do you see a problem in prying apart the air box to remove the recirc door putting pressure on or a risk of breaking the fan blades on the blower motor if I leave the blower motor in place when I go to do this? I'm about to go outside in a few minutes and give it a try. Thanks for the addtl info.

THe screws that separate the pieces to get the door out are not close to the blower motor wheel, you should have no problem

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>

THe screws that separate the pieces to get the door out are not close to the blower motor wheel, you should have no problem

>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the reply Curtis, but I wasn't concered about the screws hitting the blower fan blades. I'm concerned about the tourqing or pressure applied to the plastic housing and splitting it apart to remove the air door and have this torque put pressure on the blower motor fan blades. Any idea if this could happen, thanks?

 

[Curtis]

>>>>>>>>>

Thanks for the reply Curtis, but I wasn't concered about the screws hitting the blower fan blades. I'm concerned about the tourqing or pressure applied to the plastic housing and splitting it apart to remove the air door and have this torque put pressure on the blower motor fan blades. Any idea if this could happen, thanks?

I doubt it.. the plastic is not that brittle, has some flex

 

[Exproblems]

I doubt it.. the plastic is not that brittle, has some flex

>>>>>>>>>

Thanks Curtis for the quick reply, thats good news. Here goes nothing!

 

[Hitchhikingmike]

This needs to be made a sticky. I was able to fix my door by taking out the dash, taking apart the box that the door is in, appoxing back together the broken pieces of the door and assembling it all back as it should.

Everything still works since I did that over a year ago.

 

[Exproblems]

>>>>>>>>

THe screws that separate the pieces to get the door out are not close to the blower motor wheel, you should have no problem

>>>>>>>>>

Curtis,

An update, it's done! The failed air recirculation door is gone! Thanks for the help "Curtis and to Mdisalvo"! It took me about 1 1/2 hours to do. There is "no need to remove the blower motor" to do this job, just remove the 4 screws to the air box. The air recirc door was laying flat on the bottom of the air box with the flat edge facing me. I used my fingers to feel for it when I split open the 2 halves of the air box. It was a PITA getting the 2 halves of the air box split apart far enough to get my fingers or tools in there. The right end of the box opened farther than the left end would. Left end would barely open up. Most of my time spent was trying to get the air recirc door in a position to grab it with needle nose pliers and force it out of the opening I made. My fingers barely fit in the opening and I got lucky one time, when I got the corner edge of the air door to stick out of the box opening far enough to grab it with my hand/fingers and I yanked it out cursing the little MF-er the whole way. I turned it sideways and pulled it out by the narrow end. My hands got chewed up a bit from scraping against the plastic edges of the air box. I found some tree/leaves debris laying in the bottom of the air box, but could only vacuum some of it out. I couldn't get the vacuum nozzle all the way to the bottom of the box.
Once I replaced the screws to the air box and sealed it up, I turned on the vehicle and tested the air flow. I get great air flow now through all vents including the defroster, but one thing I noticed was, when I turned the heat selector knob to the highest heat setting and the defroster turned on, the air flow to the defroster vents dropped down quite a bit. But if I turned the heat selector knob back one notch to a slightly cooler setting but still on the hot side, the air flow in the defroster vents picked up speed again. The cooler the setting while on defrost, the better the air flow through the defroster vents. I have no idea why it is doing this. Anyone have any idea's? Thanks again to everyone that posted on this repair.

 

[Exproblems]

I doubt it.. the plastic is not that brittle, has some flex

>>>>>>>>

Hey Curtis,

Thanks BTW for the original posting on how to remove this air recirculation door. The pictures/photo's came in real handy as well.

 

[mdisalvo]

Exproblems, you're welcome, I'm glad you got it out. I had the same experience, the right side opened up more so I pulled it out the same way you described. Couldn't get my big hands in there too well, thankfully a pair of needle nose yanked it right out.