04' A/C Motors

[explorerjosh]

The A/C in my 04' XLS Base blows out of the vents, lightly out of the leg vents (when on) and also always blows out of the defroster, causing condensation on my windows. When you turn the mode switches, you can here the motors grinding as they switch modes. So can anyone tell me what I need to replace for the defroster issue, and what part I need for the motors?

 

[Number Twelve]

This car has a butt load of air problems. The defroster flap usually has broken off its actuator arm because the vacuum motor has too much travel because of bad design. The grinding sound is usually a self-destruct position modulator motor with its gears stripped because it was designed with too much travel. The air flow is often not sufficient because the outdoor air flap falls on top of the blower motor because of bad design.

The Official answer is: Take it to a Dealership with at least $1000 in your pocket.
The answers on this site include: Throw the flap away, design a different way to activate the defrost flap, buy new modulator motors, buy a new "air box", take out the dashboard, etc.

Pick one problem at a time to be more likely to get good answers. This will require you to look at the mechanism and see how many of the habitual problems you have.

 

[07gtman]

Can you control the heat from hot to cold? if so take your glove box out and look inside slightly to the left you will see a few vaccum hoses see if the arm on the module is broken this is the culprit. there are a lot of right ups on this issue do some searching. for the repairs, not an easy task though.hope this helps

 

[explorerjosh]

Can you control the heat from hot to cold? if so take your glove box out and look inside slightly to the left you will see a few vaccum hoses see if the arm on the module is broken this is the culprit. there are a lot of right ups on this issue do some searching. for the repairs, not an easy task though.hope this helps

Can you maybe send a photo of what I should look for?

 

[07gtman]

here is a video of the broken part ...hope this helps...i have not had this issue so the repairs vary.. you may want to look around. i think the cost to repair this is alot $$$$$$

 

[explorerjosh]

here is a video of the broken part ...hope this helps...i have not had this issue so the repairs vary.. you may want to look around. i think the cost to repair this is alot $$$$$$

That could possibly be my problem, I'll have a look now, but my problem is that air blows out of the vents AND the defroster at the same time.

 

[07gtman]

keep us posted ...hope you can fix it

 

[explorerjosh]

keep us posted ...hope you can fix it

Okay so, I went and had a look. The part in the video is perfectly intact, but the air blows through the defroster because the motor does not close the flap all the way when I change modes. I also had a hole in my main vents that blew air into the glovebox, which I sealed up with foam.

I just noticed that Number Twelve had made a post on here, and I didn't notice it, but I think his post sums up my issue.

 

[explorerjosh]

And I played around a bit more, but now when I have a.c. on, it blows through the vents and the leg vents even if it's on upper only.

 

[Number Twelve]

leg vents

I think that one is controlled by a position modulator motor by the driver's right ankle. Cutting the center console plastic is the easiest way to get at it, but the entire center console can be disassembled. I've done it...twice. If you go there, you can jam a sock in the vent to the second row seats. I find that I am never in the second row while driving, so no need for air conditioning back there.
You found the defroster flap by looking to the left of the glove box. The outdoor air flap is in the box above the blower motor, in front of the glove box. My cure was to Frisbee the outdoor air flap and then discover that the outdoor air intake was already sealed up. I jammed the defroster flap into "dash only" and ran a screw in the pivot point so it can never move again, but it still has enough defrost air for Florida.

Happy hunting. That's what you have to do to find all the gizmos.

 

[explorerjosh]

I think that one is controlled by a position modulator motor by the driver's right ankle. Cutting the center console plastic is the easiest way to get at it, but the entire center console can be disassembled. I've done it...twice. If you go there, you can jam a sock in the vent to the second row seats. I find that I am never in the second row while driving, so no need for air conditioning back there.
You found the defroster flap by looking to the left of the glove box. The outdoor air flap is in the box above the blower motor, in front of the glove box. My cure was to Frisbee the outdoor air flap and then discover that the outdoor air intake was already sealed up. I jammed the defroster flap into "dash only" and ran a screw in the pivot point so it can never move again, but it still has enough defrost air for Florida.

Happy hunting. That's what you have to do to find all the gizmos.

I also live in Florida, but I don't have rear air. I'm saying that air blows out of the driver and passengers lower vents. If you can, attach a picture of where I should put something or do something.

 

[Number Twelve]

I don't have rear air.

I missed the part about rear air conditioning and I did not refer to rear air conditioning. I do not have the ability to post photos. If I did, it would be a photo of the plastic siding of the center console as it goes by the driver's right ankle. There is a flap position modulator motor in there. I think that is where the choice is made for air flow near the floor, but it might be about temperature regulation. You have run past the end of my knowledge. I have not been in the lower flap area and don't know exactly what it does.

 

[explorerjosh]

I find that I am never in the second row while driving, so no need for air conditioning back there.

Alright I'll take a look, hoping it looks just like the one in the glovebox. *fingers crossed*

 

[Number Twelve]

hoping it looks just like the one in the glovebox.

Not even close. A flap position modulator motor is electrical. It can stop in any position. The defrost flap is moved by a vacuum motor. It only has two positions, open all the way and closed all the way.