Squilax
Active Member
- Joined
- November 1, 2007
- Messages
- 57
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Holtwood, PA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 2002 Explorer XLT
I have a 2002 Explorer XLT. No rear heater or A/C. No individual climate controls for driver/passenger. Currently I have a little over 113,000 miles logged on this vehicle. I bought it used in January 2004.
This past summer, I noticed when I turned the temperature control to the highest heat setting, there was a noisy clicking sound coming from behind the heater control panel in the dash. If I backed off the highest temperature setting, this clicking would stop. It sounded like something may have fallen into the defroster vent and was banging against the fan blades, but the noise continued even if the fan was turned off. There was no problem switching over from AC to Heat at that time. There was, and is, no problem with the fan running on all settings from 1 to 4.
Recently, in the past month or so, when I depressed the A/C button (light goes off behind the switch) to switch over to heat, I would hear a fairly loud “thunk” behind the controls in the dash, after a slight delay, and the heat would come out.
Now when I push the A/C button to the off position and turn the temperature setting to high heat, there is no longer a “thunk” nor do I get any warm or hot air at all. The continuous clicking sound has gone away, but I now get a click about once every second like something is trying to switch over, but cannot. This is why I think it may be a blend door issue.
I Googled “Explorer Blend Door” after a friend suggested what might be my problem, and found the fix on this site, however it appears that what has been posted was for models older than the 2002. Also, it appears that the Plenum (?) may not be located in the same place in the 2002 as it was in the 1997 to 2001 models.
I had my mechanic look into the problem and he told me that he would need my vehicle for a day or two as the entire dash needs to be removed to find out what the problem might be. Not being too mechanically inclined, I thought that the labor charges for this might end up being high.
I searched this forum for blend door fixes for 2002 and newer models and found a link to http://www.chrisfransen.com/Ford_Blend_Door_Fix/index.html, which I clicked on and read through the instructions. These were very detailed, but as I said, not being mechanically inclined, I still was not able to locate the plenum so I could check it out. I did remove the control panel cover around the radio and heater controls, but still could not get to the plenum. I have no idea at all how to take the dash apart to get to the part that I need to work on.
I was able to get in from the passenger side after pulling the glove box away from the dash. I can put my hand in through all the wires and feel a plastic box where the clicking is coming from, but can’t get to it to try and open it.
I really would like to be able to fix this myself if I can as it’s now November and I really need heat and defrosters to keep the windshield clear. Right now, I’m using a portable propane catalytic heater to provide heat in the mornings, but this definitely won’t help when we get into 20 degree and lower temperatures or if I come out in the morning and find ice on the windshield.
Do any of you have suggestions as to what I can do myself to remedy this problem?
Please feel free to post your thoughts and suggestions or you can PM or email me directly.
Thanks for your help!
Steve
This past summer, I noticed when I turned the temperature control to the highest heat setting, there was a noisy clicking sound coming from behind the heater control panel in the dash. If I backed off the highest temperature setting, this clicking would stop. It sounded like something may have fallen into the defroster vent and was banging against the fan blades, but the noise continued even if the fan was turned off. There was no problem switching over from AC to Heat at that time. There was, and is, no problem with the fan running on all settings from 1 to 4.
Recently, in the past month or so, when I depressed the A/C button (light goes off behind the switch) to switch over to heat, I would hear a fairly loud “thunk” behind the controls in the dash, after a slight delay, and the heat would come out.
Now when I push the A/C button to the off position and turn the temperature setting to high heat, there is no longer a “thunk” nor do I get any warm or hot air at all. The continuous clicking sound has gone away, but I now get a click about once every second like something is trying to switch over, but cannot. This is why I think it may be a blend door issue.
I Googled “Explorer Blend Door” after a friend suggested what might be my problem, and found the fix on this site, however it appears that what has been posted was for models older than the 2002. Also, it appears that the Plenum (?) may not be located in the same place in the 2002 as it was in the 1997 to 2001 models.
I had my mechanic look into the problem and he told me that he would need my vehicle for a day or two as the entire dash needs to be removed to find out what the problem might be. Not being too mechanically inclined, I thought that the labor charges for this might end up being high.
I searched this forum for blend door fixes for 2002 and newer models and found a link to http://www.chrisfransen.com/Ford_Blend_Door_Fix/index.html, which I clicked on and read through the instructions. These were very detailed, but as I said, not being mechanically inclined, I still was not able to locate the plenum so I could check it out. I did remove the control panel cover around the radio and heater controls, but still could not get to the plenum. I have no idea at all how to take the dash apart to get to the part that I need to work on.
I was able to get in from the passenger side after pulling the glove box away from the dash. I can put my hand in through all the wires and feel a plastic box where the clicking is coming from, but can’t get to it to try and open it.
I really would like to be able to fix this myself if I can as it’s now November and I really need heat and defrosters to keep the windshield clear. Right now, I’m using a portable propane catalytic heater to provide heat in the mornings, but this definitely won’t help when we get into 20 degree and lower temperatures or if I come out in the morning and find ice on the windshield.
Do any of you have suggestions as to what I can do myself to remedy this problem?
Please feel free to post your thoughts and suggestions or you can PM or email me directly.
Thanks for your help!
Steve