How to: Replace Front Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex.

[vonkluge]

Thanks for the nicest tutorial I've seen!

Thanks for the walk through! I been freezing (well California gets into the low 30's...lol!) and I was about to pay the $1000 to $1200 my mech said it would cost. He is very honest but this type of repair would be farmed out by him. I decided to wait ans did a bit of searching on the web when I found your article... bought the part.... spent 2.5 hours... heater works great... taking the $1100 and buying my son a Mac computer for Christmas! Thanks to you Big!

I did not cut the dash just wiggled about carefully, I also had to adjust mine as I lined the shaft up with key on turning till it slipped in. I would also recommend a telescoping mirror and magnet to help out in finding and replacing screws.

Vonkluge

 

[BigRondo]

Thanks for the walk through! I been freezing (well California gets into the low 30's...lol!) and I was about to pay the $1000 to $1200 my mech said it would cost. He is very honest but this type of repair would be farmed out by him. I decided to wait ans did a bit of searching on the web when I found your article... bought the part.... spent 2.5 hours... heater works great... taking the $1100 and buying my son a Mac computer for Christmas! Thanks to you Big!

I did not cut the dash just wiggled about carefully, I also had to adjust mine as I lined the shaft up with key on turning till it slipped in. I would also recommend a telescoping mirror and magnet to help out in finding and replacing screws.

Vonkluge

Welcome to the forum.

Glad I could help out. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

 

[03 Eddie]

pictures

I'm new the forum and have the same issue with my 03 explorer. I see many people have benefited from this write-up and I was hoping to follow it as well; however, I'm having trouble seeing the pictures. They're all "x" out. Is it something with my computer or can you poste them again BigRondo?

 

[my1zamboni]

03 Eddie
The pictures are there.
If you are trying to view from work they may be blocked.
PM me with an email address and I will copy and paste it into a word document and send it to you. Just a warning though it will be about 90 pages. I printed it off and used it as a guide when I fixed mine.

 

[BigRondo]

I'm new the forum and have the same issue with my 03 explorer. I see many people have benefited from this write-up and I was hoping to follow it as well; however, I'm having trouble seeing the pictures. They're all "x" out. Is it something with my computer or can you poste them again BigRondo?

Like my1zamboni said, if you are using a work computer then they may be blocked.

Try this: on one of the bars across the top of the page there will be User CP, click on that. Then look at the column on the left and scroll down until you see: Edit Options, click on that. Then scroll down until you see the Thread Display Options section. Under the Thread Display Options, make sure Show Images is checked. Then scroll all the way to the bottom and click on Save Changes.

If that doesn't work, then I can email you the write-up when I get home.

Let me know if you get it working.

-- Rondo

 

[Mike8094058]

Thanks BigRondo. I just replaced the actuator in my 05 Explorer by following your guide.

 

[BigRondo]

Thanks BigRondo. I just replaced the actuator in my 05 Explorer by following your guide.

You are welcome. Glad you got it fixed. :biggthump
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[PhillyNJ]

Great Tutorial!

This took me about 2 hours. I was able to remove the actuator without cutting the dash. The trick is to use a 5/16 ratchet box wrench. You can get this at sears or Ace Hardware. Just take your time. Reinstalling the actuator screws was tough but the trick is to put a little Vaseline or Aquaphore on the screw head, which allows you to put the screws in place. See Images.

Good luck and thanks!

 

[duke16]

Will the procedure here also work for 2nd gen?

 

[BigRondo]

Great Tutorial!

This took me about 2 hours. I was able to remove the actuator without cutting the dash. The trick is to use a 5/16 ratchet box wrench. You can get this at sears or Ace Hardware. Just take your time. Reinstalling the actuator screws was tough but the trick is to put a little Vaseline or Aquaphore on the screw head, which allows you to put the screws in place. See Images.

Good luck and thanks!

Glad you got it fixed!!

 

[BigRondo]

Will the procedure here also work for 2nd gen?

The 2nd gen has a different interior and I believe the actuator is in a different location. I recommend checking the 2nd gen sub forum.

 

[bl^5]

OK, an update. I drove my wife's Mountaineer into work this morning to do a further assessment. The heater does blow heat, but at idle it blows cold air. I drive about 15 miles highway into work. Once the car warmed up it blew fine as usual. Upon exiting the highway and coming to a stop light it blew cold at idle. Once I started moving again it warmed up and then back cold at the next stop light, etc. until I got to work. Once I parked at work I tried changing the setting from automatic to manual mode and it still blew cold air at idle.

My only thought would be that at idle the blend door is closing all the way whereas it should only partially close.

I do not hear any clicking sounds from the door actuator. But I am thinking that maybe one tooth in the gear is off allowing the door to close all the way at idle even though it shouldn't.

Anyone else experience this?
Should I replace the actuator?
Is the actuator for the manual climate control models the same as the one for the automatic climate control models?
Am I the first to run into this issue with the automatic climate control models (I hope not)?

Yet another update. Turns out the acutator door was NOT the issue in my case. I am not sure if the automatic AC units have this problem at all.

Turns out we are loosing coolant somewhere in the system. As time went on the heat progressively got cooler until one day it no longer blew heat just cool air. On that same day the car started running hot, but the temp would go up if I turned the heater on and back down when I turned it off. So I looked at my coolant level and there was none. I filled up the fluid level and voila, the heat started working again and no more overheating.

Now I have to figure out where I am leaking coolant at. Hopefully it will be an easy fix...

And I'm glad I hadn't replaced the actuator yet.

 

[hwunder]

blend motor repair

I truly owe you for this post. Crystal clear, every thing exactly as you described and suggested. a $550 estimate ended up costing me 74 bucks and 4 hours.

 

[BigRondo]

Yet another update. Turns out the acutator door was NOT the issue in my case. I am not sure if the automatic AC units have this problem at all.

Turns out we are loosing coolant somewhere in the system. As time went on the heat progressively got cooler until one day it no longer blew heat just cool air. On that same day the car started running hot, but the temp would go up if I turned the heater on and back down when I turned it off. So I looked at my coolant level and there was none. I filled up the fluid level and voila, the heat started working again and no more overheating.

Now I have to figure out where I am leaking coolant at. Hopefully it will be an easy fix...

And I'm glad I hadn't replaced the actuator yet.

Try searching for thermostat housing. Many have had a "tough to find leak" end up being the thermostat housing.

 

[BigRondo]

I truly owe you for this post. Crystal clear, every thing exactly as you described and suggested. a $550 estimate ended up costing me 74 bucks and 4 hours.

Welcome to the forum!

Glad I could help out. Enjoy the heat. :fire:

 

[mikemaj]

Fantastic write up! I would like to mention that there are three actuators in 3rd gen explorers so it is important to try and troubleshoot to make sure this is the part you need to replace, some vacuum and some electric. I had to replace the part listed above because my defrost and floor vents were always on mix. To the best of my understanding I believe the part above would be called a mode door actuator since the blend door actuator controls the cold to hot mix. My understanding is that the above white electric acuator controls the defrost/floor mix. The blend door actuator for the cold/hot air mix is located above the glovebox. Here is the link for that fix.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198271&page=4

Once again, excellent write up!

 

[mikemaj]

please disregard my last post to this. The above actuator is for the cold/hot blend mix and not the modes like defrost, vent, and floor. Can anyone tell me why my 02 xlt when in either floor or defrost thay are always mixed? I checked the two vacuum actuators and both apear to be working. Thanks

 

[BigRondo]

Fantastic write up! I would like to mention that there are three actuators in 3rd gen explorers so it is important to try and troubleshoot to make sure this is the part you need to replace, some vacuum and some electric. I had to replace the part listed above because my defrost and floor vents were always on mix. To the best of my understanding I believe the part above would be called a mode door actuator since the blend door actuator controls the cold to hot mix. My understanding is that the above white electric acuator controls the defrost/floor mix. The blend door actuator for the cold/hot air mix is located above the glovebox. Here is the link for that fix.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198271&page=4

Once again, excellent write up!

please disregard my last post to this. The above actuator is for the cold/hot blend mix and not the modes like defrost, vent, and floor. Can anyone tell me why my 02 xlt when in either floor or defrost thay are always mixed? I checked the two vacuum actuators and both apear to be working. Thanks

Yup, this is for the blend door actuator. It blends the temperature between hot/cold.

There are several threads for your other issue. This one started recently: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=304349

 

[timp123]

I joined this forum just to say THANK YOU!

I installed the Blend Door Motor based on your work instructions & it was not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. And I encourage anyone trying this to heed his suggestions at first try to take it out, WITHOUT cutting the dash. Because I was able to do this.. I am not, mechanically inclined.. or, patient. LOL But it came out relatively easy & the only thing that took any time, was matching up the plastic pin that is polarized to fit in, only one way.. after that.. it slid right in.

So, thanks again VERY much. This saved me & many more people I'm sure A LOT of money.

Most Excellent walk thru!!

(Now, if I can only find these very same instructions for an 02 Quad Cab Dodge truck... a buddy of mine has the same problem, blend door motor & he's been quoted $800+ for the repair)



Now next job is the Drivers side rear door... Window Regulator replacement...

Good times!

 

[natlmatch]

So it seems the blender door(and its hinge) is no longer the issue as with
2nd Gen Explorers, but instead, its the actuater itself?

2 big thumbs up for this post!!!

Regards,

NM