3rd gen Explorer Blend Door Actuator Replacement | Page 14 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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3rd gen Explorer Blend Door Actuator Replacement

ok.. I took the whole middle console out and.. no door was there... so i looked around more... And the one behind the glove box looks like its it. The picture is posted above. Its the whiteish color.. I guess this is the one.. the plug seems to match... looks like the same part.. Please please can anyone correct me or let me know a easy way to get to it.
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I just got to your other post with the video link in it and I know what our problem is here. You have a 2001 model, which has a different blend door box set up than the 2002-2005 models, which is what I was giving you the repair instructions for. I wasn't aware the older, 2nd generation Explorers had blend door actuator issues like the 3rd generation 2002-2005 Explorers have. Your blend door box is behind your glove box as in the video and mine is under the center dash console area. So follow the video instructions you have and yes, that white box the guy pulls out in the video is your blend door actuator you are looking to replace. Yours is actually a lot easier to replace than mine was. A lot easier to get at. Make sure you follow those instructions on how to properly set up and install the new actuator. Use your vehicles VIN number when ordering the new actuator from Ford to ensure you get the right part for your exact vehicle. You should be good to go from here. Good luck!
BTW, even though you mentioned your vehicle year in your first post, it might be a good idea to list your vehicle specs under your screen name, so people can see what type of vehicle you are asking for help with each time you post a new message in here.
 



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

I just got to your other post with the video link in it and I know what our problem is here. You have a 2001 model, which has a different blend door box set up than the 2002-2005 models, which is what I was giving you the repair instructions for. I wasn't aware the older, 2nd generation Explorers had blend door actuator issues like the 3rd generation 2002-2005 Explorers have. Your blend door box is behind your glove box as in the video and mine is under the center dash console area. So follow the video instructions you have and yes, that white box the guy pulls out in the video is your blend door actuator you are looking to replace. Yours is actually a lot easier to replace than mine was. A lot easier to get at. Make sure you follow those instructions on how to properly set up and install the new actuator. Use your vehicles VIN number when ordering the new actuator from Ford to ensure you get the right part for your exact vehicle. You should be good to go from here. Good luck!
BTW, even though you mentioned your vehicle year in your first post, it might be a good idea to list your vehicle specs under your screen name, so people can see what type of vehicle you are asking for help with each time you post a new message in here.



Ooooh.. ha ok.. Sorry Its like all I have been getting is paragraphs and paragraphs of this or that... With so little time. I try to skim through everything but sense I am skimming I miss over half of it. I asked about under the radio someone said yea.. that the post I went with really.. I will let everyone know the results..
 






Ooooh.. ha ok.. Sorry Its like all I have been getting is paragraphs and paragraphs of this or that... With so little time. I try to skim through everything but sense I am skimming I miss over half of it. I asked about under the radio someone said yea.. that the post I went with really.. I will let everyone know the results..
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If you have a 2001 Ford Explorer, then go with the instructions from AA1Auto in that video link you showed me, that is where your blend door actuator is located, inside the glove box area and much easier to change. Don't go with the repair post instructions I first gave you that are from "BigRondo", his instructions are for people with Explorers that are from years 2002-2005 and have the blend door actuator located under the center dash console area and much harder to change. I originally thought you had a 3rd generation Explorer, years 2002-2005 and that is why I gave you a link to BigRondo's repair post.
 






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

If you have a 2001 Ford Explorer, then go with the instructions from AA1Auto in that video link you showed me, that is where your blend door actuator is located, inside the glove box area and much easier to change. Don't go with the repair post instructions I first gave you that are from "BigRondo", his instructions are for people with Explorers that are from years 2002-2005 and have the blend door actuator located under the center dash console area and much harder to change. I originally thought you had a 3rd generation Explorer, years 2002-2005 and that is why I gave you a link to BigRondo's repair post.

I know where it is.. thats why i posted the video and said you see it in my pictures I posted above.. Now you understand exactly about the complete skimming.. When there are so many words... you just skim.. did the same thing i did
 






I know where it is.. thats why i posted the video and said you see it in my pictures I posted above.. Now you understand exactly about the complete skimming.. When there are so many words... you just skim.. did the same thing i did
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If you know where it is, then why did you say the following below?

>>>>>>>>> (I asked about under the radio someone said yea.. that the post I went with really.. >>>>>>>>>

Your actuator is not under the radio, it would be if you had a 2002--2005 model Explorer, but you have the 2001 model, so it's located thru the glove box. If you skim thru the posts people are sending to you because there are too many "words" for you to read, you will most likely skip over important information pertient for the repair help you seek. I didn't skim over your posts, and I looked at your pictures of the inside of your EX and engine compartment, which really showed me nothing to go with as to your heat loss problem. I'm also not very familiar with 2nd generation Explorers and most of the people coming in here with blend door actuator problems since I joined the forum have 3rd generation Explorers.
 






thats why i listed my year and asked. And i didn't know where it was at the time.. I didnt realize i had it listed in the wrong category.. I have started other posts and was told try to keep them to the same ones...


Well i replaced it and its still blows out cold :( :(


Ok.. I think it may be the hose's.. Im not sure if these are the right ones or not..

4.jpeg
 






Well i replaced it and its still blows out cold :( :(<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Then you have some other problem affecting heat loss. If your old actuator was making the tell-tale "clicking noise" when you had the temp knob set to the hot temp side, it should have been the actuator unless you have two problems at the same time causing you to lose heat in the vehicle..

>>>>>>>>>Ok.. I think it may be the hose's.. Im not sure if these are the right ones or not..>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Those should be your heater hoses to your heater core, but forget the hoses as being blocked, it's not them. You need to check and see if you have a "heater core valve" on your EX, it would connected inline with one of those heater core hoses in your picture. If you have one on your Ex, that could be the source of a blockage of coolant to your heater core if it has failed or broken. The hoses themselves don't get blocked, just the valve fails in the closed postion blocking coolant flow . You also could have a plugged up heater core, but check the heater core valve thing first. If you find a heater core valve, take a picture of it and post it. It should be located along the passenger side of the engine, right along the valve cover area connected to one of those heater core hoses. Not all Ex's have these valves, don't know if your 2001 does. Also, in your picture, how long did you have the engine running when you checked the hoses to see if they are hot? Did you have the temp knob set to hot and have the heater or defroster on at the time? If you don't have a heater core valve and you believe one of your heater core hoses itself is plugged up, then change them, shouldn't cost much for the hoses. In my 35 years of working on my own vehicles I've never had a heater core hose plug up. The radiator core's and heater core can get plugged up because they have smaller opening's in their core tubes for coolant and particals in the system to flow thru and build up and plug over time. That is why they recommend a coolant flush every few years to clean out rust and scale build up in the cooling system.
 












where would the valve thingy be at?
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I told you the general area where the heater core valve would be located in my previous post. I don't know the exact placement of it or even if your '01 Explorer even has one, but some Explorers do have them and it has been the source of lost heat into the vehicle. From the pictures I have seen of them, the valve would be located along the passenger side valve cover area(about a foot or so from the firewall), connected into one of the heater hoses. If you don't see one there, most likely your Ex doesn't have one. Just follow the heater core hoses from the firewall back to the water pump/engine and see if anything that looks like a valve is connected inline with them. I would think there is an electrical harness plugged into it as well, but I'm not 100% sure. One other thing, make sure your coolant level in the expansion/overflow tank is up to the "full level". If you somehow got an "air pocket" into the system it could cause loss of coolant flow to the heater core, thus loss of heat into the vehicle. To purge any air out of the system and with the coolant level full, squeeze the upper radiator hose with your hand numerous times and see if you get any "air bubbles" rising up in the expansion tank, that is air in the system . Do this with the expansion tank cap off and the vehicle turned off. After doing this, re-cap the expansion tank and drive the vehicle with the defroster on, set to hot temp and fan on high and see if you get heat. Only do this if you suspect air in the system. Usually after doing an anti-freeze coolant flush and re-fill, you will have to do this as well because air can get into the system during that procedure.
 






Sorry I didn't mean to upset you.. I just want to make sure I have the right stuff.. I will try looking for it and put the pictures online.. not unless I take it in somewhere...
 






Sorry I didn't mean to upset you.. I just want to make sure I have the right stuff.. I will try looking for it and put the pictures online.. not unless I take it in somewhere...
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You didn't tick me off, but I did previously mention where to look for the heater core valve. The heater core valve if you have one on your Ex, will not be hard to find. The heater hoses are only approx 2 1/2 to 3 feet long and it would be clamped into one of those hoses. If you don't have a heater valve, only other things I can come up with is either your heater core is plugged up, the blend door itself is bad or you somehow installed the new blend door actuator wrong and it isn't working properly. When you installed the new actuator, was the dash temp knob set to the cold side and was the blend door itself set to the cold side? This is where they both needed to be at installation time, set to cold temp. Did you test the new actuator by plugging the wiring harness into it, energizing the ignition with the key(not starting it) and turning the temp control knob to hot, watching the actuator arm rotate prior to mounting it in place? Then returned the dash temp knob to cold along with the actuator arm to cold position and then installed it with it's mounting screws? This is the proper way to test the actuator and the position it should be in prior to install. Thats all I can come up with up as to why you are not getting heat thru your heater core.
 






I went to the auto parts store on the way home and asked for a heater core valve and they said they there isnt one for my car... I know my antifreeze hasn't been change for the last 170,000 miles and its dark green... so my best guess... yea its blocked... ???:p:
 






I know my antifreeze hasn't been change for the last 170,000 miles and its dark green... so my best guess... yea its blocked... ???>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thats a good possibility since you never changed the antifreeze. Factory antifreeze is only good for 100K in miles new from the plant and I wouldn't let it get that old before changing it. You nearly doubled it. You'll most likely need to take it to a "radiator shop" that specializes in R&R'ing heater cores, but it still needs to be tested to see if it truly is plugged. DON'T TELL the shop you take it to, you never changed the antifreeze in over 170,000 miles, their eyes will get big with $$$$$$$ in them. They will try and tell you that your water pump or radiator is shot or something else needs changing besides the heater core and it will cost you a small fortune in repairs. Lesson learned, change your antifreeze every couple years, even if you just drain out a gallon or two and refill with new. It will keep your cooling system with fresh antifreeze. It's cheap maintenance, $10-$15.
 






haha... well it might have been changed at 100 thou... I bought the car i think at 90 thou... who knows... Theres a guy that I trade him for stuff.. I wish I had some place to work on it...
 






haha... well it might have been changed at 100 thou... I bought the car i think at 90 thou... who knows...>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If you don't know for sure if the antifreeze was ever changed, you have to assume it never was.

>>>>>>>> I wish I had some place to work on it...>>>>>>>>>>>>

When I was younger, I spent many a day working on my vehicles when they broke down, on the cold frozen ground in the middle of a snowy Buffalo winter. You have to dress warm for the elements from head to toe and do what you have to do to get your vehicle running again. I know what near frost bite feels like. My home has a 2 car garage attached to it, but I still do most of my work on the Ex in the open driveway.
 






well I took it into the shop... they flushed forward and backward.. still wont stuck... really good.. However the hose is now getting hot. They said they want me to leave it over night so they can pour some stuff into the heater core to losen it up.
 






However the hose is now getting hot. They said they want me to leave it over night so they can pour some stuff into the heater core to losen it up.
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So the shop did verify that the heater core itself was plugged up? Try and find out the name of the chemical or product they plan on using overnight to unplug the heater core blockage? I'm curious to know what they used and I'm sure some others in here might want to know that information as well. Post an update when it's repaired. Good luck!
 






yea its the heater core... ok i will try to ask them


If it matters at all.. I was told by one guy he said some places use drano... But you have to be careful to drain it out completely..

I still havent take the car back in.. but whats really nice is I got some little over luke warm air today... So it must be breaking up...
 






If it matters at all.. I was told by one guy he said some places use drano... But you have to be careful to drain it out completely..>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I never heard of that one before, using plumbing "Drano" to unclog a heater core. Must be a backyard type of fix. I agree it would have to be drained completely because Drano contains acid to help disolve clogs in plumbing pipes. It can't be good (the acid) with the seals and aluminum parts of the radiator or heater core.

>>>>>>>>>>>>I still havent take the car back in.. but whats really nice is I got some little over luke warm air today... So it must be breaking up...>>>>>>>

You hope it is breaking up. Did the shop drain and refill your cooling system with new antifreeze? Make sure it is full, check it now and then.
 



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is the heater blend door under the dash in the white case.
 






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