10 Second Temporary Fix for Blend Door Actuator Problem...

[dehamma]

you are a genius

I just want to thank you for your post. I lost heat and had the clicking in the dashboard. I was preparing for a back breaking repair or paying someone $800 to do it. Fortunately, I came across your post and it did the trick. I now have heat, thanks to you.

 

[tk1251k]

Exactly how did you fix it?
Glad you got it working mine still doing fine with the aluminum foil method until whenever I decide to replace it. But for now it works just fine.

 

[dehamma]

I did exactly what the post said, and now I have heat and no clicking. It fixes the problem of no heat for the winter until I can do the repair.

 

[Starhauler]

A 2007 Sport Trac no tool TEMP fix for Temp actuator control

I got sick of driving in the cold today, so I decided I would figure out this blend door garbage. Mine is stuck blowing cold air, and knocking under the dash (front end HVAC only). This basically helps it shut either way so you get all cold or all hot air. But it will sure fix me until I get the part ordered next week.

Unhinge glove box

Swing glove box all the way out

Turn off the blower and set the temp gauge to where it is clicking. You want the blower off so you can feel the thumps as those will lead you to the door hinge.

Reach directly into this spot and try to go STRAIGHT down from there. Basically I was wrist deep into this cavity before I hit the door hinge.

There is the blend door hinge opposite of the actuator. If it is clicking when you try to get to it, you WILL feel this thing bouncing up and down on that sensor. Just push it the appropriate way to get HEAT/COOL.

This is obviously on the passenger side of the car. If you were to access the driver side similar to this, you would have your hand on that piece of crap actuator.

This should get you by until you get that part ordered. If you have an Oreilly's Auto, you can get part #604202, which is the correct actuator for the front HVAC on the 2002-2005 Explorers. I also think it fits the 01 as well???

Very similar to your post however on the 2007 Sport Trac the passenger side consul panel has a round head about 3/4" diameter push in plastic retainer pin. I removed mine with getting my fingernails under it and pulling it out, after removal pry outwards on the front of the panel pulling slightly to the rear and the plastic spring clips in the rear of that panel will pop free and the panel will be free.
Turn the ignition on to hear the actuator click, slip flat open hand facing the opening and slide hand up, you will feel the unit there you will feel like a lever as he shows push it counter clockwise towards the rear with the heater control on hot for hot air reverse for cold tell others to keep there hands off the temp control!
Looks like Fords HR department screwed up and hired a x GM designer to put this dang thing in this place. Much like the method of checking the automatic transmission fluid level.

 

[smfisher63]

Fits all the way to 2010

 

[isobarzo]

If this fits on 2010, that means Ford don´t fix their design defect yet....
They need high quality components, specially on gears where needs to be metal instead of plastic... I´m glad that you resolve temporally your problem. happy winter!!

 

[smfisher63]

If this fits on 2010, that means Ford don´t fix their design defect yet....
They need high quality components, specially on gears where needs to be metal instead of plastic... I´m glad that you resolve temporally your problem. happy winter!!

oh agreed!, but you know all that matters is the bottom line $$$

 

[aqnegler]

Somebody get that man a beer!

Just wanted to say Thanks for 10 second temp fix. I pour steel for a living where it's hot as balls and the last thing I need after a shift is no AC. The fix was easy and it will get me by during these hot times. Again THANKS!

 

[boklord]

heater issue

Hi guys,

I have a quick question. Everybody here is complaining about not getting heat in their truck, well mine is different. My heat is always on even when I turn the temp all the way to the cold zone and turn off the blower, is this still related to the blend door actuator? thanks guys. It's just there is so much heat i have to open my windows even in the rain.

 

[Exproblems]

Hi guys,

I have a quick question. Everybody here is complaining about not getting heat in their truck, well mine is different. My heat is always on even when I turn the temp all the way to the cold zone and turn off the blower, is this still related to the blend door actuator? thanks guys. It's just there is so much heat i have to open my windows even in the rain.

If the blend door actuator is bad, you should hear a clunking or thumping sound coming from behind the dash when you switch the temp knob to the cold side. This is for vehicles with manual control knobs. If you don't get any noise when doing this, then your actuator arm may have broken off completely or the blend door itself(much bigger repair) is broken and will not rotate to the cold side. You should be able to flip the blend door by hand/finger to the cold side by reaching in behind the dashboard thru the glove box. You are feeling for a "arm/tab" that is connected to the blend door. You want to flip this tab upward for the cold side, down for hot. Your tab is in the down position or hot right now. When you flip this tab, you can feel the weight of the blend door rotate thru your fingers and can hear it move as well. If your blend door actuator is bad, besides the loud clunking noise you can hear, you can feel this blend door tab flicking back and forth and that is the tab you want to rotate with your fingers. Using the search box in the forum, look up "5 minute blend door repair" and you will find instructions on how to do this. I don't have time right now to look it up for you, gotta run. This should help get rid of the heat problem you are having until you can get the issue fixed. You may have to reach behind the dash every now and then to reset the blend door if it falls back to the hot side. Good luck!

 

[boklord]

Thanks Exproblems, so I guess either my actuator or blend door is broken as I don't here the clunk, hopefully it's just the actuator so I can still open and close this thing. Well, anyways, I'll just check this out on my day off. Thanks again, really appreciate the help here.

 

[Exproblems]

Thanks Exproblems, so I guess either my actuator or blend door is broken as I don't here the clunk, hopefully it's just the actuator so I can still open and close this thing. Well, anyways, I'll just check this out on my day off. Thanks again, really appreciate the help here.

You're welcome, no problem. If the actuator is bad, it is the small set of cheaply made plastic and under sized gear teeth that have stripped (worn down) inside the actuator. These small plastic gear teeth mesh with a metal gear and it is a defective design by Ford.

 

[parnsberg]

Blend Door: I'm Hot, need to get Cold

I'm stuck on heat after experiencing clicking all winter. I can't get my hand very far at all behind console and feel nothing that seems to want to move. Will this fix work hot>cold?

 

[Exproblems]

I'm stuck on heat after experiencing clicking all winter. I can't get my hand very far at all behind console and feel nothing that seems to want to move. Will this fix work hot>cold?

Yours is the first I've read that was stuck on "heat" while hearing the actuator clicking noise. Most hear the noise when switching from cold to hot in the winter months but can't get any heat because the blend door actuator failed/broke to the cold side of the system. Stays on cold. Don't know if the "temp fix" will work in that direction, but you want to flip with your finger the moving back and forth blend door tab "upwards" for cold, "downwards" for heat. You should be able to feel this tab moving back and forth with your finger, while you have the vehicle turned on and set on the temp setting where you can hear the clicking noise. I'm a big guy and have large hands and I could reach this blend door tab that you need to flip to get the right temp blend door setting you want. You only need to reach as far behind the dash up to your wrist, depending on how large or small your hands are.

 

[jimborasco]

Please help me find this lever on my 2003 Explorer

Ok, I've got the actuator and will be putting it in as soon as I get around to it, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. But it's cold now and until then I thought, well, I'll just trip that lever and get some heat for the time being. My wife and I both have tried without any luck in getting our hands/fingers down into the area beside the glove compartment where your picture shows your hand. I had her try since her hands are smaller, but even she can't find a place to put her fingers down into there. I just wondered if someone could give me some idea of exactly where this thing is and how you can get to it. All either of us can feel is what is plastic 'wall' or duct to the inside left of the glove compartment with a lot of wires pressed up against it. Is it behind the heater control knobs? Are we trying to reach too far? Is it against the inside left of the passenger foot compartment? Maybe I'm just making it harder than it has to be, but I would sure love to hear from someone that actually was able to find this little bugger and flip it for some heat! Thanks.

 

[BigRondo]

Ok, I've got the actuator and will be putting it in as soon as I get around to it, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. But it's cold now and until then I thought, well, I'll just trip that lever and get some heat for the time being. My wife and I both have tried without any luck in getting our hands/fingers down into the area beside the glove compartment where your picture shows your hand. I had her try since her hands are smaller, but even she can't find a place to put her fingers down into there. I just wondered if someone could give me some idea of exactly where this thing is and how you can get to it. All either of us can feel is what is plastic 'wall' or duct to the inside left of the glove compartment with a lot of wires pressed up against it. Is it behind the heater control knobs? Are we trying to reach too far? Is it against the inside left of the passenger foot compartment? Maybe I'm just making it harder than it has to be, but I would sure love to hear from someone that actually was able to find this little bugger and flip it for some heat! Thanks.

Jim, have you seen my write up on changing the actuator? My actuator failed recently after 3 years of faithful service and I was attempting to do this quick fix until I could replace the actuator and discovered that I only have an end of the shaft and no lever. I'll snap a picture when I get home tonight. If you remove the actuator you can insert a screwdriver in the slot for the shaft and turn the blend door toward the seats and with the fan on the blend door will stay in the heat position. As soon as you turn the fan off it will fall to the AC position. Only thing is that if you have gone as far as taking out the faulty actuator, then you might as well install the new one.

 

[isobarzo]

Ok, I've got the actuator and will be putting it in as soon as I get around to it, hopefully within the next couple of weeks. But it's cold now and until then I thought, well, I'll just trip that lever and get some heat for the time being. My wife and I both have tried without any luck in getting our hands/fingers down into the area beside the glove compartment where your picture shows your hand. I had her try since her hands are smaller, but even she can't find a place to put her fingers down into there. I just wondered if someone could give me some idea of exactly where this thing is and how you can get to it. All either of us can feel is what is plastic 'wall' or duct to the inside left of the glove compartment with a lot of wires pressed up against it. Is it behind the heater control knobs? Are we trying to reach too far? Is it against the inside left of the passenger foot compartment? Maybe I'm just making it harder than it has to be, but I would sure love to hear from someone that actually was able to find this little bugger and flip it for some heat! Thanks.

Jim, TRY TO DO THIS. Put your right hand fingers inside left of the of the glove conpartment and with your left hand turn the knob up and down 'till you feel something moves inside, now, follow the ride of that thing that you feel on your fingers and push it to the direction of the "hot" position. Even if you use a flashlight you can see that piece and analyse the trip when you turn the knob.---check pictures of post 3070372 by eqppwqqep
Good Luck!!

 

[jimborasco]

Thanks Rondo! I wont' have a chance to check on that today, but that may be problem. And you're right, if I'm in there, I'm going to change the durn thing.

And isobarzo, I'll check that post and give that a try before I tear into the thing to put the part in. Thanks for your help too.

I appreciate your quick and helpful responses! And I'll let you know how it goes.

 

[BigRondo]

It's not a bad job. Follow my write up and you'll do fine. Good luck.

How To: Replace Blend Door Actuator in 3rd Gen Ex

 

[jimborasco]

Found the lever.. and something else too

Just for the record, my wife WAS able to find the switch/lever that controls the blender door and switch it over. Maybe everyone's is the same but ours is in a recessed area surrounded by something sharp 'cause she tore a chunk out of her knuckle reaching into the 'valley' where it was. But at least she's happy she has heat until I can get the part put in.. hopefully this weekend or next. No big deal, but I promised to post any results. Now with the help of BigRondo's write-up I'll have the same success on replacing it and not end up losing a hunk of knuckle.
One thing though, she found a black piece of plastic, about 1 inch X 1 inch X 4 inches with a lightbulb (that isn't working) in one end of it, hanging from a wire back behind the glove box. We had noticed there was no light in the glove box, but figured it just didn't come with one. Is this thing supposed to be the glove box light, or what? Any ideas? Thanks for all the great info on this site, and the help with the heat situation.