Winter Problems with Auto HVAC Temp

[R56 Ed]

Greetings, everybody. I have a '14 Explorer XLT. Love the vehicle, even with all its quirks (nav, stinky exhaust, etc.) I have a problem with the HVAC in the winter. I apologize if the following description of the problem isn't crystal clear. And I would appreciate any thoughts you folks might offer from your own similar experiences.

FYI, I have not taken it back to the dealer for this yet, since the problem usually resolves itself after the engine has fully warmed up after about 15 minutes of driving. And, being an intermittent electrical problem, I don't have much faith that the dealer will be able to find the cause.

Here we go:

Once or twice last winter, when I first started the vehicle in the morning (outside temp well below freezing), the climate control seemed to think that the interior was very hot, and the system blew cold outside air at full speed (doesn't turn on the a/c). Temp control is set for 68, outside temp between 10 F and 30 F. For the last week, this has happened every morning (ambient temps well below freezing). If I set the temp for upper 70s, the fan slows down but the air is still cold and comes out of the front vents instead of the defroster vents (where it usually comes from until the engine heats up when things are working correctly). The problem usually corrects itself after 15 minutes of driving.

I think the problem has two facets: the interior temp sensor is giving wrong data to the controller, and the controller is directing air at the wrong temp and speed into the cabin.

My first thought is that there is an intermittent problem with the temp sensor in the dash. Has anyone ever experienced this, and if so, how did you fix it?

Thanks in advance.

Ed

 

[dco43054]

May have been someone with a similar problem in the past. Sounds a little familiar, but can't find a thread.

Not normal behavior. My suggestion is to take a video if you have a camera or smartphone to document for the dealer. Otherwise, if they can't reproduce it, you could just be taking it home again with nothing done.

 

[R56 Ed]

May have been someone with a similar problem in the past. Sounds a little familiar, but can't find a thread.

Not normal behavior. My suggestion is to take a video if you have a camera or smartphone to document for the dealer. Otherwise, if they can't reproduce it, you could just be taking it home again with nothing done.

Interesting idea... thanks. I'm not sure I can effectively record the cold temps and fan speeds with a camera. And even if I did, the chances that they would be willing to look at the video are pretty slim. I am pretty sure that they won't be able to find anything wrong... just like they can't seem to find the source of the exhaust smell, or the reason that the nav was not tracking properly. Sadly, the days of old time mechanics who trouble shot and fixed things are long gone. Now they are forced to replace components until they find the one that wasn't working. Car components and systems are so complicated by the computers that run them that it takes another computer to figure things out.

 

[dco43054]

Do you have MFT? Temp will be on the screen. Microphone will pick up the fan noise.

There have been multiple people who have effectively used cell phone video to document problems for the dealer. Even if it doesn't get fixed on the first try, you still have a record of it for later.

 

[R56 Ed]

Thanks. All I need now is another very cold day to duplicate the problem.