03 XLT blend door

[Bookmdano]

Hi all,

I have looked for a fix for the 03 blend door clicking problem. I have air on Max A/C but no heat. When I switch to heat, I get the clicking noise. I have seen the fix on older X's but not on the newer ones. Dealership want 1000$+ to fix and it's starting to get cold here in Indy.

Any help would be appreciated. Even if a temp fix to move the blend door manually.

Thanks all and glad I found your site.
Dan

 

[cjones101812]

the clicking is probably the blend door actuator.

center of dash, wire colors are GN/YE, DG/OG, and BK

 

[cmg540]

This post helped me at least get some air movement into the cab again, I have completely removed the blend door at this point and have posted to see if anyone can tell me the cons of leaving it out.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=192084&highlight=Weak+Air+Flow

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=194413

Hopes this helps.

 

[hovjanessian]

I have the same problem, and looked at the post, he is mentioning some pics attached, but i don't see the pics. Does he mean the radio by center piece?

 

[itskirk]

2003 explorer No heat Clicking noise

I just had this problem and from reading online posts was afriad of getting hit with a $ 1000 repair bill and I was not going to attempt to remove my dash to fix it. I brought it to my local mechanic and he removed the center console and changed the blend door motor total bill was $225

hope this helps :exp:

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! Check this link for more information: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=198271

 

[jaydamn]

ticking from dash

ticking from dash when temp is turned to hot. Also air is blowing cold only.

 

[greenbm]

Easy "FIX" 2003 explorer blend door

I found an easy way to "fix" the blend door clicking problem. I had no heat and when I tried to adjust the thermostat from cold to hot i got the clicking noise with no heat ever coming out. I took the glove box down by squeezing in the tabs on either side. looking in to the bottom on the left side of the glove box opening i saw what seemed to be some sort of actuator that was trying to push an arm forward. I assume this arm is attached to the blend door. This is where the clicking noise was coming from. I reached in and manually pushed the tab down about 3 inches and heard kind of a sucking noise. As soon as I did this I had heat. I had just drivin the car so it was warm. If your car is cold you might not get heat right way obviously.

Hopefully the arm will stay down. If it doesn't I think I can figure out a way to attach it to something in the down position. Either wedge somethign in there or zip tie it to something. Come next summer i will jsut have to manually push the arm back up.

 

[heatertreater]

History and Root Cause of Blend Door Failures

On earlier automobiles there was generally a slide lever on the HVAC control panel(remember?). This slide lever was connected by a cable to the blend door and you had the control to slide the lever to full heat, full AC, or anything in between. Â In the 90's most automobile manufacturers moved from manual blend door control to mechanized computer control.

Generically, the HVAC system operates by providing air flow that can be directed through the AC evaporator and the Heater Core. The AC evaporator is cooled by the engine driven compressor and a flow of refrigerant, and the Heater Core is heated by a flow of hot radiator fluid through the core. The air flow is usually directed through the evaporator core and to the blend door where the air can be directed down two different paths to the vent system. One path goes directly to the vents, and the other path is directed through the heater core.

For more information, click here.

 

[n5mjmike]

2003 Sport Trac, no heat, no clicking noise: FIXED

The 2003 Sport Trac (XLT, manual A/C) has the heat blend actuator in a 3" square, 1" tall white plastic box sitting atop the blend manifold. It can be seen by removing the glove box door and looking at the top of the black blend manifold. One electrical connector, facing the passenger seat. Three 5/16" screws hold it down. There is a shaft protruding downwards from the right rear of the actuator. Shine a flashlight in between the manifold and the actuator, and work the heat blend control. The shaft should turn CCW to blend in heat.

Mine was stuck in the max cold position. Fine for summertime here in NM. The blend door wasn't broken, it was simply jammed.

Taking off the two front (visible) screws and lifting the actuator upwards and forward unjammed the door. Now, there is heat.

Sometimes you get lucky.

Good luck! N5MJ

 

[jakedrew]

I wondered when the heatertreater guys would join here.

My thoughts are: I spent 60$ on a oem actuator part and 2-3 working slow hours of my time. If It lasts 6 years fine with me. It Will be easier to replace the 2nd time. I dont know how much his kit is, but i t didnt seem like it would solve my problem of my actuator being broken/worn out.

The heater treater part really doesnt solve the problem I think. Problem is there is still a little plastic gear that breaks in the actuator.

Plus I dont like the idea of hacking up the dash.

If I had to hack up the dash yes, but I have never heard of a blend door breaking, just the small gear in the motor. ( i COULD be wrong, but 99% of the posts it is about the clicking and people replace the motor and never come back with a issue unless it is a non OEM motor).

 

[Chicagojay]

greenbm you are a genious!

I'm new to this forum and joined because googling "heater clicking 2003 explorer" kept leading me to threads here.
I chose greenbm's method of "fixing" the heat blend actuator and am forever grateful for his post.
He was correct, by simply pressing the arm lever down (back towards the passenger compartment and towards the floor) while running the blower with the temp. dial turned towards heat you can stop the "clicking" noise and actually get the heat to work!
If I decide to keep the truck I will simply reverse the same action in about 2 minutes next Summer.
Thanks again greenbm!

 

[BigRondo]

I'm new to this forum and joined because googling "heater clicking 2003 explorer" kept leading me to threads here.
I chose greenbm's method of "fixing" the heat blend actuator and am forever grateful for his post.
He was correct, by simply pressing the arm lever down (back towards the passenger compartment and towards the floor) while running the blower with the temp. dial turned towards heat you can stop the "clicking" noise and actually get the heat to work!
If I decide to keep the truck I will simply reverse the same action in about 2 minutes next Summer.
Thanks again greenbm!

Welcome to the forum!

You could replace the blend door actuator. It's about $70 at the dealer & cheaper online. Here is the how to: blend door actuator replacement.

Goos luck with whatever you decide to do. :biggthump

 

[medwin]

HELP 2003 Explorer XLT Blend Door Issue

Hello all and thank you in advance for your help. I have the same problem where the blend door actuator gear is stripped etc. (clicking with the heat on) I have read the quick fix to manually move the blend door from greenbm and chicagojay but I do not see this tab or control arm after dropping the glove box anywhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated as to its location as I would love to just get the heat going then properly fix it over the summer.

 

[wpresler]

Ok I have a 03 explorer And have heat but It is stuck between defrost and floor. What door is the one I have to check?

 

[Chicagojay]

blend door

medwin-
it is a little tough to locate.
drop the glove box and if facing it curl around to the left and down onto the floor.
The only way i was able to find it was to have it "clicking" while I felt around for it. You will know when you found it when you put your finger on it. Then just flip it back and forth until it lands in the spot and the clicking sound stops.
...or, you can do what I did and trade it in on a Chevy Tahoe. No more Fords for this guy. I've never had so many trivial, but expensive things go wrong on a vehicle in all my life.

 

[D Hook]

Wife had a Tahoe; practically ate us out of house and home. Bought an Expedition to replace it and have been happy ever since. Wouldn't own a Tahoe unless it was free and had a 100%, 200k mile warranty.

YMMV

 

[tcarter35``]

where is the blend door on a 2002 Explorer?

 

[waskly]

where is the blend door on a 2002 Explorer?

center of dash. left side, behind the inst panel.

 

[zachtally]

I found an easy way to "fix" the blend door clicking problem. I had no heat and when I tried to adjust the thermostat from cold to hot i got the clicking noise with no heat ever coming out. I took the glove box down by squeezing in the tabs on either side. looking in to the bottom on the left side of the glove box opening i saw what seemed to be some sort of actuator that was trying to push an arm forward. I assume this arm is attached to the blend door. This is where the clicking noise was coming from. I reached in and manually pushed the tab down about 3 inches and heard kind of a sucking noise. As soon as I did this I had heat. I had just drivin the car so it was warm. If your car is cold you might not get heat right way obviously.

Hopefully the arm will stay down. If it doesn't I think I can figure out a way to attach it to something in the down position. Either wedge somethign in there or zip tie it to something. Come next summer i will jsut have to manually push the arm back up.

Thanks greenbm! The "easy fix" worked. My blend door went to "all cold" in the Adirondack Mts. on my way back home from Massena - it was 8 deg outside. A service station said it would take a couple days and they would have to remove the dashboard. No way. It was a tough 3 hours to get home but I made it and I'm glad I found this forum. I have heat for now and the method to change the motor when spring comes. Thanks again.