1997 Explorer hot/cold problem

[bar422]

After finishing up my thermostat project on my explorer today I found another one......

This time when I move the hot/cold switch it is now stuck on hot. It has been acting up for awhile and usually when you switched it back and forth a few times it would change (and you could hear it changing) now it is stuck on hot. When I turn the A/C on it will go to cold but takes a while getting cold (probably because it is stuck on hot). Is this the blend door door doing this? I thought I heard a "pop" when I was moving the switch back and forth right before it stopped working. Any help with this would be appreciated!

 

[yavapaires]

Possible, even though I havn't had a problem on my 96, but it could also be your heater control valve. I thought they had quit using heater control valves a number of years ago, but there is one on mine. It is vacuum controled, but you should be able to operate it manually, see what happens.

 

[bar422]

How do you check it manually......I can't seem to remember?

 

[bar422]

Any more help would be appreciated!

 

[rcooper1937]

Not sure if you got it fixed yet, but I have a 2000 Xplorer, same problem, it turned out to be a part that I cannot remember the name of, but here you go: open your glove box completely, take a flashlight look behind glovebox panel there is a clear plastic box located next to the firewall, it will have one connector running to it, tap on the box with the end of a screwdriver while you switch it from hot to cold, it should switch back and fourth after doing so, its pretty easy to replace, it is held in place by 3 phillips head screws-replace it and that should fix your problem. Just remembered the name, its called the blend door actuator, DO NOT buy the one made by Dorman from Auto-zone or Advance, go to dealer and purchase the one made by ford, the computer in your truck will not recougnize the one made by Dorman I was told, and ive also read the same thing in other posts as well....hope this helps.....Good luck.