AC air flow is week - I need to rant - can someone confirm their 3rd gen air flow?

[Curtis]

My AC just doesn't have enough flow from the dash vents.

I have a couple questions.

When on Max AC, should there be air from the floor vents in the center console too? If I have on AC or Max AC, there is always air coming out of the lower vents and I'm thinking this is why the vents by the radio don't have the flow. Can someone else confirm this?

When I have the vents by the radio on, Max AC, I can hardly feel the air on my face. And flow to the rear of the vents in the center console is virtually none. All speeds, 1, 2, 3, and 4 work on the fan, but on 4, it just makes so much noise you cant hear each other talk or hear the radio.

I have a 96 explorer also, and the fan speed increases when changed from AC to max AC but the 04 does not. And in the 96, my wife sits out back with the new baby, and the AC from the rear console vent will blow her hair around... not so in the 04. Given the 04 is black and leather I'm sweating like I don't know what. It takes a good hour for the truck to cool down.... I'm thinking replacing the leather with a factory cloth...I'm almost ready to sell the 04 and I have only had it 3 months.

The 04 is actually at the dealer now for another problem, and I want them to figure this out. Could it be a blend door problem? Is there a test I can do to make sure air is in the right places when I switch from defrost to vents to feet etc?
They looked at it previously and said they didn't think anything was wrong. Id like them to let it sit all day in the sun, and then take it out to get some lunch or something so they could see that with such little air flow, it takes a long time to cool the interior and let them sweat their ass off on the leather seat.

 

[abarkl]

It could be a loose vacuum hose under the hood and the air is actually coming out the defrost vents instead. I knocked mine loose last year while changing the plugs and had no air from the dash vents. And I live in Phoenix!

 

[pbailey]

I have the exact same problem with my 94. I have been looking on this site to get some ideas, I have started looking for vacuum hose problems but no luck yet.

 

[Tbars4]

check out this thread and see if this might help...
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=190392

 

[Curtis]

Update on this issue.

Just came back from the dealer to take the tech for a drive to duplicate my double thump when stopping (slip yolk issue I think and tech seemed to think so too)

Anyway, when we got back, I asked the tech guy if he was hot while we were driving around.. he said there wasn't much air flow... this was in front of the head service manager too! Hopefully they can figure this out.

 

[rrgone]

I agree with you about the #4 fan setting - way too loud to use when you're trying to talk. It's like you have 1-2-3 ...and 10! My '93 Sport was the same way though. Here's what the '02 Repair Cd has to say about Max AC setting:

System Airflow Description — Manual Climate Control


MAX A/C

When MAX A/C is selected:

l The recirculation door vacuum control motor is at full vacuum, closing off outside air and admitting only recirculated air.

l The panel door vacuum control motor is at full vacuum and the defrost door and floor door vacuum control motors are at no vacuum, directing airflow to the instrument panel A/C registers. A small amount of airflow from the floor duct, defroster duct and side window demisters will be present.

l The heater control valve is at full vacuum when the temperature selection is in the full COOL position, preventing the flow of hot coolant to the heater core. Otherwise, blended air temperature is available.

l Air will be drawn from the recirculated air inlet by the blower motor. When the temperature selection is in the full COOL position, the airflow will be diverted past the heater core and then into the passenger compartment through the instrument panel A/C registers.

l The A/C request switch will be illuminated and will be disabled.

l The A/C compressor will operate if the outside temperature is above approximately 6ºC (43ºF).

l The blower motor is on.

l The auxiliary blower motor is enabled, if equipped.

It sounds like one of your vacuum control motors isn't working and allowing too much air to flow out the floor vents. Hope the dealer gets you fixed up.

 

[daprez1963]

When I had my 02, I had the same problem. There wasn't much difference between 2 and 3 but when 4 was selected, it was a hurricane. I also had some air coming out of the floor area even though I had selected only front vents.

well, with my 05, I still get some air coming from floor vents (i am starting to think this is normal, letting some air in to breathe) but wow, my 3rd position actually works. there is a difference between 2, 3, and 4. i seldom use 4 unless i want to cool the truck fast, but i usually run mine in the 2nd position. i live in florida and will eventually move back to a drier climate in PHX and will appreciate a good working a/c there. i am starting to think that there was an issue with my selection panel and i had a vaccum leak somewhere n the 02. the 05 blows out around 44-48 degree air on max setting. without max selected, you are combining temp air from outside and isnt as cold. plus, i was always told that the air flow temp would be cooler if the fan speed was not on full blast. once the truck is cool inside and running on max, i usally turn it down to 2 and sometimes 1. as for my rear a/c which runs on a seperate system, all is good.

 

[Curtis]

i was always told that the air flow temp would be cooler if the fan speed was not on full blast.

I have to use the 4th speed to try and get enough flow. Temperature is cold alright, but I just cant get a good enough breeze from the dash vents. I drove the other day for a 1 1/2 hour drive and had it on max AC on the 4th speed the whole time. I couldn't do that in my 96, eventually I would need to turn the fan speed down because my arms or face would be frozen. Not so in my 04.

Never heard from the dealer yesterday. Hopefully today they'll call.

 

[daprez1963]

I have to use the 4th speed to try and get enough flow. Temperature is cold alright, but I just cant get a good enough breeze from the dash vents. I drove the other day for a 1 1/2 hour drive and had it on max AC on the 4th speed the whole time. I couldn't do that in my 96, eventually I would need to turn the fan speed down because my arms or face would be frozen. Not so in my 04.

Never heard from the dealer yesterday. Hopefully today they'll call.

sounds like you definitely have a leak somewhere. that and maybe you have something blocking the vent or the vent door isnt opening fully.

 

[Curtis]

Just got a call from the dealer, there is a blend door problem. My extended warranty has to approve it, its a full day's labor according to the ford service manager to take the dash out.

Plus they are fixing my slip yolk this afternoon for the double bump stop issue. (for the second time)

hopefully I dont have any problems with my extended warranty covering this.

 

[Curtis]

#$%^&*@
So my extended warranty is not picking up the tab on this....

The blend door - $90
Labor - $780

Also, about a month ago the dealer put a front pump seal on the trans.
I then went on vacation for a month so the explorer wasnt even moved.
I get back, it wont go in park. The shifter cable case is broke.
$490 for that.

And the double bump stop, is not my slip yolk, they said its a leaking rear shock. $220 for that.

Total - $1600.....

I think Ill have the shifter cable done,,, then drive it from the service dept to the sales dept to trade it in... sucks Ive only owned it 3 months...
Last month I put bushings in the rear end for $500 too.

 

[Curtis]

OK another update
I phoned and spoke with the extended warranty company because my booklet says ducts are covered so I argued that this is a duct with a door on it. It took a few minutes on hold, but they agreed and will cover the blend door. I really hope I get some better flow out of this.

As for the shifter cable, the dealer said the case was cracked.
Could a cracked case really cause it not to go in park?
the dealer had the trans out last month for a seal so I know they had this disconnected. I can use all other gears, but its like it just needs some adjustment to get up high enough for park. Do you really think parts and labor on a shifter cable should be $490?

Think I could do a shifter cable myself? I do pretty much everything else.

 

[Tbars4]

from what you have stated so far, i am really wondering about the integrity of the guys who work in the shop that you go to...:scratch:
if you had a cracked case and a bad cable when you took it in and they changed the front pump seal, wouldn't a good shop have noticed this..???

 

[Curtis]

from what you have stated so far, i am really wondering about the integrity of the guys who work in the shop that you go to...:scratch:
if you had a cracked case and a bad cable when you took it in and they changed the front pump seal, wouldn't a good shop have noticed this..???

This is actually a Ford dealership.. one of the biggest around..
I asked if they could do better on the shifter cable since the warranty is now covering a $1000 job for the blend door, and he gave me a fleet price on it. Brought it down to $360...

But I did question the same thing. They said it looked like a recent break because it was very clean. I can kinda back that up since I did drive it after the trans seal job and it was fine, but it only took from a Friday to a Monday for it to stop working.

 

[Tbars4]

my thought and it's just my opinion is they cracked it working on the tranny..i myself would be going thru the roof...i am not a tranny guy or anything but it is to coincidental and i don't think you were doing anything on your drive home or back to the shop...i would walk up to that guy eye to eye and ask him straight out if he had the tranny out??? is there any possible way they could have done this??? sorry, i am having problems with a mechanic that was trying to blame another shop for braking a few parts but it all changed when i showed him pictures taken weeks after the other shop worked on my truck that clearly showed the parts that are now broken were clearly fine in my pictures...

 

[Curtis]

well got the truck back tonight, what a difference. When I got out my glasses fogged up they were that cold!

total parts $46
Total labor $650
Total - $696 plus tax.
covered by the extended warranty.

Now for the shifter cable.
I complained "nicely" that I thought they broke it when they had the trans out last month or they should have seen it at least. The manager didn't say anything except let me see what the bill says. Well instead of $380, (the fleet price that the service guy got me) he charged me $26.00. I didn't ask what for but I took it and ran. From the looks of my bill I think he made it look like a factory warranty repair with a $25 deductible plus tax. SWEET !!!

 

[Tbars4]

alright... you got it all fixed for cheap though good going... but it makes does make you wonder...if he'll pass the buck onto the warranty company cause he couldn't pass it on to you :scratch: kind of a moral and ethics question of your local stealership...