AC comes out of wrong vents

[Sallad420]

Hi, this is a strange thing that just started yesterday.

I have it on MAX AC and the cold air is coming out of the main dash vents, as it always has. Then for no reason it'll switch to blowing out of the windshield defogger vents. Blow out of those for about 3 mins then switch back to the proper vents. It'll keep switching back and forth every 15 mins or so.

Strange. Anyone have any clue what's up? Is this a sign of an upcoming repair?

Normal AC seems to work fine still.

Thanks

 

[Sallad420]

...nobodys ever seen this?

 

[Sid Daley]

It happens to me once in a while, seems almost like it's
blowing too much and it diverts air. Hope it's not a impending
repair..

Sid

...nobodys ever seen this?

 

[Sallad420]

It was working fine, until the other day. Before when I selected Max AC it would blow harder than regular AC, but now there is no difference between the two. Nothing sounds different between the two settings. :fire:

 

[LiKuiD]

Sounds like blend door issue if I recall correctly...try searching for "blend door" and see if that helps. Mine kind of does the same thing, except it blows out A/C air when it's on vent for head/feet. I actually like it though....it's nice to have A/C on the feet in the summer!

 

[wpurple]

might be a bad vacuum canister located under the passanger wheel well

 

[Sallad420]

Sounds like blend door issue if I recall correctly...try searching for "blend door" and see if that helps.

If I'm not mistaken, the Blend Door controls the blending of warm air and cold outside air. I don't think it controls the path the air takes through the vents.

...but I could be wrong. (has happened before )

Wpurple, if it was a bad vacuum cansiter, wouldn't it affect ALL the vent settings? (i don't know, just guessing)

Thanks.

 

[Skibug]

Mine blowes out on my feet a little when I have it on Max A/C, A/C, and on Vent. I have tried everything to get it not to do this with no luck. It is not a lot of air at the feet but enough to freeze the toes when the flops are on. I have gotten used to it now and kind of like that little bit coming out at the feet in the summers here in Florida. So many of us have problems with air coming out where it is not supposed to. Hhmmmmmm

 

[wpurple]

If the vacuum canister isn't holding enough vacuum, the air will be diverted to the defroster irrespective of what the setting is.

 

[james t]

Mine did this last summer, and it was a bad vacuum canister. I have no idea what yours looks like or were its located, but on a 96 V8 its in the front of the passenger side fenderwell. It looks just like the big plastic ball thingy in a toilet. My A/C was doing exactly what yours is doing now.

edit- i see that you have a 96 so it will be in the same location.

 

[wpurple]

When I replaed mine I noticed it rattled, the one way valve fell off the internal nipple.

 

[james3302]

Ac

My left Air vent will blow out air when I select heater, but if I select AC, it will not blow out of that vent.

 

[Sallad420]

Problem FIXED!

Thanks everyone for your help. The vacuum canister idea got me thinking about... well, vacuum pressure, or lack of pressure, anyways, I started by looking under the hood for any loose vacuum lines. And I found one!

Looking under the hood, near the rear left of the engine, there are a few hoses (assuming the are hooked into the HVAC system) On top of the two hoses there is a small vacuum canister, about the diameter of a paper towel roll (empty roll). The vacuum line coming from the top of that was off. I popped it back on, and as soon as I did, a little arm on the bottom of the canister moved. I guess that controled the airflow.

Now my AC is working perfectly again! (Gotta love those free fixes)

Hopefully some of you on here can fix your AC as easily.

 

[james3302]

Yea, I saw a post about someone having a bad experience with a Ford Dealership and accidently posted that message here instead. I have since been looking for that topic, but cannot find it to post this reply to. Sorry about that.

 

[Sallad420]

I'm kinda confused on your post... I was talking about AC vents... not "Venting" about a bad experience.

 

[Sid Daley]

Glad to see you got it fixed, I just came from holidays and mine was still
switching to defrost sporadically. I'll look and see if the system on my '97
is same as yours..

Sid

 

[Sallad420]

Any luck fixing it?

 

[Chew_12]

I have the same problem in my 93....I just use the AC and not Max AC but I will need to find a fix to this.

 

[Sid Daley]

Just had a 10yr Ford mechanic as a customer and he definitely feels this issue is simply a vaccum leak, he did wish me luck in finding it however.

Sid

 

[geber11]

Had the same problem where the vent was stuck on defrost. Just looked under the hood looking for the vacuum lines and sure enough when I pulled on the one that lays across the top of the motor near the oil filler cap with the connection in the middle of it, one end was not connected. The line is black in color until it gets to the connector then it turns red. The loose end is supposed to go into the top port of the vacuum canister, well it wasn't, it was just hanging there. So, I reconeccted the line to the canister and now the vent selection works perfectly. The line doesnt feel very secure in the port, it may come off again. Maybe I'll try taping it or something. Once again explorerforum save me money, Thanks to all who contribute here.