Air entering from outside on passenger side

[lucylu]

My wife has a 2004 Explorer. When the vehicle is in motion there is alot of outside air entering the passenger side, the faster the vehicle goes the more outside air comes in. The air is noticeable on the floor of the passenger side (not from the floor vent) but the source appears to be coming from behind the upper dash and glove compartment. If the glove compartment is opened the air is very noticeable there. The temperature of the air coming in is the same as the outside air temperatures. I have visually checked under the dash and behind the glove compartment with a flashlight and mirror to see if there is anything obvious that could be disconnected. I don't see any hoses or vacuum lines disconnected. All of the vacuum canisters are operating in and out when I adjust the various modes using the dial on the control panel. When the control panel dial that changes the direction of air from floor, console panel, defrost etc, in is any position other than OFF the amount of air entering the passenger side is unchanged. When the dial is in the OFF position there is slightly less air but still a steady air flow. I've also checked under the hood for disconnected hoses/lines. Nothing obvious there either. The amount of air coming through the defroster vents seem to be less volume than it used to be. The fan motor is working fine and it sounds like it is blowing alot of air but not much flow or volume is coming out of the defrosters or front corner dash vents which direct air to the front door windows. If you have any suggestions on anything else I should consider checking that I could have overlooked, please reply.
I also have 2 older Explorers 1992 and 1999 and both have twice the volume of air at the windshield defrosters and front vents in the dash.
Thank You.

 

[icepickjazz]

Sounds like the Fresh Air/Recirc" Door is broken and has fallen on top of the blower motor. I have same issue on my 2004 Explorer. See these posts for more info:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284042&highlight=vent+door
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=316624&highlight=remove+glovebox
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblog/2008/08/2003-ford-explorer-ac-not-cold-enough/

My 04 explorer also has this issue in addition to the Recirc door being broken. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=323586

 

[Exproblems]

My wife has a 2004 Explorer.>>>>>>>>>>>>> When the dial is in the OFF position there is slightly less air but still a steady air flow. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The amount of air coming through the defroster vents seem to be less volume than it used to be>>>>>>>>>>>>. The fan motor is working fine and it sounds like it is blowing alot of air but not much flow or volume is coming out of the defrosters or front corner dash vents which direct air to the front door windows.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sounds like your "Air Recircualtion Door" has failed/broken off and fallen on top of the blower motor housing. It will lay flat inside of there and block air flow to the vents and it will cause that outside cold air you feel coming in under the passenger side of the dash to happen. It is a big job to do the actual repair of this door. The dashboard has to be un-bolted and swung outward and out of the way on the passenger side to get at air recirc housing. Ford dealerships want around $1100 to fix this.
There is a simple fix for this and that is to remove the broken air recirc door panel "completely" from the blower air box by removing 4, fairly easy to get at screws from behind your glove box. Use the 1st repair web link provided to you by "IcePickJazz" and look at the photo's in the post by "Curtis" and use them as a guide to find the 4 screws you need to remove to access the air recirc door panel. Just flip down the glove box and press in the side tabs to roll it down towards the floor to get at the 4 screws. There are 2 screws on the right and 2 on the left side of the air box. Once removed, you can split open the plastic air box at the seam line (right end opens father than left) and it is hard to keep open, so wedge something in there if you can, and feel around downward with your fingers and you will feel the air recirc door panel laying just below the bottom lip of the opened air box. I used needle nosed pliers to grab the door panel and I had to turn it sideways or on it's narrow end to remove it thru the opened air box. The door panel is approx 11 in long by 5 in High,so pull it out by the 5 inch end, it's easier that way. Once out, clean out any debris in there like leaves and re-install the 4 screws you removed and you are done! With this air recirc door panel removed, you will lose MAX AC cooling, but you will still have AC, just not as cold as before. With the air recirc door panel broken like it was, you weren't getting MAX AC anyhow. You will however, have great air flow returned to all of your dash vents once again with this door panel out of there. For me, I don't need max AC and it saved me a ton of money and aggravation simply removing this air recirc door panel completely and leaving it out. Took about an hour to remove the door panel, most of the time spent on trying to grab and wiggle the door panel out of the opening in the air box. BTW, the 4 screws in the air box are the only thing you need to disconnect to do this job. Disregard removing the blower motor as per "Curtis" instructions, it doesn't need to be removed. The 3rd and 4th photo in "Curtis" post are the ones you need to do this. Use this web link below for the pics of the 4 screws. Good Luck!

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=284042&highlight=vent+door

 

[lucylu]

icepicjazz and Exproblems,
Thanks so much for your replies. I am mechanically handy (retired machinist of 32 yrs.) and with the instructions and links you've both included, I'm confident I can replace the entire assy, maybe not in 45 minutes but probably within a couple hours. Last week I replaced the temperature blend door actuator' under the dash on the drivers side of the console, that job wasn't bad at all other than the twisted positions I had to lay on my back while removing the bad actuator and getting the new actuator in place. I did remove the entire console and that was not necessary. Only the front tray and left side panel need to be removed for access to the blend door actuator on a 2004 Explorer.
BTW, do you know if any online part suppliers sell this 'Recir Door Assy' other than a Ford dealership and the approx cost?
Thanks Again!

 

[FordFool2]

I show the list at $65 and your cost as $43.

http://www.tousleyfordparts.com/parts/2004/FORD/EXPLORER/?siteid=214771&vehicleid=1427802&diagram=MF02752&diagramCallOut=6

 

[Exproblems]

icepicjazz and Exproblems,
Thanks so much for your replies. <<<<<<<<<<<<<

Your welcome!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>and with the instructions and links you've both included, I'm confident I can replace the entire assy, maybe not in 45 minutes but probably within a couple hours.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Good luck in repairing the air recirc door. You may want to search for a post that shows a way to modify the way the air recirc door is connected in the air box, so that this doesn't happen again to you. You may also be able to re-use the air recirc door you currently have, just modify the connection points. The one I removed, looked to be in good condition, but on the end with a recessed notch in it, which I'm assuming was for the insertion of the actuator arm, it appeared to be slightly rounded off. I figure this rounded off end is what caused the door panel to fall out of it's connection point in there, and fall to the bottom of the air box. Only buy a new air recirc door if you actually need one.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Last week I replaced the temperature blend door actuator' under the dash on the drivers side of the console, that job wasn't bad at all other than the twisted positions I had to lay on my back while removing the bad actuator and getting the new actuator in place.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

That was the problem I ran into when I tried to do mine. I'm a big guy, and I didn't have enough room in the drivers foot well area to lay on my back to get up under the dash. I would have had to pull out the drivers seat to get enough room and I said screw that, so I took it to my mechanic and he installed it for me for $120, tax included. It took his helper 3 hours to do, but he only charged me for an hour and a half labor which was a steal compared to what Ford ($580 labor only) wanted to install it.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>BTW, do you know if any online part suppliers sell this 'Recir Door Assy' other than a Ford dealership and the approx cost?
Thanks Again>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You can try Silver State Ford Parts, they are out of Nevada. Make sure you use your vehicles VIN number when ordering the part. It ensures you get the exact part for your vehicle. Just remember when you order online, there are shipping and handling costs to add into the overall price. No, I never priced out a new air recirc door panel or the actuator that moves it back and forth in the air box. Just know Ford wanted around $1100 for the whole job to replace one. Ford also wanted $1100 to replace a temp blend door box, $400 for the box and $700 labor to pull the dash and install it.

 

[icepickjazz]

icepicjazz and Exproblems,
Thanks so much for your replies. I am mechanically handy (retired machinist of 32 yrs.) and with the instructions and links you've both included, I'm confident I can replace the entire assy, maybe not in 45 minutes but probably within a couple hours.

You're welcome. I figure the 45 minutes for me means 4-5 hours. Thinking about tackling this project sometime this summer. Let us know how it goes for you.